Online Course: Spring Ephemeral Wildflowers with Grace Glynn
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontWild leeks, trillium, spring beauty: each spring brings an explosion of wildlflowers to rich Northeastern forests. This course will equip you with tools to identify the plants in our spring flora and an ecological understanding of their place on the landscape. Topics will range from etymology of the spring flora to the potential effects of climate change on spring ephemerals and their pollinators.
Nocturnal Migration: The birds flying over your bed while you sleep – by Larry Clarfeld
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontPresented by Larry Clarfeld Tuesday May 4 | 7:30 - 8:30 pm Free | Join via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85469408269 Hosted by: Green Mountain Audubon Society and North Branch Nature Center Migration is one of the greatest spectacles of the natural world, and yet much of the migration of North America’s birds takes place under a cloak…
Inside-Outside: Nature Based Educators of New England (Chapter Meeting)
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontInside-Outside is a network of educators and organizations from throughout the northeast and beyond. We come together to connect and support one another in teaching and learning outdoors, while continuing to grow the nature-based education movement. NBNC hosts a once a month Central Vermont Chapter meeting for anyone interested in learning more about nature-based education for children in grades preK to 12th grade. We host our meetings on the second Tuesday of each month during the school year.
Lady Beetles of Vermont: Invasions, Extirpations, & Discoveries – with the Vermont Center for Ecostudies
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontThursday May 20 | 6 - 7 pm Free | Join via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82792711468 Presented by: Vermont Center for Ecostudies Native lady beetles play an important role as biological pest control agents, yet native populations have been in decline across North America. Vermont's lady beetles seem to be following continental trends of decline, but due…
Digital Photography for Naturalists – Biodiversity University
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontInstructed by Sean Beckett. Learn to better harness your camera and your artistic imagination to improve your nature photography and expand your naturalist skill set. In this course, we’ll delve into each part of the nature photography workflow, including conception, composition, exposure, camera technique, editing, and production.
Slow Birding with Bridget Butler – Biodiversity University
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontInstructed by Bridget Butler. Slow Birding is a practice that builds a deeper observation of birds with the intention of knowing more about the whole bird in addition to identification. The Slow Birding approach is useful for beginner birders and experienced birders alike. Beginning birders find it a more relaxed approach to learning birds and experienced birders enjoy the feeling of letting go of the list and seeing birds with a fresh perspective.
TRACES 2021: Vermont Dance Alliance’s Day of Dance
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontTRACES 2021 June 12, 2021, 10am - 12:30pm Free, donations greatly appreciated on site or at vermontdance.org/donate Questions? [email protected] More Info: https://vermontdance.org/events/traces-2021 The long-time goal of expanding Traces (our annual…
Paintings by Susan Bull Riley
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontThis exhibit is a delightful mixture of moments in nature. A stroll through the gallery evokes the feeling of a summer walk through the Vermont countryside, with all that one encounters along the way. You’ll meet pitcher plants, apple trees, waxwings, and owls between sweeping views of the Worcester Range and quiet moments along a shady creek. These paintings reflect my desire to translate the intensity of my feelings for the natural world into images that speak to others.
Forest Mosses – Biodiversity University
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontInstructed by Jerry Jenkins & Sue Williams | An introduction to the mosses of cold-temperate and boreal forests, emphasizing growth form, field characters, ecological patterns, and geography. Indoor sessions to learn the common species, field trips to locate them in the woods; lots of looking, comparing, drawing, discussing; an hour or two of stories about mosses and forests and the planet; a little microscopy to show you what the next steps look like.
Bedrock Geology – Biodiversity University
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontInstructed by Stephen Wright $265 | Full - Join the waitlist at the link below Financial Support Available | Prof. Dev. CEUs available. This course is designed to introduce participants…
Old Growth – Biodiversity University
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontInstructed by Liz Thompson & Bob Zaino | Old 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. We will start by considering the history of Vermont’s forests, and learn why old forests are now so rare on the landscape. We will discuss and explore the unique characteristics of old forests, and we will learn how to recognize old forests in a variety of ecological settings. We will identify indicator mosses and lichens, dig into the biotically rich soils, and use an increment borer to study tree rings. Finally, we will reflect upon the science and practice of conserving and restoring old forests in Vermont.
Ferns & Lycophytes – Biodiversity University
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontInstructed by Michael Sundue | Ferns are our constant companions in the North Woods, yet many naturalists never get to know them due to their cryptic characteristics. In this course, we'll become familiar with ferns and their allies through an exploration of their natural history, evolution, and identification. Along with the other spore-dispersed vascular plants (horsetails, clubmosses, spikemosses & quillworts), ferns are the second largest group of flora on earth, exceeded only by the seed plants. We will explore this group's wonderful diversity in the field, investigate diagnostic features, then take a closer look under the microscope back in the lab.
