At Home Rain Barreling
2024-06-02 14:00 - 15:30 (America/New_York)
with Mary & David Dunn
Sunday, June 2, 2pm – 3:30pm ( Rain Date June 9)
Mary and David are extraordinary volunteers at the Hitchcock Center. They have built and maintained the rain barrel systems we use for our Discovery Yard and Teaching Gardens. This program will join Mary and David Dunn at their home in south Amherst to see how to effectively add rain barrels to your home landscaping. See them demonstrate materials, winterizing, etc. This will teach homeowners how to set up rain barrels at home to preserve the precious resource of water and manage through increasing periods of drought ( though not this year!) Registration required, donations appreciated.

Spring Birding Course
2024-06-08 05:00 - 14:00
Spring Birding Course with Scott Surner
February 24 – June 8 2024
Classes and field trips
Sliding scale tickets: $375, $325, $280
Up to 15 participants. Registration required.
June 8: Travel day. 5 am – 2 pm. October Mountain/Berkshire County. Nesting birds. It’s been a few years since the class has visited this area. Past highlights have been Barred Owl, Winter Wrens, and serval species of Warblers.
REGISTER HERE

Forest Bathing and Art Workshop
2024-06-08 09:00 - 15:00
with Todd Lynch
Saturday June 8 – 9am – 3pm
Sliding scale fee: $80, $100, or $120
Limited to 12 participants
Join Forest Bathing guide and ecological artist Todd Lynch for a refreshing day of discovery and art making and leave with ways you can integrate these practices into your own rhythms. Forest Bathing combined with ecological art-making can offer us ways to explore our relationships across many levels. These practices root us in our senses in the present moment.

Birding by Ear with John Green 2/2
2024-06-09 08:00 - 10:00
Wednesday, May 15, 8 – 10 AM
And/Or
Saturday, June 9, 8 – 10 AM
Sliding Scale $15, $25, $35

Sometimes the most amazing birds you can’t spot, but their song gives them away! Join naturalist John Green and his great ear to see what birds you can find by sight or sound during this special time of year for birds, the height of bird migration and nesting.

Fireside Chat: Firefly Ecology
2024-06-13 20:30 - 21:30
with John Green
Thursday, June 13, 8:30 PM
Do you love the ephemeral season of fireflies? Or maybe you call them lightning bugs, either way come and learn about and enjoy some guided firefly watching. We will have a fire going and snacks so we can talk about fireflies in Hitchcock gardens before we head to fields to revel in them together.

Battle of the Botanicals 2024
2024-06-20 18:00 - 21:00
For the first time since 2019, join us for an evening of botanically inspired cocktails and appetizers from our area’s top mixologists and chefs to benefit the Hitchcock Center’s sustainability, environmental justice, natural history and STEM programming! All proceeds help to provide year-round education for a healthy planet to over 13,000 people of all ages. LEARN MORE.

The Magic of MOTHS
2024-07-26 20:00 - 21:30
With Adam Kohl
Friday, July 26, 8 – 9:30 PM
During Moth week come learn about this amazing night time creature. Did you know that it seems that by tracking moths in a habitat you assess the stability and productivity of your local food web?

Women in Climate Stories: Screening & Discussion
2024-08-07 18:00 - 20:00
August 7, 6 PM
Drawdown’s Neighborhood is a climate solutions short documentary series passing the mic to climate heroes who often go unheard. “Each of us has a climate story to tell. By passing the mic to underrepresented people working on the frontlines of climate change, we hope to share as many as these stories as possible while reshaping who society sees as climate heroes.“ This set of Drawdown Stories from Drawdown Neighborhoods centers the voices of some of the women leading the solutions movement. Come watch these documentary shorts with us.

Fall Birding Field Trip with Scott Surner
2024-08-24 07:00 - 12:00, 2024-09-14 07:00 - 12:00, 2024-09-21 07:00 - 12:00, 2024-09-28 07:00 - 12:00, 2024-10-05 07:00 - 12:00, 2024-10-19 07:00 - 12:00, 2024-10-26 07:00 - 12:00 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
Fall Birding Class with Scott Surner
August 24 – October 26, 2024

Birding in the fall is just as wonderful as birding in the spring, see hawks migrating, fall warblers, waterfowl migration and more. Join lifelong birder Scott Surner as well as other local birders to get out and enjoy nature, birds and the company of others who also love birds.
Sliding Scale cost: $300, $270 or $240
Saturday Field Trips:
Aug 24 – 5AM – Dusk We start off the fall 2024 season with a trip to a coastal location in search of south bound Shorebirds, Herons, Terns etc. The likely location would be Plum Island, but a trip to the Connecticut shore can’t be ruled out. Bring Lunch.
Aug 31 – No Class
Sept 7 – 7AM – 12 Local, Looking for fall Warblers, Philadelphia Vireo, and keeping an eye out for south bound American Golden-Plovers.
Sept 14 – 7AM – 12 Local, More fall Warblers, Vireos, Flycatchers. Etc.
Sept 21 – 7AM – 12 Local, Looking for more warblers, early sparrows and, depending on the weather, looking for migrating hawks at MT.Holyoke.
Sept 28- 7AM – 12. Local. Looking for Sparrows! We’ll be visiting local weedy fields in Amherst, Hadley and Northampton.
Oct 5- 6AM – 4PM. Lighthouse point, Connecticut. This is a well-known location for hawk migration, in particular for accipiters. Bring lunch.

