Delaware Nature Society 2015 Winter to Spring Program Guide by Delaware Nature Society

S A R Y

Get outdoors, explore and discover

N N I V

January - April 2015

Program Guide

our locations ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS Advocacy Become a Member

2 3 4 5

ABBOTT’S MILL Programs 6 Adults programs 7 Expeditions & eco tours 19 Family Time PROGRAMS 21

Little Ones programs 25 just Kids Programs 28 SIGNUP FORM 31

You may also search programs & sign up online at delnature.org/Programs

One farm. one read.

Teen Naturalists

Farm Preschool

Sat 1/24 & Sat 4/25 at Coverdale Farm Adult (see page 9)

Monthly Jan – Aug at Ashland Nature Center Ages 13 – 17 (see page 29)

Bi-weekly, Tue & Thr, Jan – Apr at Coverdale Farm Ages 2 – 4 (see page 25)

Our locations Delaware Nature Society is a nonprofit membership organization which fosters understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of the natural world through education and experience. We focus on ecological preservation, stewardship and conservation of our area’s natural resources. Our programs are open to Delaware Nature Society members and the general public.

Ashland 3511 Barley Mill Road, Hockessin, DE 19707 Nature Center

Mail: PO Box 700, Hockessin, DE 19707 | 302.239.2334

Ashland Nature Center serves as Delaware Nature Society’s headquarters. The site is open to the public year-round and offers seasonal programs for all ages. Ashland Nature Center features an overnight lodge for school and public groups, a seasonal butterfly house, hawk watch, picnic area and four self-guided trails on 130 acres.

543 Way Road, Greenville, DE 19807 Farm Preserve 302.239.2334

Coverdale

Coverdale Farm Preserve is a 352-acre property that encompasses an 18th-century stone bank barn, pastures, fields, idyllic ponds and woodlands and panoramic views of rolling countryside. School students and participants in seasonal programs learn about the farm cycle of life and our dependence upon soil, water, plants and animals for survival. Coverdale hosts the annual Native Plant Sale, Harvest Moon Festival and Farm to Fork and is the location for our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.

Abbott’s 15411 Abbott’s Pond Road, Milford, DE 19963 Mill Nature Center 302.422.0847 Abbott’s Mill Nature Center, with its preserved working mill, is owned by Delaware’s Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs and operated by Delaware Nature Society. Part of the 313-acre Milford Millponds Nature Preserve, this diverse property supports a variety of forested, field and wetland habitats. Hiking trails, boardwalks and picnic areas provide unique education opportunities discovering the natural wonders of southern Delaware.

DuPont

Environmental Education Center

1400 Delmarva Lane, Wilmington, DE 19801 302.656.1490

Located at Russell W. Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge on the Riverfront Delaware Nature Society operates DuPont Environmental Education Center, showcasing the meeting of city, river and marsh. DuPont Environmental Education Center is on the edge of the 212-acre refuge that adjoins the tidal Christina River. The facility is open to the public year-round and features indoor and outdoor exhibits and a boardwalk that extends into the marsh.

From Kayaking to Cooking, enjoy our unique, high-quality programs and expeditions

Bring along your little ones for sensory-based nature adventures, live animal presentations, farm life learning experiences, culinary creations, short nature walks, and much more!

Family time (all ages)

Children and tweens experience the outdoors and have a blast canoeing, fishing, hiking, and enjoying campfires in our Parents’ Night Out, day camps, and Young Naturalists Club.

Just kids: ages 13 – 17

Enjoy program discounts and support the high quality programs, events, conservation activities and advocacy we give to our region.

Phone: 302.239.2334 Mail: See form on page 31 Web: delnature.org/BecomeAMember delnature.org/Blogs

What to wear and bring Please wear comfortable shoes for hiking in the woods on hilly, unpaved paths. Programs will be held rain, snow, or shine so please dress accordingly. We’ll contact you prior to your program about what to bring and wear.

Outdoor Safety

Inclement weather Programs will be held rain, snow, or shine. In case of inclement weather, programs may be modified and moved indoors. Programs may also be cancelled due to weather at the discretion of the Education staff.

Background

Checked

How to register for programs Register online at:

delnature.org/Programs or fill out and mail the form on page 31

@DENatureSociety

Family Time Little ones Just Kids (all ages) (ages 1.5-5) (ages 5-18)

Become a Member

Childhood Education

& Eco Tours

Enjoy the opportunity to experience nature in a variety of ways: birding, botany, kayaking, canoeing and hiking through diverse, scenic properties not accessible to the public. Visit our farm’s state-of-the-art teaching kitchen for cooking programs focused on local ingredients.

education, wildlife science, or other formal education, and love nature.

Expeditions

Adults

Our interns are in the fields of environmental

Birding

Teens love new experiences. That’s what they’ll find in our Teen Naturalist program which features outdoor and travel adventures. They’ll hike, kayak, canoe, learn how to cook, and participate in community service activities!

CPR

Adult programs

Just kids: ages 5 – 12

and teacher naturalists – all are trained professionals and experts in the outdoors and education who go through intensive training in working with children and pedagogy, environmental education techniques, natural history, van driving safety, canoe and kayak safety and outdoor safety. All instructors are background-checked, and attend first aid and CPR classes and are excited to share outdoor experiences with you.

First Aid

Botany & Conservation Garden Tours

Enjoy time spent together with familyfriendly outdoor activities like fishing, archery, or just taking a nature walk while learning about the local habitats. Enjoy time at the farm doing farm chores and cooking.

Our instructors are Delaware Nature Society staff,

Food, Farms & Veg Gardening

Parent & Me (ages 1 ½ – 5)

Our highly qualified instructors

Fitness: Yoga, Hiking & more

Different programs for different ages

Programs at Abbott’s

Through Delaware Nature Society’s unique themed programs, you learn new skills – everything from cooking to kayaking – and much more! Our programs connect you with nature through hands-on, outdoor experiences with highly qualified instructors in exclusive natural areas and preserves. You and your family will come away with an enjoyable, educational, and often one-of-a-kind outdoors experience. Most programs are open to the public with Delaware Nature Society members enjoying a reduced price. Visit delnature.org/BecomeAMember today!

facebook.com/DelawareNatureSociety

environmental advocacy

DNS Voice It Speak out and act for precious resources.

Thank you for helping make the September 13 – 20, 2014

2nd Annual Sea-Level Rise Awareness Week a success with over 1000 participants across the Delaware

SOSDelaware.org

Get informed and act

Our 2015 Advocacy Agenda

Keep up to date on pressing environmental issues, local and national, with our Voice-It email newsletter. Sign up:

Regulatory The Coastal Zone Act and Regulations

delnature.org/VoiceIt

The Coastal Zone Act, passed and signed in 1971 by Governor Peterson, protects Delaware’s coast line from heavy industry and offshore bulk transfer facilities. Delaware Nature Society will continue to review and offer comment on Coastal Zone applications and actively work to defend against the weakening of the Act itself.

Support our “Clean Water for Delaware” campaign 94% of Delaware’s waterways are polluted.

According to a 2014 report by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, Delaware ranked #25 in the level of enforcement and investment made in efficiencies. Delaware Nature Society will actively participate in Delaware’s Energy Efficiency Advisory Council and offer support to projects, funding mechanisms and regulations related to these investments.

Legislative

We need outdoor enthusiasts like you to support our statewide campaign to secure funding for clean water.

Clean water

• green infrastructure • agricultural conservation practices • repairing and updating water infrastructure

94% of Delaware’s waterways are not safe to drink, swim, or fish in. Flooding, increased runoff and nutrients, and decreased resources geared toward waterway navigation combined need to be addressed. Delaware Nature Society will advocate for secured funding for clean water infrastructure. Funding

Campaign funded by a grant from the William Penn Foundation.

Providing financial assistance for the preservation of land, protection of wildlife and habitat, and conservation of natural resources is critical. Delaware Nature Society will continue to advocate for and promote full funding of the Open Space/ Farmland Preservation programs, state wildlife grants, and species protection.

Learn more and support clean water:

Environmental Literacy

delnature.org/Water 4

Energy Efficiency

View programs and sign up at

Children benefit from quality time spent outdoors however the amount of time outdoors for our children is declining. Delaware Nature Society will promote environmental literacy throughout the state.

delnature.org/Programs

or call 302.239.2334

together we Can Make a difference Join a nature-loving community. Connect with and protect your favorite forests, fields, streams, marshes, wildlife & farm lands. Donate or Become a Member, keep and add to the high quality educational programs, events, advocacy and conservation activities we provide.

