Adult & Family Nature Programs February - May 2020
Maplewood Nature Center & Neighborhood Preserves 2659 East Seventh Street Maplewood, MN 55119 (651) 249-2170 Maplewoodmn.gov/nc
Free to Come and Explore! - Visitor Center: Tues-Sat, 8:30am-4:30pm Grounds and Trails: Open Daily, dawn to dusk.
About Maplewood Nature Center - a 40-acre preserve operated by the City of Maplewood Trails wind through Oak Woodlands and around Green Heron Pond. Watch for wildlife on the floating boardwalk. Nature Play Yard • Visitor Center • Programs free or nominally priced
Explore Nature Sketching Adults, children 10 + with an adult Saturday, February 8 1:00pm - 3:00 pm
Beat the winter blues and join us for an afternoon of indoor sketching. Skulls, shells, seed pods, and much more available for you to sketch and learn about. Artist Heather Hultgren will go over sketching basics for beginners, or if you are an advanced sketcher, you can dive right in! Beginners, and all levels. Bring your favorite supplies; sketchbook, permanent ink pens, pencils, markers, watercolors (some on-site supplies available.) Learn about Heather’s work: heatherhultgren.com $10/person, prepay by Thursday, February 5. Activity # 16711
Sketching and Drawing Birds - Adults Saturday, March 28; 1:00pm - 4:00pm
FEBRUARY FUR TRADE HERITAGE - Adults & Families Saturday, February 1, 1:00pm -2:30pm
Oooh la, la! Pretend to be a French voyageur! Learn about Native American inventions! Make a spark from flint and steel, choose a Minnesota gemstone and make a pouch to carry it home. Try your luck at a Native American game. $5/person, prepay by January 30. Activity #16710
Can’t find time to draw at home? Join artist Carole Gernes as she leads you through drawing exercises designed to help improve your technique. Use charcoal and pencil to sketch the nature center’s wildlife taxidermy. Skill Level: Advanced beginner to intermediate. Bring your own drawing pad, board, easel, and favorite sketching materials. Basic charcoal, pencils, erasers and some paper provided. $15/student, prepay by Wednesday, March 25. Activity # 16712
MARCH Pruning Shrubs In Your Rain Garden Or Yard Adults Saturday, March 7, 10:00am - 11:30am
March is a great time to prune most types of shrubs. Learn pruning techniques that promote plant health and work with the aesthetic of the plant’s natural form. We’ll cover the basics indoors and then venture out to the Nature Center yard. Dress for the outdoors. $5/person, prepay by Wednesday, March 4. Activity #16715
Wild Animal Tracks, Nature Family Fun with ECFE Native Seed Treatments For Beginners For Families with Children 4 & Under For Adults, Children 14 + With an Adult Saturday, February 15, 10:00am -11:30am Make nature discoveries and get resources to explore Saturday, March 7, 1:30pm - 3:00pm and protect your world together. Kids will look, sing, touch, sort, craft, and play, and adults learn tips and tricks for getting outside in winter with kids! Parents stay with their children during the entire class. Classes are taught in collaboration with a Naturalist and School district 622 Early Childhood Education staff. $5/child, adults free, but must register as well by Friday, February 14. Activity # 16713
Winter Woodpecker Walk Adults, Families, Minimum Age of 7 Saturday, February 22, 10:00am –11:30am
Learn about common woodpeckers in our area; what they can tell us about tree health, then join the naturalist for a woodpecker walk or snowshoe (need 6 inches of snow) on our trails! We’ll tally species for reporting using the eBird app. Make a pine cone suet feeder to bring home. $6/person, prepay by Thursday, February 20. Activity #16714
The class covers three strategies to increase seed germination and provides seeds to bring home. Bring a small, sturdy cardboard box, at least 8 ½ x 11 inches, and a large covered plastic takeout container. $8/person, prepay by Wednesday, March 4. Activity #16716
Edgerton Community Garden Plot Registration for 2020 Season - Adults Roselawn & Edgerton, North of Edgerton Elementary
Gardener Registration Returning - Wednesday, Feb 26, 10:00am New - Wednesday, March 11, 10:00am Grow your own local organic food! Rent a 12’ x 15’ in-ground plot, or 4’ x 8’ raised bed (eighteen inches height) or a 3’ x 5’ ADA accessible raised bed for the 2020 garden season. The City provides water spigots. Renters agree to plant, maintain, and harvest their plots using organic (chemical-free) methods. $25 per plot or raised bed for the entire 2020 garden season: Friday May 1- Monday, October 19 Registration: maplewoodmn.gov/communitygarden Garden Questions: 651-249-2173 Activity #16734
