Naturalists to discuss plant fragrances at Seymour Public Library program

 

Save the date: Ansonia Nature Center to hold Autumn Festival

ANSONIA - Celebrate this wonderful season with the staff and the Friends of the Ansonia Nature Center from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 21.
Ride through our park in our horse-drawn story wagon, where you’ll hear some Halloween tales! Walk our haunted trail and enjoy lunch from one of our food vendors. 

Our Friends table will be selling cider and pumpkin donuts. Learn about bats, spiders, and owls from one of the nature center’s naturalists! 

Visit the Nature Shop table to buy some creepy and crawly nature-related items. 

Enjoy nature-related exhibitors and vendors. You can try pumpkin painting, paint your face, and make some original crafts. 

Visit our Revolutionary encampment, Boy Scouts and a Pirate group too! 

All proceeds will benefit the Nature Center’s exhibits and animals. 

RAIN or SHINE. No park admission fee. 

For more information call 203-736-1053.The Nature Center is at 10 Deerfield Lane.

This is a press release from the Nature Center.

Learn to ID edible plants, take bird walk, more at Ansonia Nature Center

ANSONIA - The Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center, 10 Deerfield Road, will offer a variety of fun and educational activities in May. 

CONSERVATION PROJECT: Weekend Warriors Part 1 – May 4, 9 a.m.–1 p.m.

Ranger Dan is seeking naturalists who want to help keep our park beautiful. Managing our precious landscape requires your help! Together we will continue the legacy of this nature preserve. 
Part 1 will focus on controlling invasive plant species around our open fields. Great for teen-aged Scouts and adult volunteers. Bring water, snacks, gloves, and trimming tools. Call to register.

PIGEONS: SMARTER THAN YOU THINK – May 5, 2 p.m.

Licensed wildlife rehabilitator Megan Eaton will bring her pigeon friends for this unique meet and greet. Megan has spent the last three years rehabbing every pigeon brought to her door. At this family-friendly program, meet some of her rescues and learn all about one of the earliest domesticated and most misunderstood birds: the pigeon. FREE; donations appreciated. 

LAVENDER BATH BOMBS FOR MOTHERS’ DAY –  May 11, 10 a.m.

Join us in making these wonderful bath bombs. Each attendee will make a batch, learn how to mold them, and prepare them as gifts. For 8 years old and up. 
MATERIALS FEE: $12 per person. Please register; class size limited.

FAIRY HOUSES AND TEA PARTY – May 11, 1 p.m.

Join Ranger Amie at Pavilion #2 to design tiny homes for fairies and gnomes from bark, moss, stones, and other natural decorations. Materials will be provided. Celebrate these magical creatures during the fairy tea party. 
Bring tea party food to share if you would like. Please register for this FREE family program.

ADVENTURES IN EDIBLE PLANT FORAGING –  May 18, 10 a.m.

Karen Monger is the author of the 3 Foragers blog, which she runs with her husband, Robert. Come join them for a short lecture and a hike to discover and identify edible plants in the park. Their mission is to impart their knowledge of wild edible plants to others. FEE: $6 per person for this family program.

NATURE EXPLORERS – Wednesdays, May 22, 29; June 5, 12; 10 a.m.

Join us for this four-week pre-school/toddler program for children ages 2-5 and their adult explorer. Participants will have fun exploring nature every week in these outdoor classes. The classes are typically loosely structured and influenced by the seasons and the interests of the children. We will go outside for a short hike and to explore nature every class so please dress for the weather. Classes will end with a light snack (provided or bring your own) and conversation. TUITION: $40 for all 4 weeks, space permitting (cash or check payable to Ansonia Nature Center), due at the first class. Class is limited to 10 children. Please call to register: 203-736-1053.

MIGRATORY BIRD WALK – May 25, 9 a.m.

Warblers, catbirds, and grosbeaks, oh my! Join Ranger Jess for a migratory bird experience. The Ansonia Nature Center is the home to many migratory birds. See redstarts, common yellow throats, towhees, and more during this birding adventure. 
This is a slow-paced walk on uneven terrain. Dress for the weather and bring your binoculars. FREE; please register.

JUNE 2019

CONNECTICUT TRAILS DAY – June 1, 9 a.m.

Join Nature Center Director Alison Rubelmann and Ranger Daniel Bosques for this morning walk. Discover the beauty of the Nature Center’s typical New England woodland during the CT Forest and Park Association’s annual Trails Day weekend. We might get lucky and find a lady slipper or two. 
This moderate hike will also focus on the history of the land, and we will visit the settlement of the Paugasucks. Bring water, a snack, and bug spray, and wear sturdy shoes. Suitable for older children and adults.  FREE.

To register for programs call 203-736-1053.

This is a press release from the Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center.

Hike, learn to garden, create art, get fit, more at Ansonia Nature Center

ANSONIA - The Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center, 10 Deerfield Road, has scheduled a variety of activities for April. 
The month will culminate with a celebration of Earth Day April 30.  

ART PAINTING PARTY FUNDRAISER –  April 2, 3–5 p.m.

