Shorebirds, Seabirds, and Songbirds on Cape Cod
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontAfter the summer beach crowds clear out, Cape Cod is certainly for the birds. Shorebirds, seabird, raptors and songbirds are plentiful on the Cape, and migration is in full swing. his trip is about watching, enjoying, and studying seabirds and shorebirds among a community of like-minded nature lovers under the leadership of a first-class guide and educator.
Monarch Butterfly Tagging (Cancelled)
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontJoin NBNC naturalists as we search for monarch butterflies around the nature center. Learn about their amazing migration and life cycle while we tag and measure the butterflies as part of Monarch Watch, the nationwide community science project that monitors this declining species.
Fall Tree Identification with Jonathan Shapiro
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontLearning to identify trees can be a powerful way to connect to your local landscape. They are big, charismatic, and always around us, and knowing who they are provides a baseline of ecological understanding for the rest of our surroundings. Join Jonathan Shapiro of Fox Paw School for a dive into tree ID, focusing on a pattern-based approach that we are hardwired to understand. We'll talk about tree silhouettes, branching patterns, leaf shapes, bark, and more, and you'll leave with the observational skills to learn not only trees, but the rest of your landscape as well. By meeting in three different seasons, we'll have the opportunity to see how trees' lives change throughout the cycle of the year, and how they fit into the broader ecological context of our North Woods home.
ECO Homeschool (Aged 6 – 12) Early Fall Session
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontEach Monday, the woods and fields of North Branch Nature Center will be our classroom, where students will learn by doing, using all five senses to engage with the landscape through standards-based lessons led by our talented ECO Education staff. ECO Homeschool Sessions will consist of age appropriate games, songs, stories, and activities that are designed to help students directly engage with the natural world and the organisms that we share this land with.
Cape May & Delmarva Birding with Chip Darmstadt
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontExplore 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, Southern New Jersey and the Delmarva Peninsula are home to some of the greatest avian biodiversity in the northeast.
Trekkers & Explorers Afterschool Program (Fall 2023)
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontLet your kids be kids at NBNC. Our Explorers and Trekkers programs offer kids time to explore the woods and fields, play stealth and awareness games, and learn outdoor skills with their peers. Both age groups (6-8 and 9-13) focus on learning by doing, using all five senses. Thoughtful and loosely directed play in the woods helps kids develop a sense of place while unwinding with a peer group. Through cooperative games, exploration of various habitats, and team-building challenge projects, Trekkers and Explorers build a communal love for the outdoors, making NBNC the place to be after school!
Fungi Fest!
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontFungi Fest is a full day community celebration of all things fungi. Join us for mushroom walks and forays, children's games, activities, & crafts, learn how to identify mushrooms, get involved with the VT Mycoflora community science project, and attend presentations by regional professionals. In the evening, enjoy a reception and celebration at the Fungi Themed Art Show featuring local artists from across the state of Vermont.
Art Gallery Reception – Fruits of the Forest Floor
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontPlease join us at North Branch Nature Center for an evening celebrating our fall art exhibit, Fruits of the Forest Floor. This mushroom-themed group show includes painting, printmaking, sculpture, photography, fiber arts, ceramics, jewelry, and more by artists from across New England!
Wild Art Workshop
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontWild Art is a form of dialogue between you and the world beyond your skin; a means of expressing what you sense inside yourself and what you attune to around you. We will first engage in a sensory awareness practice, then go onto the land to be in conversation with the plants, animals, and wild elements. Utilizing the ancient art form of the mandala, we will create our own expressions of wholeness, attentiveness, and relationship to the Wild, inside, and out.
NBNC Trails Grand Opening Celebration
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontSeptember 30 | 11 am - noon American Sign Language interpreter provided RSVP Requested | RSVP HERE Please join us for the grand opening of our new Universal Access Trail…
Public Owl Banding Demonstration
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontJoin NBNC biologists as they capture, tag, and release these pint-sized predators. 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 owl.
Mason Goes Mushrooming (FULL)
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontAfter a short mushroom meander on the trails, Melany Kahn offers an animated reading of a first-of-its-kind children’s foraging adventure book, Mason Goes Mushrooming. The reading will be followed by an interactive Q&A. Melany will have a selection of wild and cultivated mushrooms available for the kids and their adults to discover. They will be able to touch, smell, and learn the different traits of mushrooms. A cooking demo and tasting with Melany sharing how to get that delicious umami flavor will round out the afternoon.
Queer Owl Banding Night
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontSeptember is Pride Month in Vermont, but nobody told the owls! Every October NBNC biologists capture, tag, and release Northern Saw-whet Owls as part of a national network of scientists working to better understand their migration. Join them to meet these pint-sized owls and nerd out with local LGBTQ+ nature enthusiasts.
Public Owl Banding Demonstration
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontJoin NBNC biologists as they capture, tag, and release these pint-sized predators. 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 owl.
Public Owl Banding Demonstration – FULL
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontJoin NBNC biologists as they capture, tag, and release these pint-sized predators. 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 owl.
Public Owl Banding Demonstration
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontJoin NBNC biologists as they capture, tag, and release these pint-sized predators. 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 owl.
Owl Banding Youth Overnight
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontStay up late with NBNC educators and naturalists as we capture, tag, and release these charismatic pint-sized predators. Owls and pizza included!