Phone:

302.239.2334

Mail/Fax: See form on page 31 of this brochure Web:

delnature.org/Donate

delnature.org/BecomeAMember Member benefits include free admission to some events and programs, discounts, special member experiences, Native Plant Sale preview days, and more.

at Abbott’s Mill Follow us! facebook.com/AbbottsMill

Discover our trails, picnic grounds (open 7 days/week) & more: delnature.org/AbbottsMill

All ages Running of the Mill with Stephen Childers

Sat 3/21 Take a guided tour of historic Abbott’s Mill. Sat 4/18 Learn about the unique history of the mill, 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm

Abbott’s Mill Member child

Non-member Child

Member

Non-member

FREE $5

dating back to 1795. Experience the rush of the water through the turbine and feel the rumble of the mill stones. Come see the Running of the Mill every third Saturday. Note: will not run Dec. – Feb.

FREE $5

Pay on Arrival No need to Pre-Register

Parent & Me (ages 1.5 – 5) Free for parents and siblings under the age of 1.5 years.

Knee-High Naturalists with Delaware Nature Society staff

Knee-high Naturalists provides unique hands-on nature-based learning experiences within a familiar preschool format. Come enjoy free play activity stations inside the nature center, then sit for circle time to learn about the weekly nature theme through songs, stories and games. Eat a small snack and make a useful craft before hitting the trail for an interactive outdoor hike. Your child will connect with nature in a familiar and fun way. Individual Classes Member child

Non-member Child

Use Program number for that Month

thursdays

Year-Round 10:00 aM – 11:30 aM

Abbott’s Mill

Month of

Member child

January

$12

Non-member Child

$28

#W15331AM

View programs and sign up at

February

$12

Non-member Child

$28

#W15332AM

March

$12

April

Non-member Child

$28

#W15333AM

delnature.org/Programs

$15

Non-member Child

$35

#W15334AM

or call 302.239.2334

fitness: hiking & skiing programs for Cross-Country Skiing Group with Brian Winslow

spontaneous Will we have snow this winter? Do you like to Jan – Mar cross-country ski? If we think conditions are Coverdale right, we will contact you to come skiing at Member Non-member Coverdale Farm Preserve with Executive Director Free $10/day Brian Winslow. Bring your own equipment. Join the notice list, then RSVP when a trip is posted

Join the cross-country skiing notice list: dnsinfo@delawarenaturesociety.org.

Hoopes Reservoir Hike with Joe Sebastiani & Sally O’Byrne

Ashland Member

Non-member

$15 $22 #W15011AS

to hike the eastern half of the scenic Hoopes Reservoir during waterfowl migration. Closed to the public since the 1970’s, Hoopes Reservoir’s views alone will make you believe you are in New England. This is a 3-mile, one-way hike that is strenuous, with rugged terrain.

Flint Woods to Granogue Hike and Lunch with Joe Sebastiani & Michele Wales

12:00 PM – 4:30 PM

Non-member

$30 $45 #W15013FW

with Joe Sebastiani

Tue 4/14 Take an evening walk around the private Red 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM

Red clay reservation Members only

Free*

#W15014AS

Clay Reservation in the heart of Hockessin. Find migrant birds, blooming wildflowers, and enjoy a 2-mile hike through the gorgeous woodlands and meadows of this vast protected area. Meet at the Red Clay Reservation. Directions will be sent. Moderately difficult.

*Pre-register to ensure we have space & materials for you: 302.239.2334 | delnature.org/programs | dnsinfo@delawarenaturesociety.org

delnature.org/Blogs

@DENatureSociety

Family Time Little ones Just Kids (all ages) (ages 1.5-5) (ages 5-18)

Red Clay Reservation Evening Walk

& Eco Tours

Member

Expeditions

Flint Woods

woodland in New Castle County, and across chateau-country to the famous water tower on the Granogue Estate with amazing views of the Brandywine Valley. Gourmet lunch is served at Flint Woods pavilion at noon. This is a strenuous 3-mile hike with hills.

Birding

Fri 4/10 Hike through the biggest old growth

Adult programs

12:30 PM – 5:00 PM

Botany & Conservation Garden Tours

Fri 3/27 Take advantage of this wonderful, exclusive opportunity

Fitness: Yoga, Yoga, Food, Farms & Programs Fitness: more Veg Gardening at Abbott’s Hiking Hikingand & more

Adults

facebook.com/DelawareNatureSociety

fitness: hiking & canoeing programs for

Adults

Canoeing Wilmington’s Christina River and Marsh

Earth Day Canoe Trip

with Ed Rohrbach & Hannah Greenberg

Sun 4/19 Learn how to canoe while taking in the

with Ed Rohrbach & Lesley Bensinger 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Sat 4/18 Celebrate Earth Day by exploring some of its 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM

DEEC Member

Non-member

$20 $35 #W15207DC

many wonders! Join us as we paddle the urban marshlands of the Christina River. Get a closer look at our sea of green and a unique view of the city skyline as we paddle through winding channels of our freshwater marsh. Immerse yourself in the grassy domain of Great Blue Herons, American Beaver and other marsh creatures.

DEEC Member child

Non-member Child

Member

Non-member

$15 $22 $15 $22 #W15261DC

beautiful Riverfront view. Become an expert on how to prepare for a paddle, row up and down the river, and other basic techniques as you canoe on the Christina River. Ages 8 and older. No unaccompanied children permitted without instructor approval.

Ashland to Bucktoe Creek Preserve Hike with Joe Sebastiani & Dan Citron, Historic Site Manager for Auburn Heights Preserve

Fri 5/8 12:30 PM – 5:30 PM

Ashland Member

Non-member

$15 $22 #U15004AS

Hike through private property and wildlife preserves from Ashland Nature Center to the Bucktoe Creek Preserve. This is a strenuous 6.5-mile hike with hills and some rough trails. Traverse places off-limits to the public, and hike past beautiful vistas, through gorgeous mature forest, and open Piedmont vistas, while learning the natural and human history along the way.

Sunset Yoga w/ Susan Schwartz

Celebrate the end of day with a truly organic experience. Harmonize your mind-body-nature connection in the open air through Vinyasa style Yoga. Flow dynamically through a series of postures while discovering proper breathing and posture alignment. This energizing yet calm practice will increase meditative awareness and facilitate a deeper connection to self and the natural world. This all levels class requires a Yoga mat and clothing for easy movement. Classes are indoors during colder months.

Individual Classes Member

$12

Non-member

$15

Use Program # for that Month

tuesdays

Year-Round 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM

Coverdale

Month of

Member

January Non-member

$48 $60 #W15101CF

View programs and sign up at

February Non-member

$48 $60 #W15102CF

March

Non-member

$60 $75 #W15103CF

delnature.org/Programs

April

Non-member

$48 $60 #W15104CF

or call 302.239.2334

food, farm & veg gardening with Janis Steele & Brooks McCutchen

Sat 1/17 Be deliciously inspired by this dynamic couple dedicated to our global and local food systems.

They are the force behind Island Reach and Berkshire Sweet Gold Maple Syrup. Engage in Coverdale vibrant conversation as they share their “Ridge to Reef” program in Vanuata, Melanesia and “Forest to Table” single batch maple syrup production in Massachusetts (a tasting is included!). Member Non-member Free* $5 Make it local by discovering how Coverdale is a new leader in local food system change! 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM

#V15100CF

*Walk-ins accepted. Pre-register to ensure we have space & materials for you: 302.239.2334 | delnature.org/programs | dnsinfo@delawarenaturesociety.org

One Farm. One Read. at Coverdale Farm January – One Farm. One Read. The Call of the Farm by Rochelle Bilow. Winter Coverdale brings Rochelle days of rendering lard and rotating cows through pastures. Our winter day brings us Member Non-member lard rendering and suet making to feed our back yard $20 $30 birds. We’ll also feed hay to our ruminants, warm up book cost (if unowned) with snacks and a hot discussion of the book! +$10 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

#W15105CF

April – One Farm. One Read. with Michele Wales & Rebecca Dowling

Sat 4/25 Spring has sprung the pages of The Call of the Farm

delnature.org/Blogs

@DENatureSociety

Family Time Little ones Just Kids (all ages) (ages 1.5-5) (ages 5-18)

Coverdale’s cooking classes are unique in the region. They offer participants of all ages a better understanding of where their food comes from – and frequently the chance to harvest the very ingredients that they cook. Coverdale’s cooking classes are held in our state-of-the-art kitchen.

