August 2019
Shorebirding Quest to Plum Island, MA
A weekend with NBNC’s expert birders and naturalists enjoying sandpipers, plovers, and godwits galore at the renowned Plum Island, Massachusetts-- the perfect place to learn or perfect your shorebirding!
Find out more »Birding Paddle on Arrowhead Mountain Lake
Celebrate fall migration with North Branch Nature Center by paddling Milton's diverse Arrowhead Mountain Lake in search of neotropical warblers, shorebirds, raptors, and waterfowl. Over 115 species have been seen along the shores and wetlands of this beautiful and under-the-radar pond.
Find out more »September 2019
Friday Morning Fall Bird Walks
A weekly, casual bird walk around the NBNC property in search of fall migratory songbirds. Learn about identification, ecology, and life history of our local avifauna. Led by NBNC’s expert naturalists and birders.
Find out more »BirdFest!
A summer nature festival for all ages featuring all of our feathered friends! Live birds of prey, kids and families activity tent, bird walks, workshops, presentations, and much more!
Find out more »Friday Morning Fall Bird Walks
A weekly, casual bird walk around the NBNC property in search of fall migratory songbirds. Learn about identification, ecology, and life history of our local avifauna. Led by NBNC’s expert naturalists and birders.
Find out more »Northeast Kingdom Nature Retreat (For Youth and Teens)
Journey with youth and teen naturalists and NBNC’s expert teacher / naturalists to the wildest corner of Vermont for a weekend-long nature retreat full of rare birds, bog plants, dragonflies, brook trout, and whatever else Mother Nature has in store for us.
Find out more »Nature Journaling with Susan Sawyer
This three-part class takes place in the fields, woods and riverside. We’ll develop artistic and writing skills with pencil, pen, watercolor, and colored pencils. We will practice techniques and creative approaches including haiku, mapmaking, lists, and special adaptations like pocket-size nature journals, quick handmade booklets, and group journals.
Find out more »Digital Nature Photography 101
New to digital photography? Eager to capture better images of the natural world? In this four-part, hands-on series, develop the foundations of a well-rounded nature photographer.
Find out more »Friday Morning Fall Bird Walks
A weekly, casual bird walk around the NBNC property in search of fall migratory songbirds. Learn about identification, ecology, and life history of our local avifauna. Led by NBNC’s expert naturalists and birders.
Find out more »Wild Edibles – Apple Edition
Join NBNC naturalists on a tasty exploration of re-wilded orchards to learn about the natural and cultural history of our venerable state fruit. We’ll do some wild-style apple picking, then return to the trailhead to press fresh cider and cook up our bounty. Led by NBNC naturalists and educators Sean Beckett and Ken Benton. Hosted by NBNC and Hunger Mountain Co-op.
Find out more »Friday Morning Fall Bird Walks
A weekly, casual bird walk around the NBNC property in search of fall migratory songbirds. Learn about identification, ecology, and life history of our local avifauna. Led by NBNC’s expert naturalists and birders.
Find out more »Workshop by Rachel Larimore: Going to the Great “Beyond”
Join Rachel Larimor for this session exploring our current practices and how we can move away from learning in or about nature, and toward more learning with nature. We’ll consider the structure of our time, the physical environment, and our teacher-child interactions. We’ll also discuss how we integrate those experiences in the beyond into the indoor classroom.
Find out more »October 2019
Photography for Naturalists Workshop
Become a better photographer by tuning into nature, and learn to harness your camera by becoming a better naturalist. In this morning workshop, we’ll blend photography techniques and naturalist skills to achieve a deeper connection with nature and capture great photographs.
Find out more »“Mushroom Mondays” with Dave Muska
Join NBNC Teacher/Naturalist and expert mycologist Dave Muska on a casual foray around the property in search of all things fungi and mushrooms. Learn about fungi identification, ecology, symbioses, edibility, and life history in these relaxed, afternoon field walks. Free for NBNC members, $10 for non-members, paid at the door.
Find out more »Northern Saw-whet Owl Public Banding Demo
Demonstrations 7:30 – 9 pm on October 9, 10, 16, 24, and 25. Join NBNC biologists as they capture, tag, and release these pint-sized owls. After the birds are released, NBNC naturalists and educators will discuss the highlights of recent research at NBNC and across the country, then share what’s been discovered about this mysterious little predator. RSVP is required. Open to all ages.
Find out more »Fall Wild Edible Plants & Mushrooms
Join our foraging naturalists Ken Benton and Dave Muska for a day of learning to identify, sustainably harvest, and cook a variety of wild plants and mushrooms.
Find out more »“Mushroom Mondays” with Dave Muska
Join NBNC Teacher/Naturalist and expert mycologist Dave Muska on a casual foray around the property in search of all things fungi and mushrooms. Learn about fungi identification, ecology, symbioses, edibility, and life history in these relaxed, afternoon field walks. Free for NBNC members, $10 for non-members, paid at the door.
Find out more »Mushrooms of Central Vermont
A journey through the Fungi kingdom. In this class, participants will be introduced to the fundamentals of mushroom ID, toxicology & edibility, as well as the ecological significance of fungi found in Central Vermont.
Find out more »“Mushroom Mondays” with Dave Muska
Join NBNC Teacher/Naturalist and expert mycologist Dave Muska on a casual foray around the property in search of all things fungi and mushrooms. Learn about fungi identification, ecology, symbioses, edibility, and life history in these relaxed, afternoon field walks. Free for NBNC members, $10 for non-members, paid at the door.
Find out more »“Mushroom Mondays” with Dave Muska
Join NBNC Teacher/Naturalist and expert mycologist Dave Muska on a casual foray around the property in search of all things fungi and mushrooms. Learn about fungi identification, ecology, symbioses, edibility, and life history in these relaxed, afternoon field walks. Free for NBNC members, $10 for non-members, paid at the door.
Find out more »November 2019
Nature Illustration: Leaves, Seeds, and Twigs with Susan Sawyer
Though the growing season is over, there are plenty of things that make late fall one of the best times to bring botany indoors and take a good look. Looking closely, plant structures are infinitely varied, functional, and often surprising. This class will emphasize close observation and accurate drawing.
Find out more »Black Ash Basketmaking
Learn every step of traditional black ash basketry in this forest-to-basket class! Abenaki basketmakers Kerry and Aaron Wood will teach each step of the basketmaking process beginning with a walk through an ash stand, assessing living trees for basket quality, processing ash splints, weaving a basket, and exploring indigenous cultural values of ash trees. Participants will go home with their own foraging basket and lid.
Find out more »