ECO Homeschool (Aged 6 – 12) Late Fall Session
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontEach Monday, the woods and fields of North Branch Nature Center will be our classroom, where students will learn by doing, using all five senses to engage with the landscape through standards-based lessons led by our talented ECO Education staff. ECO Homeschool Sessions will consist of age appropriate games, songs, stories, and activities that are designed to help students directly engage with the natural world and the organisms that we share this land with.
Floodplains & Watersheds Field Workshop
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontHow does our rain and river shape the valley? Why and where does it flood? How does flooding support clean water and build soil in the watershed? Why are functional floodplains important to the safety and wellbeing of our neighbors? We will look at riverside soils, plants, and other signs to discern the shapes and power of water in our lives.
Robin’s Nest Nature Playgroup – CANCELLED
Robin’s Nest Nature Playgroup is a free, weekly activity for families to gather, learn, and play in nature.
Vermont Almanac Vol. IV: Book Launch & Celebration
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontJoin us to celebrate the release of Volume IV of the Vermont Almanac! Meet the editors and many of the book’s contributors, listen to readings from the book by authors, and enjoy a panel discussion on the year that was in rural Vermont. Registration Required.
Nature Journaling Club
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontExplore the art and practice of nature journaling with NBNC Teacher-Naturalist Fiona Modrak. Using the practice of nature journaling, we will sharpen our observational skills, practice being curious, and learn new ways to explore nature.
Pride Hike: Snowshoeing with Audubon Vermont and Pride Center VT
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontLGBTQIA2S+ hikers are coming together for our first winter outing! Depending on the conditions, we will either hike or snowshoe around the trails. After our outing, we will gather back at the Nature Center for some hot drinks to warm back up!
Robin’s Nest Nature Playgroup
Robin’s Nest Nature Playgroup is a free, weekly activity for families to gather, learn, and play in nature.
63rd Annual Plainfield/Montpelier Christmas Bird Count
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! One of the oldest circles in Vermont, this count has occurred annually since 1960!
Robin’s Nest Nature Playgroup
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.
Winter Wildlife Tracking 101
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontFrom bobcats to hawks, all animals leave sign of their activities. Join NBNC Teacher-Naturalist Dave Muska as he introduces you to the fundamentals of tracking and awareness to better understand the stories animals leave behind.
All We Can Save: book club & discussion seminar
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontA climate change-themed winter book club to read All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis, a 2020 anthology of climate change essays edited by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine K. Wilkinson. Described as “provocative and illuminating writings from women at the forefront of the climate movement who are harnessing truth, courage, and solutions to lead humanity forward,” this book offers a very human look into climate change, how it impacts us, and why it really matters to us.
Art Gallery Reception – All’s Wool That Ends Wool
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontPlease join us at North Branch Nature Center for an evening celebrating our winter art exhibit, All’s Wool That Ends Wool. Tour the gallery, meet the artists, and enjoy some light refreshments.
Nature Journaling Club
Explore the art and practice of nature journaling with NBNC Teacher-Naturalist Fiona Modrak. Using the practice of nature journaling, we will sharpen our observational skills, practice being curious, and learn new ways to explore nature.
Dam It: Partnering with Beavers to Heal the Planet with Ben Goldfarb (VIRTUAL)
Online(VIRTUAL) | Author Ben Goldfarb will discuss the history of this world-changing species; how beavers can help us fight drought, flooding, wildfire, and climate change; and how we can coexist with this challenging but vital rodent.
Birding Costa Rica
Costa Rica offers both a wonderful introduction to tropical birding and a destination to return to again and again. Twice the size of Vermont, the country has over 800 bird species, including 50 species of hummingbird alone.
Snow Day “Spooning” – 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 Naturalist and Director of Education, Ken Benton.
Wool Rugs, Grazing Sheep, and Climate Change: What’s the Connection? with Kimberly Hagen (IN-PERSON)
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, Vermont(IN-PERSON) | What does a wool rug have to do with climate change? A lot!
Under the Smoke: Boreal Forest Wildfire, Ecology, and Culture in Northern Quebec with Naomi Heindel (IN-PERSON)
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, Vermont(IN-PERSON) | Visit the boreal forest, learn some fire ecology, take a look at the wildfires' impacts on the James Bay Cree, and explore the complicated mix of climate change and logging at play in these forests.
Coming Back Home: Turning Towards Uncertainty, Wonder and Connection with Amy Butler (IN-PERSON)
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, Vermont(IN-PERSON) | In a time of compounded stress and anxiety about our current climate crisis, nature is our guide to restoring a healthy and balanced dynamic between ourselves, one another and the earth.
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.
Winter Birding in the Champlain Valley
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontJoin NBNC Birding Ambassador Chip Darmstadt on a trip to explore the shores, fields, and forests of the Champlain Valley in search of eagles, waterfowl, raptors, snow buntings, winter finches, owls, and more.
Wildlife Tracking Club
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontExplore with NBNC naturalists and fellow nature lovers in a casual search of wildlife tracks and sign every Sunday morning in February.
Stories from the Poles: Science and Adventure in Greenland and Antarctica with Ruth Heindel (VIRTUAL)
Online(VIRTUAL) | Dr. Ruth Heindel will share stories about her experience conducting fieldwork along the margin of the Greenland Ice Sheet and in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica, two locations that are shaped by their extreme climate.