The Ansonia Nature Center and FANCI will host an art class fundraiser for “The Playground Fund 2016” at Kokopelli School of Music and Arts in Seymour. 
Join us for an afternoon of music and painting. All art materials provided; just bring your own beverage and snack as well as your enthusiasm! 
Leave with a wild painting. Fee: $30 per person. 
Register at www.kokopellimusicandarts.com; click on Wine and Easel, then click on 2016 Calendar of Classes. 
Class limited to 35 participants. 

FITNESS AWARENESS JOG – April 4 –June 27, 5 p.m.

Start your week off by jogging the path to a healthier you. Every Monday, join Ranger Dan on a Fitness Awareness Jog. This is your chance to cruise our trails on foot, sweat out impurities, and enjoy the sights and smells of our 156-acre nature preserve. 
We kick off at 5 p.m. with a stretch, then gently jog our two miles of trails for an hour and a half. All experience levels are welcome, so be sure to bring a friend or two! Free, but please register. 

NATURE’S CHILD: Amphibians – April 8,10 a.m.

Learn about these ancient, fascinating creatures that secretly inhabit our woods and wetlands. 
Take a hike to discover the Nature Center’s slippery critters. Make a take home craft too! Tuition: $7 per child ($5 for family-level FANCI members and Ansonia residents). Please pre-register for this class for preschoolers and their adults.

                

SPRING CLEANING AND PLANTING DAY– April 9, 9 a.m.–noon.

We’ll supply gloves, plants, and pizza. Scouts, youth groups, student interns—this is a great community service opportunity! Help us beautify our park and get ready for spring. Bring your own garden tools if you want; please pre-register.

PET LOSS GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP – April 10, May 8, June 12, 11 a.m.

Losing a beloved animal can be tragic and a very emotional time for humans. There are numerous resources to turn to for the loss of a human loved one; however, there are limited options for when we lose an animal. Susan Wilson has created this support group for those who have lost an animal or have one in the process of moving on. Join us for these free sessions.

BUILD YOUR OWN TERRARIUM – April 10, 2–4 p.m.

Sometimes you want to enjoy the benefits of a garden without having to mow, prune, and fertilize. 
Terrariums are popular thanks to their fuss-free maintenance, beauty, and minimal space requirements, making them good options for those who want to garden but lack outdoor space. Join us to create your very own terrarium. Bring a glass mason jar, glass bowl, or other cool glass container. We’ll provide all other materials. Fee: $10 per terrarium.

SPRING TERM JUNIOR RANGERS – April 14–June 2, 3:30–5 p.m.

Calling all kids 11 to 14 years old who love nature! Has your child wanted to work with animals, garden, help maintain our trails, and help with special events? 
This is the opportunity to help the Nature Center in our eight-week after school program. Parental permission is required. Class size is limited; this class fills up fast! Free.

FAMILY ORGANIC GARDEN PROGRAM – April 15 –June 17, 3:30–5 p.m.

Food Corps and ANC will lead fun, family-friendly activities in our organic garden. Learn about growing a variety of fruits and vegetables. Dress appropriately; keep in mind you might get water and/or soil on your clothing. Closed-toe shoes, please! Free, with the potential to take home fresh local produce!

OUTDOOR LIVING SKILLS: Lashing Project 1 – April 16, 11 a.m.–3 p.m.

Spring is here, seeds will be planted and it will be time to add décor to our organic garden plot. First up in Ranger Dan’s Lashing Project series is creating an arbor out of sticks. Want to add dimension to your garden? Perhaps you’d like a trellis for your beans, or a place for your vines to grow on. Create a stylish arbor in our Organic Community Garden, and bring your newfound skills to your own yard! Children must be accompanied by an adult. Free; please register.

SPRING BREAK NATURE DAYS – April 18–22, 9:30 a.m.–3 p.m.

For children from 5 to 10 years old who love the outdoors and wildlife, these popular classes will not only be educational but also a chance to explore our 156 acres. We will visit a variety of habitats such as the park’s wetlands, fields, and woodlands. Great time of the year for amphibian searches too! 
Tuition: $150 priority students (Ansonia residents and current family-level FANCI members), $175 all others. 

FULL PINK MOON HIKE –  April 22, 7 p.m.

This full moon heralded the appearance of the moss pink, or

wild ground phlox - one of the first spring flowers. It is also known as the Sprouting Grass Moon. 
Enjoy the sounds of spring with our Nature Center guides as we lead you around our wetlands to spot some spring amphibians by the light of the moon. 
For all ages (children must be accompanied by an adult). Fee: $1. Please call to register.

SPRING MIGRATION BIRDING – April 23, 9:30 a.m.

Join avid birder Ranger Jess for this early morning walk to find the birds living in or moving through our parklands to nest farther north. This is a prime time for birders. 
Bring your own binoculars or use ours. Dress for walking outdoors. We’ll start with a quick introduction to birds. Free; please pre-register.

EARTH DAY CELEBRATION –  April 30, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Every day is Earth Day at the Nature Center! 
We invite everyone to honor Mother Earth with our Friends of the Ansonia Nature Center co-hosting this annual event. Enjoy hikes, live animals, environmental exhibitors, and much more! 
Join one of our naturalists for a wildflower walk too. Food and snacks available from local vendors. 
All ages welcome, young and old—bring family and friends.  

For more information or to register for programs, call 203-736-1053.


This is a press release from the Ansonia Nature Center.