& Eco Tours

#W15106CF

Expeditions

by Rochelle Bilow to warmer weather and longer days. Coverdale Spring means calves, daily milking, and butter making for Rochelle. Learn how to hand milk a Coverdale cow, Member Non-member turn cream to butter and bake corn bread (a staple for $20 $30 Rochelle and her farm friends). Nibble on our creations book cost (if unowned) and have a refreshing discussion of the book! +$10 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Birding

This is a series based on The Call of the Farm by Rochelle Bilow. This memoir follows her seasonal journey and life on a full-diet farm. This is your opportunity to write your own Call of the Farm! Buy the book with your program registration, pick it up at the Hockessin Book Shelf, then come to the program.

Adult programs

Sat 1/24 Kick off a year “plowing” through the pages of

Botany & Conservation Garden Tours

with Michele Wales & Rebecca Dowling

Programs Fitness: Food, Farms Farms && Fitness: Yoga, Yoga, Food, at Abbott’s Hiking Hikingand & more Veg Gardening Gardening more Veg

Choose Your Food. Change The World!

facebook.com/DelawareNatureSociety

food, farm & veg gardening

“

Coverdale Farm Preserve is a living classroom that connects communities to the sources of their food. There’s no other farm destination like it in the region. - Michele Wales

programs for

Coverdale Farm preserve manager

Adults

”

Cookbook Club at Coverdale Farm Delaware Nature Society and the Hockessin Book Shelf are excited to serve up an evening of cooking, eating, and epicurean conviviality. Each meeting of our cookbook club will feature an “A-list” cookbook, farm-fresh ingredients, a busy kitchen cooking up stellar recipes, and a feast straight from the pages of the book. After you register, pick up the book at the Hockessin Book Shelf – this book is included in your program fee.

Coverdale Price per class: Member

Non-member

$55 $65

View programs and sign up at

February Cookbook Club with Michele Wales

ThU 2/5

6:30 pm – 9:00 pm #W15107CF

It’s Taco Time! Who can say “NO” to the most happy-making food on earth? Liven up your winter with a festive collection of Mexican flavor with a California twist. Tacolicious: Festive Recipes for Tacos, Snacks, Cocktails, and More by Sara Deseran shares the tortilla-wrapped secret for fun, accessible taqueria fare.

March Cookbook Club with Michele Wales

ThU 3/5

6:30 pm – 9:00 pm #W15108CF

March is mushroom month at the farm! Celebrate with a feast for eyes and palate. A Cook’s Initiation into the Gorgeous World Mushrooms by Philippe Emanuelli welcomes you to the fungi family with 125 recipes using over 20 varieties of wild and cultivated delights. Cook from the pages of a book that is equally at home on a gourmet kitchen counter top or on a nature lover’s coffee table!

April Cookbook Club with Michele Wales

ThU 4/2

6:30 pm – 9:00 pm #W15109CF

Have you ever craved a different kind of diet? Open up your palate with Diana Henry’s A Change of Appetite. Follow one of England’s most loved food writers through her year of good eating. Migrate from a meat and heavy food center to a vegetable-forward, fish and grain-based approach that takes inspiration from world cuisine. Discover a fresher, healthier way of eating.

delnature.org/Programs

or call 302.239.2334

food, farm & veg gardening with David Pragoff, Michele Wales & Sheila Vincent

Salve & Kombucha Workshop with Sue Bara & Kiri Rowan

Sat 2/21 Master the secrets of making herbal

6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

10:00 AM – 12:30 PM

Ashland Member

#W15005AS

Sat 3/14 Have you ever wanted to farm fungi? Tis’ the

Iron Hill Brewery Member

Non-member

$25 $35 #W15205DC

Riverfront’s cultural and natural history with the author of Wilmington’s Waterfront and former Delmarva Ornithological Society president. After working up a thirst, finish at Iron Hill Brewery for a beer tasting and private brewery tour with the brew master. Meeting Location: Iron Hill Brewery on the Wilmington Riverfront.

delnature.org/Blogs

@DENatureSociety

Family Time Little ones Just Kids (all ages) (ages 1.5-5) (ages 5-18)

Tue 3/24 Enjoy an interpretive stroll of the Wilmington

& Eco Tours

with Sally O’Byrne

Expeditions

Beer Flight, Bird Flight

Birding

season to drill, tap, and seal your way to delicious Coverdale wood-grown shiitakes. Cultivating this beautiful mushroom at home is easier than you may think. Member Non-member Learn key culture features such as where to site $55 $65 your log, strain wood preferences, the meaning #W15112CF of “flushing,” harvest tips, and tricks for re-fruiting. This workshop offers a culture class, a visit to the farm shiitake logs, preparing a log to take home, cooking demonstration & tasting. 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Adult programs

with Michele Wales & Shaun Quinlan

Botany & Conservation Garden Tours

Holy Shiitake!

5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Non-member

$25 $35

healing salves and healthy kombucha tea! Learn a basic salve recipe and how to adapt the ingredients to tackle dry skin, relieve aches and pains, treat skin conditions, and create an herbal decongestant. Learn the history behind kombucha, what a “scoby” is, and how to brew and flavor your own large batch! Participants take home recipes, a small tin of salve, and a kombucha “scoby”.

Food, Food, Farms Farms && Veg Veg Gardening Gardening

weekend in the Coverdale kitchen Coverdale with farm Chef Michele Wales as she dishes up seasonal farm-to-table Member Non-member stews. While savoring your stew, $30 $45 sip winter beer pairings selected by #W15111CF David Pragoff, staff Cicerone. Once festively warmed, staff Astronomer Sheila Vincent will tell the story of the winter sky. Using the naked eye, telescopes, and binoculars view glittering winter constellations; the ghostly Orion Nebula; brilliant Jupiter; the pretty little Pleiades, and more.

Fitness: Yoga, Hiking & more

Fri 2/20 Happy Friday! Welcome the

Programs at Abbott’s

Stews, Brews & Stars

facebook.com/DelawareNatureSociety

conservation Veolia Wastewater Treatment Plant Tour with Sally O’Byrne

Fri 3/6 Tour the Veolia Wastewater Treatment Plant, where 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM Van leaves From

Ashland Member

Non-member

$15 $22

Wilmington sends its water for treatment before it is sent to the Delaware River. See the various steps in the treatment process and visit the holding ponds to look for ducks and other waterfowl that use them as a refuge.

#W15006AS

Certified Wildlife Habitat Tour with Lori Athey

Sat 5/16 Take this tour of local backyard gardens 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM Van leaves From

Ashland Member

Non-member

$15 $22

that are certified wildlife habitats. Learn how the owners have planned their gardens and how they incorporate native plants with winter interest. Get ideas to help you plan your own garden.

#U15005AS

r Cleanup Christina Rive

to help River, clean up the Christina . supporting clean water

are needed Sat 4/18 Volunteers 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM sign up to Volunteer at the below website page

c water supply More than 75% of the publi esses in New for residents and busin watershed. d by the Christina river Castle County is provide rg. ChristinaRiverCleanup.o y@ irle Sh ct nta co : ns tio Ques

erCle www.ChristinaRiv

Red Clay Va lley Cleanup

Sat 3/28 Vo lunteers are ne

eded to he lp clean up roadway Ashland s in th e R ed Clay Creek Valley. Just show up ! 8:00 aM – 12:00

Meet at Ashland Natu re Center to receive your assignm ent. Gloves, vests, trash bags an d refreshments will be provided. Appropriate for ages 12 and up.

anup.org

View programs and sign up at

delnature.org/V olunteer

delnature.org/Programs

or call 302.239.2334

botany & garden tours Salve & Kombucha Workshop

Adults

Sat 2/21 Learn more on page 11 Ashland

Fitness: Yoga, Hiking & more

Naturalist Certification Series A training course for the public, school teachers, and Delaware Nature Society Teacher Naturalists

Ashland Member

Non-member

$250

#W15010AS

Lecture: Mar 26, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Lecture: April 29, 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Lecture: May 28, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Lecture: Jun 4, 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Field Trip: Mar 28, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Field Trip: May 2, 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Field Trip: May 30, 5:30 PM – 11:00 PM

Field Trip: Jun 6, 7:00 AM – 11:00 am

with Derek Stoner

with Joe Sebastiani

with Jim White

with Derek Stoner

Insects

Wildflowers

Trees & Shrubs

Aquatic Ecosystems

Lecture: Aug 6, 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Lecture: Aug 25, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Lecture: Sep 10, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Lecture: Sep 24, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Field Trip: Aug 8, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Field Trip: Aug 26, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Field Trip: Sep 12, 9:00 AM – NOON

Field Trip: Sep 26, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM

with Jim White

with Joe Sebastiani

with John Harrod

with Kristin Travers & Lesley Bensinger

delnature.org/Blogs

@DENatureSociety

Family Time Little ones Just Kids (all ages) (ages 1.5-5) (ages 5-18)

Birds

& Eco Tours

Reptiles & Amphibians

Expeditions

Terrestrial Ecosystems

Birding

Mammals

Botany & Conservation Garden Tours

Tuition reimbursement and credit hours available for some. See at right.