Mushrooms – Biodiversity University
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontInstructed by Dave Muska | Mushrooms have fascinated and mystified humankind for ages. From ancient origin stories and shamanic practice to modern systematic analysis, fungi intrigue us culturally, medicinally, and scientifically. In this course, participants will explore the diversity and ecological importance of the kingdom of fungi. Over this two-day course, participants will learn the fundamentals of mushroom identification through a combination of classroom and field experience. Topics include fungi ecology, taxonomy, field identification, morphology, edibility, toxicity, fungi as medicine, bioremediation, utilitarian function, as well as ‘best’ harvesting practices. Participants will leave the course with the foundational knowledge necessary to successfully and confidently identify mushrooms, and enjoy a greater understanding of fungi ecology and life history. All skill levels and knowledge bases are welcome.
Wetland Sedges – Biodiversity University
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontInstructed by Jerry Jenkins & Brett Engstrom | An introduction to the late-season sedges of marshes and shores, emphasizing structure, ecological requirements, and landscape patterns. Most sedges can be identified if you know where they live, what they look like, and what you need to see about them. This is direct identification—look, think, make your best guess, check pictures and characters if you have to... It is how we, and most professionals, identify sedges, and how we teach them.
RiverFest
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontCool off in the heat of summer at this community-wide, family-friendly river celebration! Visit each river access point at the nature center to partake in different activities and adventures along the North Branch.
Coevolution with Tom Wessels – Biodiversity University
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontThis course will delve into the scientific principles of self-organization and coevolution. Specifically we will examine how self-organization works to create systems that are energy efficient, stable, and resilient. We will then examine how this process happens in ecosystems through evolutionary time via coevolution creating biologically diverse ecosystems with robust networks of mutually beneficial relationships. After gaining a theoretical foundation we will head into the field and examine numerous examples of coevolved, mutually beneficial interrelationships. We will then head back inside to discuss human systems from the perspective of coevolution to see ways we can create a far more sustainable future.
The Caterpillar Lab – Caterpillar Camps!
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontTwo-hour camps | For children ages 6-13 | Perfect for homeschoolers | Take a journey into the incredible lives of caterpillars. Part living nature museum and part wildlife safari, this hands-on exploration with The Caterpillar Lab and NBNC staff brings kids up close and personal with some of the weirdest and wildest critters in the woods. We’ll hold huge caterpillars, play hide-and-seek with caterpillars disguised as twigs and bird poop, witness metamorphosis, and adventure through the fields and forests to discover specimens in the wild.
Friday Morning Fall Bird Walks
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontJoin us for a weekly morning bird walks at NBNC! Learn about bird identification, ecology, and life history during these casual strolls with staff in search of fall migratory songbirds. Registration is not required. Please be prepared to follow masking and social distancing guidelines.
The Caterpillar Lab – Moth ID & Natural History Workshop
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontThe Caterpillar Lab staff will lead participants on a tour of moth taxonomy, diversity, identification, and ecology in this special, small-group workshop for naturalists. We’ll begin with a classroom overview of moth morphology and strategies for learning to identify the bewildering diversity of moths in our region. We’ll also discuss the equipment, setup, and habitats that make for successful moth stations. As the moths arrive at the lights, we’ll practice identification while turning our attention towards the life history and ecology of some of the visitors. By the end of the evening, beginners will have the foundational knowledge to recognize major moth groups, while more experienced students will gain proficiency in species identification. All participants will leave with a renewed sense of awe and wonder, and many new examples of astonishing natural history found in our moth diversity.
The Caterpillar Lab – Public Exploration Exhibit
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontCaterpillars take over the Nature Center! Join The Caterpillar Lab for a journey into the incredible world of New England’s native caterpillars and their habitats. This hands-on, over-the-top exhibition features open-air displays where you’ll witness rare moments of metamorphosis, mimicry, symbiosis, birth, death, deception, and wonder in a program unlike anything else! CaterpillarFest is a casual, drop-in experience. Stay for ten minutes or four hours. Photograph the caterpillars, discuss gardening for insects, observe countless species, open up cocoons with staff, or just hold a really HUGE caterpillar—choose your own caterpillar adventure! There is something for everyone from young children to seasoned naturalists and professional biologists – if you are wondering if this exhibit is appropriate for you, the answer is YES!