Back Yard Syruping - Families and Adults Saturday, March 14, 1:30pm – 3:00pm
Help kick off maple syruping season by learning to make nutritious and delicious maple syrup at home! Get acquainted with tree tapping tools and equipment; help tap a real tree. Taste maple sap and real maple syrup! $5/person, prepay by Thursday, March 12. Activity #16717
Vegetable Growing Basics Soil, Seeds, and Space Adults, Ages 12+ welcome with adult Thursday March 12, 2020 6:30pm - 9:00pm
Maple Sap into Syrup, Nature Family Fun Discover the joy and satisfaction of “homegrown.” with ECFE - Families with Children 4 & Under Taught by Master Gardeners, this workshop is an Saturday, March 21, 2020, 10:00am - 11:30am introduction to organic vegetable gardening, covering Make nature discoveries and get resources to explore and protect your world together. Kids will look, sing, touch, sort, craft, and play, and adults will also learn about some amazing American Indian inventions and innovations in MN! Parents stay with their children during the entire class. Classes are taught in collaboration with a Naturalist and School district 622 Early Childhood Education staff. Fee: $5/child, adults free, but must register by Friday, March 20. Activity #16718
topics such as soil and compost, prepping your garden space, what grows in Minnesota, and selecting and sowing seeds. $10/person, register by March 10 for the March 12 class. Activity #16719
Plant, Weed, and Water Adults, Ages 12+ welcome with adult Thursday March 19, 2020 6:30pm - 9:00pm
Discover the joy and satisfaction of “homegrown.” Taught by Master Gardeners, this workshop is an introduction to organic vegetable gardening, covering topics such as garden tools, plant selection, mulching, watering, and dealing with garden pests. $10/person, register by March 17. Activity #16720
Native Plants Do Double Duty: Stop Water And Feed Pollinators Thursday, April 9, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Frog Monitor Volunteer Training & Refresher Adults & Children Ages 12+ with adult Saturday, March 28, 10:00am - 11:30am
Become a Maplewood Frog Monitoring Volunteer! Monitors follow an established, ten-stop-route; listening for frogs after sunset. Learn frog species, their calls, ranges and how monitoring works. Monitors must commit to three nights, each in a specific date range from April-July. Free. Register by March 26. Activity #16721
APRIL Spring to Your Senses Puppet Show Best for Ages 2-8, with adult Friday, April 3, 10:30am - 11:45am
Laugh and sing along with squirrel, duck, goose and more, as they get ready for spring at the Maplewood Nature Center pond! Outside, use your eyes and ears to look and listen for the REAL wild animals! Snack and Craft included. $5/child, adults free but must register by Wednesday, April1. Activity #16731
Feed the Animals Adults and children Ages 4+ with adult Saturday, April 4, 10:00am - 11:00am
Watch the toad and salamander slurp up a treat! Then compare and contrast how they feel! Discover how and where to look for them in the wild, and learn what you can do to help them survive. Free! Register by Friday, April 3. Activity #16722
Walk by the Light of the Super Moon Adults and children Ages 7+ with adult Tuesday April 7, 7:00 pm -8:30pm
The moon is close to the earth and seems larger than ever! Observe and track our nocturnal nature sightings as we hike by the light of the moon! Small scout troops may attend as well. $5/person; register by Sunday, April 5. Activity#16723
Deep rooted plants help reduce flooding, filter pollutants and provide food for disappearing pollinators such as monarch butterflies and non-aggressive bees. Replacing turf with these native grasses and wildflowers reduce geese problems. In this class, learn to identify 10 workhorse plants and the pollinators that depend on them. Take home an initial design that will work in most sunny spots. Free. Seating is limited, register by Tuesday, April 7. Activity #16724
Spring Pond Creatures, Nature Family Fun With ECFE - Families with Children 4 & Under Saturday, April 18, 10:00am -11:30am
Make nature discoveries and get resources to explore and protect your world together. Kids will look, sing, touch, sort, craft, and play, and adults will also learn about phenology and climate change in MN! Parents stay with their children during the entire class. Classes are taught in collaboration with a Naturalist and School district 622 Early Childhood Education staff. $5/child, prepay by Friday, March 20. Activity #16726