Adult programs

$200

Whether you are just beginning your interest in nature, or wish to gain greater depth of understanding of local ecosystems, take advantage of this spring through fall course! Learn about the ecology of the Piedmont region and the flora and fauna that reside here during eight lectures and field trips led by experts. Each participant will complete a field and classroom notebook to become certified. School teachers can receive 60 hours of in-service credit and a partial refund. Tuition reinbursement for DNS employees. Call (302) 239-2334 ext. 115 for more information.

Food, Farms & Veg Gardening

Mar-Sept

Programs at Abbott’s

programs for

facebook.com/DelawareNatureSociety

botany & garden tours Copeland Native Plant Series

with Joe Sebastiani & Dan Citron, Historic Site Manager for Auburn Heights Preserve

New Year’s Plant Count

Fri 3/20 Tour northern New Castle County

with Janet Ebert

Sun 1/11

11:00 AM – 3:00 PM Van leaves From

Ashland Member

Non-member

$10 $15 #W15001AS

Branching Out: A Big Tree and History Tour

See how many species of plants can be found during the middle of winter with botanist Janet Ebert. Appreciate winter forms of native plants that you might want to incorporate into your garden, and how to identify various wildflowers, shrubs, vines, and trees at this time of year. Bring a bag lunch and dress for the weather.

9:00 AM – 4:00 PM Van leaves From

Ashland Member

Non-member

$20 $30 #W15008AS

to see, appreciate, and measure the biggest trees of their kind in Delaware. Visit historic properties and other sites around Wilmington to see these trees and hear about some local history on this special experience. Bring a lunch.

Copeland Native Plant Seminar: Flying Gardens and Living Landscapes Sat 3/21 Nationally recognized birder

Ashland Kenn Kaufman and local author 9:00 Am – 12:00 pm Member

Non-member

$25 $35 #W15002AS

Rick Darke share their vision for enticing gardens that welcome people and wildlife. Their most recent books will be available for purchase and signing. Learn more about this series, these authors, and these classes at delnature.org/CopelandSeminar

Flying Gardens: Choices that change the world

The Living Landscape: Designing for Beauty and Biodiversity in the Home Garden

with author and birder Kenn Kaufman

with author and photographer Rick Darke

Any time we plant something, from a single flower to a whole garden (or even an entire landscape), we change the world. What kinds of change will we introduce? That will depend on our basic sense of what an outdoor space can be.

The richness of life in any landscape is linked to the richness of its layers, and this is true for both people and wildlife. With special attention to pollinators, this presentation will look at landscape layers from ground cover to canopy and will suggest ways to conserve, create and manage them in home gardens that are beautiful, biologically diverse, and joyfully livable.

View programs and sign up at

delnature.org/Programs

or call 302.239.2334

botany & garden tours with Janet Ebert & Joe Sebastiani

Fri 4/10 Travel Wilmington’s waterways from

Tue 4/28 Join us for a trip to one of the best

Van leaves From

1:00 PM – 5:00 PM

DEEC Member

Non-member

$1o $15 #W15206DC

9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Ashland Member

Non-member

$25 $40 #W15015AS

wildflower locations in the mid-atlantic... the Susquehanna River hillsides. Spring wildflowers abound in this area with a diversity and abundance that will be sure to leave you impressed and inspired. Janet Ebert, local botanist, will lead the group with Joe Sebastiani.

Sat 4/11 This is the first in our 50th Anniversary Bioblitz 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Member

Non-member

Free* $10 #v15002as

*Walk-ins accepted. Pre-register to ensure we have space & materials for you: 302.239.2334 | delnature.org/programs | dnsinfo@delawarenaturesociety.org

Check our future program guides for more in this series

delnature.org/Blogs

@DENatureSociety

Family Time Little ones Just Kids (all ages) (ages 1.5-5) (ages 5-18)

Ashland

Series. Walk the Ashland Nature Center natural lands to identify birds, wildflowers, trees, and everything we come across. Take home a checklist to mark your sightings, and to use on future 50th Anniversary Bioblitzes. Come help us and have fun!

& Eco Tours

with Derek Stoner, Jim White, & Joe Sebastiani

Expeditions

Bioblitz 1 – Ashland Nature Center

Birding

Join a variety of naturalists, birders, botanists, herpetologists and Delaware Nature Society staff and explore our preserves to observe and record the wide variety of plants and animals that exist. How have our preserves changed over the past 50 years? We’ll search for rare plants, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and more.

Adult programs

A series of 5 days where we’ll honor our 50th Anniversary joining together to record the variety of plants and animals in our preserves.

Botany & Conservation Garden Tours

50th Anniversary Bioblitz Series

Food, Farms & Veg Gardening

the landward side as we discover historic buildings and a city that was dependent on the Brandywine and Christina Rivers for power and transportation. Sally O’Byrne, co-author of Wilmington’s Waterfront, will lead this van tour, driving to parts of the city that reveal a varied past and help explain the city today.

Fitness: Yoga, Hiking & more

Wildflowers of the Susquehanna

with Sally O’Byrne

Programs at Abbott’s

Historic Waterfront Van Tour

facebook.com/DelawareNatureSociety

birding programs for

Adults

New Castle County Tour – Great Backyard Bird Count with Derek Stoner & Joe Sebastiani

Fri 2/13 Visit wetlands and shores of the Delaware River near 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Van leaves From

Ashland Member

$15

Non-member

$22

New Castle and Delaware City to find and tally birds for the Great Backyard Bird Count. Gambacorta Marsh, Dragon Run, and the Delaware City Waterfront should provide us with looks at wintering waterfowl, raptors, and songbirds.

#W15003AS

Owls and Other Winter Raptors with Jim White

Sun 2/15 Join us to search for all 8 species of owls that can 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Van leaves From

Ashland Member

Non-member

$30 $45 #W15004AS

be found in our area in winter, as well as other raptor species. Look for Great Horned, Screech, Barn, Barred, Short-eared, and possibly Long-eared and Saw-whet Owls. Will this be another winter the Snowy Owls comes down from the Arctic? Watch the skies for raptors like Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Northern Harrier, Bald Eagle and more. Bring a lunch and snacks. Dress for the weather.

Chester County Waterfowl and Country Tour with Joe Sebastiani

Sat 3/14 Tour Chester County’s best waterfowl locations 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Van leaves From

Ashland Member

Non-member

$20 $30

including several lakes, a fish farm, and a water treatment plant during the height of duck migration. Enjoy some wonderful scenery as we tour beautiful Chester County. Bring binoculars and a lunch.

#W15007AS

View programs and sign up at

delnature.org/Programs

or call 302.239.2334

birding Weekly morning birding – FREE guided walks

Programs at Abbott’s

Sunday Morning Birding at Bucktoe Creek Preserve

Thursday Morning Birding at Ashland Nature Center

with Delaware Nature Society staff

with Joe Sebastiani

Sundays Take a guided walk around the Jan – Apr Bucktoe Creek Preserve to enjoy

Thursdays Join us on a guided walk around

Fitness: Yoga, Hiking & more

Bucktoe Creek

Preserve Member

Free

Non-member

Free

Just show up!

the diverse birdlife of this private 300-acre nature preserve near Kennett Square, PA. If you attend, we encourage you to consider becoming a Delnature Member at delnature.org/BecomeAMember.