The Caterpillar Lab – Caterpillars for Educators
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontBring caterpillars into your classroom and your curriculum! This workshop for PreK-12th grade teachers is an exploration of caterpillar diversity and ecology, a workshop on keeping caterpillars in the classroom, and an exploration of curricular connections that use caterpillars to meet NGSS and proficiency standards. The Caterpillar Lab’s residency at NBNC is a museum, zoo, circus, laboratory, and classroom rolled into one and directed by world-class science communicators. This workshop promises bewildering stories of natural history and zoology, practical tools and technologies for working with caterpillars in the classroom and in the field, and a learning community of other biodiversity-loving educators.
The Caterpillar Lab – Public Moth Lighting Night
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontWith specialized light bulbs and a few white sheets, The Caterpillar Lab’s moth lighting station turns the NBNC quad into Vermont’s single greatest concentration of biodiversity for one special evening. The station will attract thousands of insects for us to enjoy and investigate, including hundreds of seldom-seen moth species decorated in ornate patterns and strange shapes. The Caterpillar Lab’s expert staff will guide us on a family-friendly tour of our awe-inspiring nocturnal neighbors, as we enjoy all the huge, tiny, regal, absurd, furry, shiny, gorgeous, perplexing, audacious and outrageous moths that Vermont has to offer!
Robin’s Nest Nature Playgroup – Fall Session
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontRobin’s Nest Nature Playgroup is a free, weekly activity for families to gather, learn, and play in nature. Guided by the idea that children need to spend ample time outdoors, we offer a community experience in the world of nature and will model ways the natural environment can be used as a tool for learning and play.
Cape May Birding Extravaganza
Cape May Point Cape May, NJ, United StatesJoin Chip Darmstadt to explore this extraordinary birdwatching paradise during one of its most exciting times to visit. With over 430 total species observed, and over 330 species seen this time of year, Cape May is home some of the greatest avian biodiversity in the northeast. Early September in Cape May offers a bit of everything: migratory songbirds in the shrubs and forests, migratory birds of prey cruising overhead, and migratory shorebirds along the beaches and backwaters. Wading birds stalk the saltmarshes, while waterfowl and seldom-seen pelagic birds float on the open ocean. Though less than a day’s drive from NBNC, Cape May is a whole new and exciting world of birds rarely if ever encountered in Vermont!
Saw-whet Owl Banding Demonstration
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontNBNC is part of a national network of scientists working to better understand the migration of the Northern Saw-whet Owl, a common yet elusive member of our Vermont forests. Join NBNC biologists as they capture, tag, and release these pint-sized owls. NBNC naturalists and educators will also discuss the highlights of recent research here and across the country, then share what’s been discovered about this mysterious little predator. Open to all ages.
Saw-whet Owl Banding Demonstration
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontMonday, October 18 8 – 9:30 pm Registration required | Admission by donation (of any amount) at the door NBNC is part of a national network of scientists working to…
Travelers Circle Storytelling Night & Potluck
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontJoin us for an evening of stories and a shared community meal. We encourage everyone to contribute a short story of their travels (though there is no pressure to speak), and "travel" may entail a trip to the store or a trip across the world! The experience is a bit like jamming on musical instruments: what you hear inspires what you share.
Pride Hike with Audubon Vermont at North Branch River Park
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontPride Hikes: North Branch River Park Hosted by Audubon Vermont, Pride Center of Vermont, and Outright Vermont Saturday, November 13 | 10:00am - 12:00pm | Montpelier, Vermont Location: North Branch…
Art Gallery Reception – Susan Bull Riley
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontPlease join us at North Branch Nature Center for an evening celebrating Susan Bull Riley's inspirational oil and watercolor paintings. Refreshments and a warm fire will be available outside after touring the gallery and meeting the artist. Masks will be required indoors. This exhibit is a delightful mixture of moments in nature. A stroll through the gallery evokes the feeling of a summer walk through the Vermont countryside, with all that one encounters along the way. You’ll meet pitcher plants, apple trees, waxwings, and owls between sweeping views of the Worcester Range and quiet moments along a shady creek. These paintings reflect my desire to translate the intensity of my feelings for the natural world into images that speak to others.
The Winter Finch Forecast with Tyler Hoar – Naturalist Journeys Online Presentation Series
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontThis presentation dives into the art and science of the Winter Finch Forecast. Tyler will provide an overview of each winter finch species, their current movements, and where we'll expect them to show up in the Northeast this season. From crossbills to grosbeaks and siskins to redpolls, the nomadic movements of winter finches depends on the interplay of weather, cone production, insect distributions, logging regimes, and more. This talk will also share a brief history of the Winter Finch Forecast, how it’s compiled and goals going forward.
