Workshops & Outings
Lake Champlain Waterfowl Watch
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontJoin NBNC Birding Ambassador Chip Darmstadt on the shores of Lake Champlain in search of winter waterfowl.
Seabirding Along the Atlantic Coast – Winter Birding in Cape Ann, MA
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontThis annual winter adventure is an outstanding opportunity to spend quality time with species rarely, if ever, seen in Vermont. This trip is not only about discovering rare species by land and sea, but about watching, enjoying, and studying seabirds among a community of like-minded nature lovers under the leadership of a first-class guide and educator.
Needle Felting Workshop with Neysa Russo
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontNeedle felting is a simple technique that uses barbed needles to decorate a felt surface with design. There will be an abundance of designs to choose from that are perfect for sampling this technique and more complex projects for those who would like a challenge. Along the way, you will build your needling skills, gain design experience, and experiment with color.
Amphibian Road Crossing Program – Ecology & Training Night (ZOOM)
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontJoin North Branch Nature Center scientists to learn about our Amphibian Road Crossing program, and find out how you can help Vermont’s frogs and salamanders safely cross the road during their annual spring movements.
Birding Basics Class
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontBecome a better birder! In this class, you’ll develop a breadth of knowledge and skills to better appreciate Vermont’s common and not-so-common birdlife. Instructed by Chip Darmstadt
Earth Day Tree Planting at NBNC
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontJoin us for a fun morning of giving back to the land to celebrate Earth Day! We will be transplanting small trees and shrubs to an area along the North Branch river in need of habitat restoration.
Peents n’ Peeps – Spring Sounds at NBNC
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontAn evening of up close and personal listens and looks at springtime's most impressive crepuscular performances. We'll attempt to creep up on spring peepers by following an individual peep amid the cacophonous chorus and try to pinpoint the peenting of american woodcocks before they lift off to perform their skydance.
Birding in the Northeast Kingdom
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, Vermontn this winter adventure through the Kingdom with NBNC Birding Ambassador Chip Darmstadt, we'll visit birding hotspots in search of charismatic yet elusive bird species found nowhere else in the state.
History on the Land – Biodiversity University
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontDiscover how to “read” old forested farmscapes and agricultural architecture to trace 300 years of land use history in Vermont. Stone walls, cellar holes, old roads, and other mysteries “lost” in the woods reveal stories of the families who shaped the landscape as we see it today.
Spring Birding at North Branch Nature Center
A casual morning of birding for all interests and experience levels facilitated by NBNC staff and guest leaders. These outings are about enjoying, learning about, and spending time with wild birds. No binoculars? No ID guide? No problem! The only requirement is an appreciation of birds (though we do have binoculars for those who would like them).
Spring Birding at Sodom Pond
A casual morning of birding for all interests and experience levels facilitated by NBNC staff and guest leaders. These outings are about enjoying, learning about, and spending time with wild birds. No binoculars? No ID guide? No problem! The only requirement is an appreciation of birds (though we do have binoculars for those who would like them).
Mother’s Day Wildflower Walk
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontA casual search for spring wildflowers along the NBNC trails in celebration of Mother's Day.
Spring Birding at Catamount Outdoor Family Center
A casual morning of birding for all interests and experience levels facilitated by NBNC staff and guest leaders. These outings are about enjoying, learning about, and spending time with wild birds. No binoculars? No ID guide? No problem! The only requirement is an appreciation of birds (though we do have binoculars for those who would like them).
Spring Family Nature Discovery Hike
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontCome explore all the activity happening around NBNC on a Spring Discovery Hike. We'll listen to birdsong at a Sit Spot, see if we can find tadpoles or frogs in vernal pools, and look for flowers in the field as we take in all that spring has to offer.
Eco-Printing Workshop (morning) with Visiting Teacher-Naturalist Noelani Jones
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontLearn how to eco-print on cloth with natural plant dyes!
Eco-Printing Workshop (afternoon) with Visiting Teacher-Naturalist Noelani Jones
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontLearn how to eco-print on cloth with natural plant dyes!
Spring Birding at Berlin Pond (South Side)
A casual morning of birding for all interests and experience levels facilitated by NBNC staff and guest leaders. These outings are about enjoying, learning about, and spending time with wild birds. No binoculars? No ID guide? No problem! The only requirement is an appreciation of birds (though we do have binoculars for those who would like them).