Apr – May the Ashland Nature Center property 8:00 AM – 10:30 AM

Ashland Member

Non-member

Free

Just show up!

Beginning Birding – March

Beginning Birding – Early April

with Damon Orsetti

Sat 3/21 Find ducks, sparrows, and

Sat 4/11 Brush up on your birding and prepare

8:30 AM – 11:00 AM

DEEC Member

canadian migrants in the marsh.

8:30 AM – 11:00 AM

DEEC

Non-member

Member

#W15201DC

Non-member

#W15202DC

Beginning Birding – Earth Day with Damon Orsetti

Wed 4/22 Celebrate Earth Day by joining us on a late April 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM

DEEC Member

evening bird walk. We will see some early spring migrants plus some winter stragglers.

Non-member

#W15203DC

delnature.org/Blogs

@DENatureSociety

for spring migration.

facebook.com/DelawareNatureSociety

Adult programs

Beginning Birding

Botany & Expeditions Family Time Little ones Just Kids Conservation Garden Tours Birding Birding & Eco Tours (all ages) (ages 1.5-5) (ages 5-18)

for a look at the birds throughout the season. Search for birds in our old growth forest, meadows, and thickets during spring migration. If you attend, we encourage you to consider becoming a Delnature Member at delnature.org/BecomeAMember.

Food, Farms & Veg Gardening

8:00 AM – 11:00 AM

birding programs for

Adults

Spring Migration Preparation Workshop

NestWatch Training at Ashland Nature Center

with Derek Stoner, Hank Davis, & Joe Sebastiani

with Joe Sebastiani

Tue 4/7 Get prepared to identify the migrants of

Wed 4/8 Become a citizen scientist and make a difference!

Ashland

Ashland and contribute towards the conservation and study

6:30 PM – 8:30 PM

Member

$10

Non-member

$20

#W15012AS

spring by studying specimens, a guided powerpoint tour, song comparisons, and a tour of eBird with birding experts. Afterwards, you will have more confidence in your ability to identify spring songbird migrants by sight and sound, and will excited to let the spring season unfold!

6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Learn how to safely and properly monitor bird nests,

of birds by joining the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s NestWatch program. Delaware Nature Society is the FREE* $5 Delaware Chapter of NestWatch, and the training will #V15007as prepare you to monitor bird boxes as well as other wild nests you find whether you help with a bluebird box project or want to monitor birds in your yard. *Walk-ins accepted. Pre-register to ensure we have space & materials for you: 302.239.2334 | delnature.org/programs | dnsinfo@delawarenaturesociety.org Member

Non-member

Birding Certification Series with Derek Stoner, Joe Sebastiani, & Sally O’Byrne

Mar - Nov

Ashland Member

Non-member

$100

$150

#W15009ASs

Earn a certification in Birding by learning identification and natural history of waterfowl, spring and fall migrant songbirds, shorebirds, and raptors. Take 5 field trips during the course of the year with our experts, and create a journal of your experience in order to be certified.

Waterfowl

Songbirds of Spring Migration

Sunday, Mar 22, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM with Derek Stoner

Saturday, May 16, 7:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Shorebirds Along the Bay

Fall Migrant Songbirds

Fall Raptor Migration

Saturday, Aug 29, 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Sunday, Sep 13, 7:00 AM – 11:00 am

Saturday, Nov 7, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

with Joe Sebastiani

with Derek Stoner

with Sally O’Byrne

with Joe Sebastiani

View programs and sign up at

delnature.org/Programs

or call 302.239.2334

expeditions & ecotravel Programs at Abbott’s

Adirondacks Cross Country Skiing Trips Leaders: Dave Pro & Brian Winslow

Members only

$695

($ 105 Single supplement. Register by 1/8/15)

The New York Adirondacks provide the ideal cross country skiing and snowshoeing adventure and receives an average of 100 inches of snow each winter. Enjoy a remote setting in this famous park. Full details & registration:

delnature.org/Travel

Mon 3/23/2015 – Spend three nights at a 12,000-acre ranch in the Fri 3/27/2015 Sandhill region of Nebraska, one of America’s last Members Only

$1,030

($240 single supplement. $250 deposit. Register by 1/23/2015) Trip#: T15802AS

great prairie ecosystems, and see Prairie-chickens and Sharp-tailed Grouse mating rituals at close range. Witness hundreds of thousands of Sandhill Crane as they stop along the Platte River in their migration, one of North America’s greatest wildlife spectacles. Full details & registration:

delnature.org/Travel

West Texas: Big Bend National Park and Davis Mountains Leaders: Joe Sebastiani & John Harrod

Sat 4/18/2015 – West Texas is an area of wide open spaces, dramatic Sat 4/25/2015 mountain ranges, desert grasslands, high elevation Members only

$1,699

($250 deposit. $455 Single Supplement) Trip#: T15838AS

forests, and a wide diversity of birds, plants, mammals, and butterflies. This trip is timed to take advantage of blooming cactus and migratory bird diversity in this region, the Texas Trans-Pecos. Full details & registration:

delnature.org/Blogs

delnature.org/Travel

@DENatureSociety

facebook.com/DelawareNatureSociety

Adult programs Adult programs

Leader: Jim White

Botany & Expeditions Family Time Little ones Just Kids Ecotravel Conservation Garden Tours Birding Tours (all ages) (ages 1.5-5) (ages 5-18) Birding && Eco

Nebraska: Sandhill Crane Migration and Chickens on the Prairie

Food, Farms & Veg Gardening

Trip#: T15830AS

Fitness: Yoga, Hiking & more

Sun 2/8/2015 – Wed 2/11/2015

expeditions & ecotravel Great Lakes, Grasslands, and the Kirtland’s Warbler Leader: Derek Stoner

Mon 6/1/ 2015 – Sun 6/7/2015 Members only

$1,000

($250 deposit. $250 single supplement) Trip#: T15835AS

Get ready for an epic adventure ranging from savannahs and grasslands of Ohio, to stunning views of Lake Huron and Michigan, and of course, our quest for the Kirtland’s Warbler. This trip will take you to northern forests to see nesting species such as Blackburnian Warbler and Evening Grosbeaks to towering sand dunes and bluffs along the Great Lakes. Full details & registration:

delnature.org/Travel

Costa Rica: A World of Nature Leader: Derek Stoner

Sun 10/25/2015 – Enjoy a journey to Costa Rica to experience a broad array of wildlife, Thr 11/5/2015 vast rainforest, national parks, a volcano, and plenty more! You’ll

look for over 200 species of tropical birds, plus amphibians, reptiles, butterflies, sloths, bats, and other mammals of the rainforest.

Members only

Price TBD ($500 Deposit)

To learn more, Call 302.239.2334 x134

Full details & registration:

delnature.org/Travel

Trip#: T15801AS

Give the gift of Delnature Membership With their membership, they’ll...

• Join a nature-loving community • Protect natural lands and wildlife • Enjoy discount prices on our programs and summer camps and when shopping select local businesses

delnature.org/GiftMembership

or call 302.239.2334 You may also make a donation in a loved one’s honor at delnature.org/HonoraryGiving

View programs and sign up at

delnature.org/Programs

or call 302.239.2334

family time Programs at Abbott’s

Programs for families with kids of

All ages

Sun 1/11 Looking for a warming way to light up the

3 rd sundays Winter is a restful time for the life Jan – Apr inhabiting our 352-acre Coverdale Farm 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Preserve. Come observe the transition to Coverdale spring on these monthly hikes from farm Member Non-member to field to forest and beyond. Discover child Child $10/day $15/day native wildlife waking from winter sleep, observe returning migrants, watch the Member Non-member $10/day $15/day frozen farm green, and mark the arrival of farm babies. Warm up in the farm kitchen, Jan 18: #W15165CF preparing seasonal snacks. Dress for Feb 15: #W15166CF outdoor adventure!

night? Learn to be a chandler of hand Coverdale dipped tapers. Why are they called tapers? What is the unit called a foot-candle? Member Non-member child Child Discover the difference between tallow, $10 $20 beeswax, and modern candle wax while Member Non-member learning the enlightening history of candle$10 $20 making. Get your hands waxy making rolled #W15160CF beeswax candles, dipped tallow candles and a few other types. Go home with little beacons of light for your winter nights which are hand crafted by you! Materials included. 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Mar 15: #W15167CF

Apr 19: #W15168CF

Running of the Mill Monthly Learn more on page 6 Abbott’s

questio

mpers and your

ve live animals and other activiti es, plus several st aff on hand to answ er your questions Just show up! about camp. Re ceive a $25 coup on (1 per family) for camp by attendin g. Snacks and beve rages will be prov ided. No pre-registratio n required. Member

Non-member

FREE FrEE

@DENatureSociety

Family Time Time Little ones Just Kids Family (all ages) ages) (ages 1.5-5) (ages 5-18) (all

delnature.org/Blogs

ns to the Summer Ashland Ho Camp Open use where we will ha

Ecotravel && Eco Tours

animals, guided nature a craft and trying your hand at netting DEEC and other little critters the Non-member minnows Member family and learn FREE FrEE marsh! Bring your about how our daily decisions impact Just show up! the environment and how to protect wildlife habitats. No pre-registration required.