Christmas Bird Count – 61st Annual Plainfield Circle
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontJoin the nation's largest and longest-running citizen science project. The Christmas Bird Count, organized by the National Audubon Society, has been getting birdwatchers outside recording species in their backyards and towns for over a century! This project has become a powerful tool for understanding the rise and fall of bird populations over time. NBNC organizes and compiles the Plainfield count, which encompasses a 7.5-mile radius around Plainfield, including the towns of Montpelier, East Montpelier, Calais, Orange, Barre, Plainfield, and Marshfield. One of the oldest circles in Vermont, this count has occurred annually since 1960! The Plainfield count occurs on Saturday, December 18.
Winter Discovery Hike for Families
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontDecember 19, January 15, February 19 10:30 - noon | Free! - Registration required For families with children ages 6 and up Come explore nature in a new way! Imagine…
Nature Book Club – Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontJoin us as we read Robin Wall Kimmerer's Braiding Sweetgrass, and discuss an indigenous perspective on connecting to the natural world, botany, and teaching. We will meet bi-weekly through January and February, and discuss different sections of the book at each meeting. Led by NBNC Teacher-Naturalist Fiona Modrak.
“Spooning” with Nature – Woodcarving with Ken Benton
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontLearn the story behind the wood as we go from log to spoon. We’ll follow the process covering tree identification, natural history, ethical harvest and processing from the round into billets. Moving indoors, we’ll learn to read the grain while laying out patterns and carving away all wood that isn’t spoon. By the end of the day you’ll come away with a nearly finished spoon with a built in story to tell dinner guests while serving food. Bring your own fixed blade knife and come dressed for the weather. Led by NBNC Teacher-Naturalist Ken Benton
Willow: A Beaver’s Tale with Patti Smith – Naturalist Journeys Online Presentation Series
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontFollow the life of Willow, the remarkable matriarch of a beaver colony on a wild brook in southeastern Vermont. Naturalist Patti Smith has spent over a decade with Willow's clan, documenting their trials and triumphs. During this presentation she will share the stories, pictures and videos that celebrate this beaver and the world she created. Along the way, meet Terrible Jack, a lonely moose, and other wildlife drawn to the habitat created by the beavers.
Game Cameras for Wildlife Photography – A hybrid course
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontParticipants will learn to use game cameras to capture images of Vermont wildlife. The course will cover basics from equipment and setup to particular strategies to meet particular goals, be that photographing one particular species or a broad backyard species inventory. We'll review concepts important for successful camera trapping during Thursday evening webinars, then put those concepts into practice during Saturday morning hikes at NBNC. This course is intended for beginners, though would be good practice for those with some experience who are hoping to improve their results. Instructed by NBNC Teacher-Naturalist Pete Kerby-Miller.
Winter Discovery Hike for Families – CANCELLED due to weather
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontCANCELLED DUE TO EXTREME TEMPERATURES. JOIN US IN FEBRUARY INSTEAD! December 19, January 15, February 19 10:30 - noon | Free! - Registration required For families with children ages 6…
The Real Dirt on Truffles with Rowan Jacobsen – Naturalist Journeys Online Presentation Series
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontTruffles are the world’s most mysterious and expensive food, but they are also an essential part of the forest ecosystem, linking trees and animals in a web of relationship that extends from the forest floor to the human communities around the world that depend on truffles for their livelihoods and celebrate them in their culinary traditions. Join award-winning writer Rowan Jacobsen on this deep dive into the world of truffles, from Italy and Istria to the wilds of the Northeast.
Winter Wildlife Tracking Institute with Dave Muska and Jonathan Shapiro
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontJoin naturalists/trackers Jonathan Shapiro of Fox Paw School and Dave Muska of North Branch Nature Center for a three-month wildlife tracking immersion! Participants will deepen their tracking and trailing skills through expert field instruction and independent study in a shared community of practice. Students will leave with richer skills in identifying and interpreting animal trails, and a deeper connection to our wild neighbors.
ECO Homeschool Program (Ages 6-12) – Winter Session
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontOur full-day ECO Homeschool program provides a meaningful and fun learning environment based in environmental education and a mentorship model. Each Monday, the woods and fields of North Branch Nature Center will be our classroom, where students will engage with the landscape through standards-based lessons led by our talented ECO education staff. Each session will include games, songs, stories, and activities designed to help students engage with our land and the organisms who share it.