Nesting & Overwintering Habitat for Bees - Adults Saturday, April 18, 2019, 1:00pm – 3:30pm
Tree-Mendous Arbor Day Celebration! All Ages, Families, Adults, youth groups Saturday May 2, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Join us in a celebration of trees and all they do for us! Event features a variety of activities and educational opportunities for kids and adults. • Learn about trees, bees, and birds • Meet Ella the Bee • Enter to win a gift certificate for the City Tree Sale • Live tree-planting and maintenance demonstrations • Build a bee house or birdhouse or to take home FREE! Drop-in program
This training offers practical approaches to creating and managing a variety of nesting and overwintering habitat features for bees, including dead wood, stems, brush, rock piles, bare ground, leaf litter, and more. Training includes classroom and field components, including a search for active nests of stem-nesting bees! The University of Minnesota’s Colleen Satyshur and Naturalist Oakley Biesanz will lead the class. Space is limited, register early to hold your spot! $5/person, prepay by Wednesday, April 15. Activity #16727
Service Project Day Adults & Children Ages 8+ with adult Saturday, April 25, 10:00pm -11:30pm
Help us keep the grounds clean and fulfill your family or organization’s community service goals. Help pick up litter, cut back gardens, clear trail, and with other tasks. Call the nature center to schedule a time and task: 651-249-2170 for your group. Slots are limited, reserve your spot soon. Activity #16728
MAY Edgerton Community Garden Open House
North Of Edgerton Elementary (Roselawn & Edgerton)
Friday, May 1, 4:30pm - 6:30pm
Drop-in and take a tour the Edgerton Community Garden. Meet other garden enthusiasts, and get gardening information from a Master Gardener. Free: No registration required. Activity #16729
Morels and More, by Ron Spinosa Teens and Adults Thursday, May 7, 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Learn when and where to find morels, the state mushroom, how to identify and distinguish them from poisonous False Morels, and preserving and cooking methods. We’ll also get to know other mushrooms that appear in the spring. $8/person, register by Monday, May 4. Activity #16732
Toadally Awesome Toads! Children ages 3-6 with adult Saturday May 9, 10:00am – 11:00am
Learn all about toads and tadpoles. Get up close and personal with our friendly toad along trail. Then make a toady craft. $5/child, register by Thursday, May 7. Activity #16733
CALENDAR FEBRUARY 1 - Fur Trade Heritage Activity (#16710) 8 - Explore Nature Sketching (#16711) 15 - Wild Animal Tracks (#16713) 22 - Winter Woodpecker Walk (#16714) 26 - Plot Registration for Returning Gardener (16734) MARCH 7 - Pruning Shrubs In Your Rain Garden Or Yard (#16715) 7 - Native Seed Treatments For Beginners (#16716) 11 - Plot Registration for New Gardener (#16734) 14 - Back Yard Syruping (#16717) 12 & 19 - Vegetable Growing Basics(#16720) 21 - Maple Sap into Syrup(#16718) 28 - Sketching and Drawing Birds (#16712) 28 - Frog Monitor Volunteer Training & Refresher (#16721)
Nature Center WILD Birthday Parties!
• Live animal birthday parties (ages 4 and up) • Possible animal themes include a visit with a snake, toad or salamander! • Outdoor hikes & party favor included! • $80 (up to 12 children) Call (651) 249-2170 or visit maplewoodmn.gov/nc
AT A GLANCE
(#Activity Registration Number) APRIL 3 - Spring to Your Senses Puppet Show (#16731) 4 - Feed the Animals (#16722) 7 - Walk by the Light of the Super Moon (#16723) 9 - Native Plants Do Double Duty (#16724) 17- Nature on Tap (#16725) 18 - Spring Pond Creatures (#16726) 18 - Nesting & Overwintering Habitat for Bees (#16727) 25 - Service Project Day (#16728) MAY 1 - Edgerton Community Garden Open (#16729) 2 - Tree-Mendous Arbor Day Celebration! (#16730) 7 - Morels and More (#16732) 9 - Toadally Awesome Toads! (#16733)
Join the Camera Club Friends of Maplewood Nature is sponsoring a photo club to promote exploring & photographing the natural wonders of Maplewood’s preserves and natural areas. Facebook.com/groups/maplewoodnaturephotoclub Maplewood Nature Center complies with A.D.A. requirements. Please inform us of any special needs so that we can more fully accommodate you.
Tree-Mendous Arbor Day Celebration
Saturday May 2, 1:00pm - 3:00pm Maplewood Nature Center