12:00 PM – 4:00

Wed 3/25 Bring your future ca

5:30 PM – 7:00

Expeditions

Celebrate Earth Day by meeting live Sat 4/25 walks, making PM

Birding

Spring Into Nature

Summer Cam p Open Hous e

with Derek Stoner, Hel en Fischel, & Joe Seba stiani

Adult Adultprograms programs

with Rob Wiest

Botany & Conservation Garden Tours

Winter Hikes - Warming Snacks

with Mary Boeni

Food, Farms & Veg Gardening

Can You Candle?

Fitness: Yoga, Hiking & more

Adult participation required.

facebook.com/DelawareNatureSociety

family time Programs for families with kids of

All ages

Adult participation required.

Free each week!

Winter Raptor Workshop with Joe Sebastiani

Sun 2/1 Join us for an afternoon of learning about raptors

Come visit Dupont Environmental Education Center (DEEC) and enjoy programs year-round!

2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Member child

Non-member Child

Lunch with Live Animals

Member

Non-member

Saturdays Join us in our snapper 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM

DEEC Member

Non-member

FREE FrEE

lab to help feed our black ratsnake, snapping turtle and other critters. No pre-registration required.

Just show up

Ashland FREE*

FREE*

#v15005as

Owl Moon with Sue Bara

SAT 2/7 Who can swoop down and 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM

Netting in the Marsh Tue-sun 2:00 PM – 2:45 PM

DEEC Member

Non-member

FREE FrEE

Explore the marsh with nets to see how many animals and insects you can catch and identify. No pre-registration required.

such as hawks, eagles, and falcons. This program is for the whole family, with multiple sessions happening at once. See a presentation on raptors to learn about their daily lives, featuring photos from our staff. Learn how to identify raptors in flight, see raptor taxidermy, and more. Snacks and beverages will be provided.

Ashland Member child

Non-member Child

Member

Non-member

$7 $7

$12 $12

#W15061AS

grab small running animals when it is pitch dark outside? Owls, of course! Visit Ashland in the evening to find out which owls are spreading their silent wings over the winter landscape. Learn about their calls and incredible night senses. Read the book Owl Moon before setting out on an owl prowl through Ashland’s forests.

Just show up

Maple Sugaring Celebration Meet Marsh Animals Meet live animals from our collection including a 1:00 PM – 1:45 PM painted turtle and green 3/10 – 4/30 frog and then take a walk 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM to look for more. Tue-sun 1/1 – 3/9

DEEC Member

No pre-registration required.

Non-member

FREE FrEE

Sat 2/21 Work up an appetite while 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

View programs and sign up at

walking to our maple trees to

Ashland learn how Native Americans Member child

Non-member Child

Member

Non-member

$7 $7

$12 $12

#W15062AS

Just show up

with Hannah Greenberg & Rebecca Wadman

developed the technique of producing sugar from certain trees. Observe tapped trees at Ashland, then boil down some sap into syrup and taste it before returning for a pancake and maple syrup brunch.

delnature.org/Programs

or call 302.239.2334

family time Green Thumb Party (ages 6+) Programs at Abbott’s

with Dan O’Brien

Sun 2/22 Join our resident green thumb, Coverdale CSA

Farmer Dan O’Brien, for one exciting planting Coverdale party. Help get the 2015 farming season started by seeding spring beauties kale, cabbage, Member Non-member child Child and broccoli. Sow summer delights like tomatoes, $5 $8 peppers, and eggplant. Take a wintry tour of the Member Non-member fields and hoop houses, and warm up with a $5 $8 yummy snack. 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Fitness: Yoga, Hiking & more

#W15162CF

Food, Farms & Veg Gardening

Archery in Amish Country (ages 8+) with Corey Harrison

Sat 2/28 Spend an afternoon shooting bows and arrows at 12:30 PM – 7:00 PM

Lancaster Archery Supply - the world’s largest archery

Ashland store. Test your skills with recurve and compound

Member

Non-member

$45 $45

$60 $60

#W15063AS

bows, with traditional targets and a challenging video archery course. Then head to the nearby Amish-style buffet at the famous Good N’ Plenty restaurant for an all-you-can-eat dinner. Range fees and buffet ticket included in fee.

Egg Drop Challenge with Delaware Nature Society staff

Sat 3/14

1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Member child

& Eco Tours

$12

Expeditions

Non-member Child

Birding

DEEC

Compete in the DEEC Family Egg Drop Challenge! Family members earn team points and use them to purchase materials for the great drop. Will your egg survive a drop from the 2nd, then 3rd and finally 4th floor? The winning team gets an egg-travagant prize!

Pay only for child who drops egg, supervising adults are free

#W15260DC

Frog Festival

with Rebecca Wadman

1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Ashland Member Non-member Individual Individual

$12

Member Non-member family Family

$15

$25

Learn how to go Orienteering and try a simple course around Ashland. Afterwards, use a GPS to navigate to 3 “caches” on the property and learn how you can do this on your own anywhere on earth! Bring your own GPS or use one of ours.

#W15064AS

Sat 4/11 Join us for a fun afternoon of celebrating 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

All Things Frog! Meet local favorites

Ashland like Wood Frogs, Spring Peepers, and Member child

Non-member Child

Member

Non-member

FREE* FREE*

$5 $5

Pickerel Frogs. The marshes and puddles are full of frog activity and action, and we will search for our favorite amphibians in all their favorite hiding places.

#V15008AS

*Pre-register to ensure we have space & materials for you: 302.239.2334 | delnature.org/programs | dnsinfo@delawarenaturesociety.org

delnature.org/Blogs

@DENatureSociety

Family Time Little ones Just Kids (all ages) (ages 1.5-5) (ages 5-18)

Orienteering & Geocaching Sat 3/21

Adult programs

Non-member Child

Botany & Conservation Garden Tours

Member child

facebook.com/DelawareNatureSociety

family time Programs for families with kids of

All ages

Join the Christina River Cleanup & Red Clay Valley Cleanup

Adult participation required.

Learn more on page 12

Afternoon Farm Chores (ages 6+)

Coverdale Field Party (ages 6+)

with Jessica Shahan

with Dan O’Brien

Sun 3/22 Help end the farm day with afternoon chores.

Sun 4/12 Get down and dirty with the coolest vegetable field

Roll up your sleeves and lend a hand feeding Coverdale and milking cows, bottle feeding calves, feeding pigs, chickens, chicks and sheep. We’ll clean Member Non-member child Child water tubs, scrub the milking machine and $5 $8 sweep the barn. Help us with the work we do Member Non-member 365 days each year! 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

#W15163CF

party in town. Join Coverdale Community Supported

1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Coverdale Agriculture Farmer, Dan O’Brien to break ground and Member child

Non-member Child

Member

Non-member

$5 $5

plant the spring seedling in our 7-acre production garden. Help us transplant the delicate greenhouse grown vegetables. Take a tour of the emerging crops and discover what will be growing in the 2015 season. Snacks included!

$8 $8

#W15164CF

Earth Day Canoe Trip (ages 8+) with Ed Rohrbach & Lesley Bensinger

Sun 4/19 Learn how to canoe while taking in the 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

DEEC Member child

Non-member Child

Member

Non-member

$15 $15

$20

beautiful Riverfront view. Become an expert on how to prepare for a paddle, row up and down the river, and other basic techniques as you canoe on the Christina River.