Spring Birding at North Branch Nature Center
A casual morning of birding for all interests and experience levels facilitated by NBNC staff and guest leaders. These outings are about enjoying, learning about, and spending time with wild birds. No binoculars? No ID guide? No problem! The only requirement is an appreciation of birds (though we do have binoculars for those who would like them).
Wildlife Tracking: Summer Tracks & Signs – Biodiversity University
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontYou might associate wildlife tracking with winter snow, but paying attention to wildlife activity is a year-round practice, and one that invites us into closer connection with our wild neighbors. With a bit of instruction and attunement to subtle signs, the trained tracker finds the summer landscape rich with stories of territorial marking, feeding, denning, and more.
Woody Plants in the Field – Biodiversity University
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontPart of NBNC's Biodiversity University series.
Tree ID & Natural History – Biodiversity University
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontLearning about trees can be a powerful way to connect to your local landscape. They are big, charismatic, and always around us. Knowing who they are provides a baseline ecological understanding for the rest of our surroundings.
Vermont Master Naturalist for Educators
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontThis course for middle and high school educators is a unique collaboration between North Branch Nature Center and Vermont Master Naturalist. It is a place-based, integrated training in interpreting the local landscape and applying that training to 5th-12th grade classrooms and curricula. Each day immerses in a different ecosystem, exploring the pieces, patterns, and processes driving local ecology. We’ll practice field-based activities and classroom-based extensions aligned with Next Generation Science Standards and Proficiency-Based Learning frameworks.
Butterfly Ecology & Identification – Biodiversity University
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontDesigned for naturalists and scientists of varied abilities and interests, this seminar covers butterfly taxonomy, biology, behavior, and identification.
ECO Institute: Nature-Based Routines for Outdoor Classrooms
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontFor elementary and middle school teachers. The purpose of this ECO introductory course for elementary and middle school educators is to apply integrated academic curricula beyond the classroom, while immersing in and participating with nature as a learning partner.
Peatlands Rich and Poor – Biodiversity University
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontInstructors: Brett Engstrom & Jerry Jenkins July 20-21, 2024 | $285 Course size: 12 students Financial support available (contact us) Part of NBNC's Biodiversity University series. More Information & Registration
ECO Institute for Early Childhood Educators
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontFor preschool and kindergarten educators. This course applies early childhood learning curricula beyond the classroom, while immersing in and participating with nature as a learning partner. The course provides inquiry-based learning through intensive experiential lessons, provocations and discussions held entirely outdoors.
Nature Night Hike
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontDiscover nature in the dark! Come catch moths, uncover caterpillars under UV light, and learn all about what local critters are up to at night. We'll let our eyes naturally adjust to the moonlight as we hike, play games, and explore the nature center after dark.
The Pantanal – Birds and Wildlife of Brazil
The huge lowland plains of the Mato Grosso in Brazil, seasonally inundated during the rainy season, is known as the "Pantanal." It is the shrinking of the wetlands during the dry season that creates the spectacular concentrations of wildlife for which the area has become world famous.
Mushroom Identification & Ecology – Biodiversity University
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontDesigned for naturalists and scientists of varied abilities and interests, this seminar covers butterfly taxonomy, biology, behavior, and identification.
Native Pollinators – Biodiversity University
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontWhen it comes to pollination, honeybees get all the attention, but most of the credit belongs to a diverse group of organisms that call New England home. There have been over 350 species of wild bees identified in Vermont to date, and they – along with myriad moths, butterflies, wasps, beetles, flies, and birds – are responsible for pollinating ~80% of flowering plants and ~66% of food crops.
Champlain Beach & Delta Botany by Boat – Biodiversity University
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontInstructors: Grace Glynn & Jerry Jenkins August 30-31, 2024 | $285 Course size: 12 students Financial support available (contact us) Part of NBNC's Biodiversity University series. More Information & Registration
South Africa’s Fangs & Feathers
Experience the birdlife and megafauna of your dreams on this great South African safari.
Old Forest Ecology- Biodiversity University
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontOld forests capture a special place in our imagination, and they provide important ecological functions, especially in a changing climate. In this course, we will visit some of the few remaining patches of old forest in Vermont.
Japan’s Winter Birds & Culture
Winter in Japan is a fairytale of stunning birdlife, fascinating wildlife, dramatic landscapes, and magnificent culture.