$20

#W15261DC

Throw your child a

Birthday Party to remember Fun nature themes Meet live animals Your place or ours Beautiful scenery See our themes & learn more:

delnature.org/Birthdays

View programs and sign up at

delnature.org/Programs

or call 302.239.2334

little ones: preschool

Participating children ages 2 – 4 may attend without parent supervision. Parents and siblings under age 2 may stay and watch without participating. Walk-ins accepted. Pre-register to ensure we have space & materials for you: 302.239.2334 | delnature.org/programs | dnsinfo@delawarenaturesociety.org

1:00pm – 3:00pM

Coverdale

Price per class:

Member child

Non-member Child

$6* $10* #W15131CF

Non-member Child

$6* $10* #W15132CF

Meet Miss Joanne, Miss Judi, Miss Alyssa, Mr. Robert, & Miss Mary

New theme each month...

February: Groundhogs & Valentines

March:

Thursdays (1:00 PM – 3:00 PM) Feb 5 with Mary Boeni & Joanne Smeltz Feb 19 with Joanne Smeltz & Judi VanderWerff

Weather & Seeds

Tuesdays (9:30 AM – 11:30 PM) Mar 3 with Alyssa Molin-Graves & Mary Boeni Mar 17 with Robert Wiest & Alyssa Molin-Graves

Thursdays (1:00 PM – 3:00 PM) Mar 5 with Mary Boeni & Joanne Smeltz Mar 19 with Robert Wiest

April: Farm Babies & Springtime Tuesdays (9:30 AM – 11:30 PM) Mar 31 with Alyssa Molin-Graves & Robert Wiest Apr 14 with Alyssa Molin-Graves & Robert Wiest Apr 28 with Alyssa Molin-Graves & Robert Wiest

delnature.org/Blogs

@DENatureSociety

Thursdays (1:00 PM – 3:00 PM) Apr 2 with Joanne Smeltz & Robert Wiest Apr 16 with Judi VanderWerff & Joanne Smeltz Apr 30 with Mary Boeni & Robert Wiest

Family Time Little ones Just Kids (all ages) (ages 1.5-5) (ages 5-18)

Tuesdays (9:30 AM – 11:30 PM) Feb 3 with Alyssa Molin-Graves & Mary Boeni Feb 17 with Alyssa Molin-Graves & Judi VanderWerff

& Eco Tours

Thursdays (1:00 PM – 3:00 PM) Jan 8 with Mary Boeni & Judi VanderWerff Jan 22 with Judi VanderWerff & Robert Wiest

Expeditions

Tuesdays (9:30 AM – 11:30 PM) Jan 6 with Alyssa Molin-Graves & Robert Wiest Jan 20 with Alyssa Molin-Graves & Robert Wiest

Birding

January: Winter & Animals

Adult programs

9:30 aM – 11:30 aM

Thursday Jan – Apr

Botany & Conservation Garden Tours

Every other

Tuesday Jan – Apr

Food, Farms & Veg Gardening

Every other

Fitness: Yoga, Hiking & more

Join the farm fun at our Coverdale Farm Preschool. Your child will enjoy exciting farm activities with music, stories, snacks, arts and crafts, and exercise.

Programs at Abbott’s

Farm Preschool (ages 2 – 4)

facebook.com/DelawareNatureSociety

little ones: parent & me programs for

Parents with little ones

(ages 1.5 – 5)

Adult participation required. Free for parents and siblings under the age of 1.5 years.

Winter Walk & Story Time Fire with Jessica Shahan

Fri 2/13 Bundle up and head outside for a winter 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM

Ashland Member child

Non-member Child

$10

#W15030AS

walk. Discover how plants and animals are surviving the season. Return inside for a story by a warm roaring fire and snack. Drop-ins are welcome. Space is limited, pre-registration ensures your spot.

Maple Magic with Hannah Greenberg

Mon 2/23 The sap is flowing so let’s go tap a 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM

Ashland Member child

Non-member Child

$10

#W15031AS

tree! Visit maple trees to collect sap and make some maple syrup to taste. Snack included. Drop-ins are welcome. Space is limited, pre-registration ensures your spot.

Dr. Seuss’ Birthday Party with Judy Montgomery

Tue 3/3 Help us celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday! Find a turtle that looks 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM

Ashland Member child

Non-member Child

$14

like “Yertle”, try to catch “One fish, Two fish” in our stream, make your own “Foot Book” of animal footprints, and hear an “ABC Book” about Ashland. Have a Seuss Snack and make a birthday hat. Bring your favorite Dr. Seuss books along. Drop-ins are welcome. Space is limited, pre-registration ensures your spot.

#W15032AS

Feathers, Furs, and Scales with Susan Ryan

Wed 3/18 Explore the different body coverings of 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM

DEEC Member child

Non-member Child

$10

#W15230DC

mammals, birds, reptiles and fish. How do the different colors and patterns keep the animals safe? Find out! Snack included. Drop-ins are welcome. Space is limited, pre-registration ensures your spot.

View programs and sign up at

delnature.org/Programs

or call 302.239.2334

little ones: parent & me Learn more on page 21 – 22

with Jessica Shahan

Wed 4/8 Get up close with domestic Mallard Ducks 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM

Member child

Non-member Child

$10

#W15033AS

Drop-ins are welcome. Space is limited, pre-registration ensures your spot.

Wed 4/22 Save the planet one craft at a time! Read a 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM

DEEC Member child

Non-member Child

$10

story, plant a seed and make a pot from recycled paper. Snack included.

Drop-ins are welcome. Space is limited, pre-registration ensures your spot.

#W15231DC

with Helen Fischel

Tue 4/28 Go outside to listen for peepers, catch

Member child

Non-member Child

$10

Drop-ins are welcome. Space is limited, pre-registration ensures your spot.

Throw your child a

Birthday Party to remember

See our themes & learn more:

delnature.org/Birthdays

delnature.org/Blogs

@DENatureSociety

Little ones ones Just Kids Family Time Little (ages 1.5-5) 1.5-5) (ages 5-18) (all ages) (ages

#W15034AS

& Eco Tours

a tadpole, feel a toad and spot a newt.

Ashland Enjoy a frog hoppin’ snack.

Expeditions

9:30 AM – 11:00 AM

Birding

Froggy Fun Time

Adult programs

with Lesley Bensinger

Botany & Conservation Garden Tours

Celebrate Earth Day!

Food, Farms & Veg Gardening

Ashland

at Ashland, and watch them swim, splash, eat, drink, and fly! Have your photo taken with these special ducks. Snack included.

Fitness: Yoga, Hiking & more

Meet the Mallards

Programs at Abbott’s

Check out our FREE weekly family programs

facebook.com/DelawareNatureSociety

just kids: ages 5-12 Parents’ Night Out Set mom and dad loose to have dinner along Wilmington’s Riverfront while you stay at DuPont Environmental Education Center and have all the fun with games. Dinner provided. Parents receive a coupon for Timothy’s Riverfront Grill.

Price per class: Member

Non-member

$15

$20

6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

DEEC

Hearts in Nature

Star Gazers

Earth Day

with Lesley Bensinger

Fri 2/13

Fri 3/13

Fri 4/10

#W15251DC

Make a special valentine for our sweet marsh animals.

Animals in Winter Day Camp

#W15252DC

Discover the stars above.

#W15253DC

Focus on creating a healthier planet for today and our future.

Spring Break Day Camp

with Hannah Greenberg

Mon 2/16 Discover winter wildlife on your 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Ashland Member child

Non-member Child

$45 $65 #W15090AS

day off from school. Look for animal tracks frozen in the marsh mud (or snow!), check the motion sensor night camera, and hike the refuge to find how animals survive winter in the marsh. Complete a camouflaged craft. Camp activities last until 3:30 but campers are welcome to stay for fun until 5:00 at no additional charge. Campers should bring a bag lunch and dress for outside.

Throw your kid a nature-themed

Birthday Party delnature.org/Birthdays

View programs and sign up at

Explore wild wetlands of Wilmington during spring break with Megan Hawkins. Tuesday: Get muddy as you look for signs of spring in an aquatic investigation. Wednesday: a lesson in nature photography. Thursday: Scavenger hunts. Can you get a shot of where the city, river and marsh meet? Geocache, letterbox and use photographic clues to find prizes. Camp activities last until 3:30 but campers are welcome to stay for fun until 5:00 at no additional charge. Campers should bring a bag lunch and dress for outside.

Tue 4/7 – THR 4/9

Single-day price

three-day price

8:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Member child

DEEC

Non-member Child

$45/day $65/day #W15290DC

delnature.org/Programs

Non-member Child

$125 $185 #W15290DC

or call 302.239.2334

just kids: tweens & teens with Ashley Kennedy & Jeff Haas

with Judy Montgomery

with Kathy Szczerba

Sun 2/15 – Pack your wands and your sleeping

Sun 4/25 – Do you have what it takes to survive out in

3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

3:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Mon 2/16

Ashland Member child

Non-member Child

$65 $95 #W15052AS

bags. Join us for this classic wintry Wizardry event. Spooky spells, fireside readings, a starlit hike and classes in the Ashland Lodge are all included. Bring a “wizard’s” dinner to swap. Breakfast, lunch and snacks included. Registrants will receive a list of what to bring.

Mon 4/26

Ashland Member child

Non-member Child

$30 $45 #W15053AS

the wild? Join us for an overnight to learn some important basic skills. Try your hand at fire building, learn how to safely use a pocket knife and build a shelter. Explore the trails of Ashland learning about wild edible plants and how to track animals. A list of what to bring will be sent.

ashland friends that like to do the same thing!

We meet monthly and take a 5-day trip each summer into the wild. Adventure, Members only nature study, and volunteering 10 hours for Delaware Nature Society during the year are Registration fee does not include cost for all part of the club. Member

$100

occasional overnight trips or a week-long summer trip.

#W15050AS

delnature.org/Blogs

@DENatureSociety

For information and the full schedule, call 302.239.2334 ext. 115.

Family Time Little ones Just Kids (all ages) (ages 1.5-5) (ages 5-18) 5-18)

times vary outside? Join our group and make new

& Eco Tours

Monthly Are you a teenager that likes hiking, Jan - Aug kayaking, camping, wildlife, and just being

Expeditions

with Carrie Scheick, Hannah Greenberg & Steve Rombach

Birding

Teen Naturalists: Adventure, Nature Study, and Volunteering (ages 13–17)

Adult programs

Survival Skills Overnight (ages 9–12)

Botany & Conservation Garden Tours

Wizards & Lizards Overnight (ages 9–12)

Food, Farms & Veg Gardening

#W15051AS

Fitness: Yoga, Hiking & more

Join this group of nature lovers, bug Sundays collectors, snake finders, and explorers. Jan – May Look for wildlife, take hikes, go fishing, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM cook over a fire, and enjoy outdoor games. Explore streams, woods, fields, Ashland and wetlands searching for reptiles, Member amphibians, birds, and mammals. $60 This club for nature kids meets the Members only last Sunday of each month. Monthly on Last

Programs at Abbott’s

Young Naturalists Club (ages 9–12)

facebook.com/DelawareNatureSociety

T ha

S A R Y

Celebrating 50 years N N I V

of excellent programs, fun annual events, and conservation and advocacy efforts to increase our region’s environmental health and beauty.

nk you to o ur sponsors

We’re preparing for our journey ahead

Priorities for 2015 Collaborate with our neighbors We’ll work together with our local groups and neighbors for clean water

Connect people with nature We’ll open our nature centers and preserves to you more with increased hours and more hands-on open-houses and events

Conserve natural habitats We’ll help you and your neighbors create natural habitats in your back yards and communities

Build our capacity to help We’ll show more local groups how they can help create a healthy, sustainable environment for us all

We need your support to continue our journey

delnature.org/Donate delnature.org/Donate

date

& Eco Tours

Expeditions

Family Time Little ones Just Kids (all ages) (ages 1.5-5) (ages 5-18)

Exp. Date _____/______(mm/yy)

Credit Card: ¨ Visa ¨ MC ¨ Disc ¨ Amex (payable to Delaware Nature Society) 3-digit Security Code (from back of the card) ____________

¨ Check

Child: _________________________Birth Date:_______________¨ M ¨ F

Work Phone: _____________________Cell Phone: __________________

Adult:_______________________Email:____________________________

Work Phone: ____________________Cell Phone: ____________________

Adult programs

facebook.com/DelawareNatureSociety

Authorized Signature:________________________________________________________________________________

Birding

Credit Card #: __________________________________________

¨ Guardian $1000+

Adult:_______________________Email:____________________________

Full Names of all Household Members:

¨ Patron $500

 Protector $150

¨ Grandparent $55

¨ Super Saver Individual $30 (Over 60 or F/T Student) ¨ Household Plus $85

 Household $55

 Individual $40

Not a Member? Sign up below and save:

Enclosed for programs: $___________, for memberships $__________ Total enclosed: $__________

Payment Information:

(parent/guardian signature)

_____________________________________________________________

__________________________________________ receive first aid and be transported to the nearest hospital by professional, emergency personnel. I understand I will be financially responsible for the cost of such treatment.

¨ Yes ¨ No: In case of emergency, I give permission to have my child(ren),

Policy #:____________________________________________________________

My child’s medical insurance is: _____________________________________

____________________________________________________________

My child’s physician’s name & phone #:____________________________________

___________________________________________________________

under 18 without parent supervision): Please let any medications, allergies, physical disabilities or restrictions that the instructors should know about:

Confidential Medical & Required Emergency Information (For children

For additional registrants, attach additional pages to this form.

Program Title: ________________________________________________________Code:______________________Date:_________________Fee: $_____________

Registrant’s Name:___________________________________________________________Child’s Birth Date:_________________________¨ Male ¨ Female

Program Title: ________________________________________________________Code:______________________Date:_________________Fee: $_____________

Registrant’s Name:_____________________________________________________________Child’sBirth Date:_________________________¨ Male ¨ Female

Address:___________________________________________________City:_______________________________________State:________ Zip:____________

OK to receive Email from us: ¨

Home Phone: (______)________________________________________E-Mail:_______________________________________________________________

Person Filling Out Form: ________________________________________________________

Mail or fax form to: Ashland Nature Center, P.O. Box 700, Hockessin, DE 19707 Fax: 302.239.2473 Fiona@delawarenaturesociety.org Abbotts Mill: Abbott’s Mill Nature Center, 15411 Abbott’s Pond Road, Milford, DE 19963 Fax: 302.422.1849 Matt@delawarenaturesociety.org

Seasonal Program Registration Form

Botany & Conservation Garden Tours

@DENatureSociety Food, Farms & Veg Gardening

delnature.org/Blogs Fitness: Yoga, Hiking & more

delnature.org/Programs

Programs at Abbott’s

You may also register online at:

All programs must be paid in full at the time of registration either by check or credit card. We cannot hold spaces pending receipt of payment. To receive member discount rate, your membership must be current through the date of your scheduled program. Delaware Nature Society reserves the right to charge the non-member rate for programs that occur after the expiration date of your membership. Refunds and Cancellations: Requests for withdrawal 5 business days or more prior to the scheduled program date will be honored. Requests less the 5 business days will be issued if the slot is filled or at the discretion of the Education staff. Programs may be cancelled due to low enrollment. Full refunds will be issued for program cancellations. Photographs/Video: Delaware Nature Society reserves the right to use any photos/video/artwork of program participants to promote our mission unless otherwise notified in writing.

Delaware Nature Society P.O. Box 700 Hockessin, DE 19707

Summer Camp

Open House r Ashland Nature Cente

Wed, March 25 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM

Summer Camp Cooking, nature exploration, camping, canoeing, kayaking, survival skills, and so much more

g, Live animals, dip-nettin camp instructors & refreshments.

$25

Get outdoors, explore & discover at our

attendees get a

upon co camp, 1 per family)

Camp signup starts January 12, 2015

(for

See you there!

delnature.org/SummerCamp

“

My son enjoyed the highly creative offerings of this camp.

- Summer camp parent, 2014

D e l awa r e nat u r e s o c i e t y

Native Plant Sale 2015

Apr 30 – May 1: members only | May 2 – 3: open to public Coverdale Farm Preserve, 543 Way Road, Greenville, DE

Blooms with impact plants for people & pollinators delnature.org/NativePlantSale

A special thanks to contributing photographers! See our featured photographers at delnature.org/Photographers

Visit and subscribe to our

Nature of Delaware Blog Your source for local natural happenings, tales from the outdoors, expert naturalist photos, and field trip reports.

delnature.org/Blog