Oct 12th– No Class
Oct 19th– 7AM-12. Local. Waterfowl migration is starting up. We could visit a number of sites locally from Quabbin to Northampton.
Oct 26th– 7AM-12. Franklin County- Waterfowl. We’ll visit Barton’s Cove, Power Canal and in the spirit of Halloween, we’ll also visit Satan’s Kingdom and Hell’s Kitchen.
Classroom Programs-
Aug 21st– 6PM-8PM- Shorebirds & Terns
Sept 4th– 6PM – 8PM- Fall Warblers
Sept 25th– 6PM-8PM- Sparrows

Fall Birding - Classroom Program
2024-08-28 18:00 - 20:00, 2024-09-04 18:00 - 20:00, 2024-09-25 18:00 - 20:00 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
Fall Birding Class with Scott Surner
August 24 – October 26, 2024
(Plus optional add on November weekend trip)

Birding in the fall is just as wonderful as birding in the spring, see hawks migrating, fall warblers, waterfowl migration and more. Join lifelong birder Scott Surner as well as other local birders to get out and enjoy nature, birds and the company of others who also love birds.
Sliding Scale cost: $300, $270 or $240
Saturday Field Trips:
Aug 24 – 5AM – Dusk We start off the fall 2024 season with a trip to a coastal location in search of south bound Shorebirds, Herons, Terns etc. The likely location would be Plum Island, but a trip to the Connecticut shore can’t be ruled out. Bring Lunch.
Aug 31 – No Class
Sept 7 – 7AM – 12 Local, Looking for fall Warblers, Philadelphia Vireo, and keeping an eye out for south bound American Golden-Plovers.
Sept 14 – 7AM – 12 Local, More fall Warblers, Vireos, Flycatchers. Etc.
Sept 21 – 7AM – 12 Local, Looking for more warblers, early sparrows and, depending on the weather, looking for migrating hawks at MT.Holyoke.
Sept 28- 7AM – 12. Local. Looking for Sparrows! We’ll be visiting local weedy fields in Amherst, Hadley and Northampton.
Oct 5- 6AM – 4PM. Lighthouse point, Connecticut. This is a well-known location for hawk migration, in particular for accipiters. Bring lunch.

Oct 12th– No Class
Oct 19th– 7AM-12. Local. Waterfowl migration is starting up. We could visit a number of sites locally from Quabbin to Northampton.
Oct 26th– 7AM-12. Franklin County- Waterfowl. We’ll visit Barton’s Cove, Power Canal and in the spirit of Halloween, we’ll also visit Satan’s Kingdom and Hell’s Kitchen.
Classroom Programs-
Aug 28th– 6PM-8PM- Shorebirds & Terns
Sept 4th– 6PM – 8PM- Fall Warblers
Sept 25th– 6PM-8PM- Sparrows
REGISTER HERE FOR FULL CLASS

Optional Overnight Weekend Birding Trip-
Nov 8th-10th. Cape Cod Weekend. Departing early Friday morning and returning late afternoon on Sunday. We’ll focus mostly on the lower Cape. (Orleans down to Provincetown). More info will be given after sign-up. This trip is separate from the other trips listed above. Everyone is responsible for their own transportation, food and lodging. Fee includes 3 days of birding instruction.
Sliding scale: $190, 160, or $130.
REGISTER HERE FOR ADDITIONAL WEEKEND TRIP

Mushroom Hunters Field Walk
2024-08-31 10:00 - 12:00
Saturday, August 31, 10 AM -12 PM
Join us for a Mushroom hunting field walk, learn basic mushroom identification and ecology.

Lecture & Wild Mushroom Cooking Demo
2024-08-31 13:00 - 15:00 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
Indoor Slideshow -Lecture & Wild Mushroom Cooking Demo
with The Mushroom Hunting Foundation
Saturday, August 31, 1pm – 3pm at the Hitchcock Center
Learn from Ryan Bouchard and Emily Schmidt, New England’s leading mushroom hunting teachers. Using a slideshow of their own incredible all-local photography, Ryan and Emily will explain the basics of wild mushroom science and safety, and focus on the local summer species that are considered “safe for beginners” to cook with. The discussions will be accompanied by an ongoing wild mushroom cooking demonstration, where you can experience some extraordinary flavors for yourself. This class will show you inside a whole world of adventure that most people overlook.
If you can, it is recommended to also attend the outdoor guided walk (earlier on this same day), adding to this immersive experience
About the Instructors:Ryan T.Bouchard is the author and photographer of the groundbreaking book Gourmet Mushrooms of the Northeast 2019. Emily Schmidt also studies our local mushroom species (and wild plants as well), and teaches creative cooking that highlights their many unique flavors. Together, they created The Mushroom Hunting Foundation, and have educated thousands of people about safely enjoying America’s incredible wild mushrooms.
REGISTER HERE

Mushroom Hunters Field Walk
2024-08-31 15:30 - 17:30
Saturday, August 31, 3:30PM – 5:30PM
Join us for a Mushroom hunting field walk, learn basic mushroom identification and ecology.
REGISTER- PM Session – New Class

Senior Nature Hike with John Green
2024-09-18 09:00 - 11:00
Senior Nature Hikes with John Green
Wednesday, September 18, 9-11am – Notch

These nature hikes will be led by naturalist John Green, they are all at locations with f
airly level ground, they will move slowly and not cover a lot of distance. Please wear solid footwear, and binoculars are welcome.
Registration is required, exact location and meeting spot will be provided upon registration. Sliding Scale: $10, $20, or $30

Garden Party with Herbal infusion Demo
2024-09-19 17:00 - 18:30 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
Garden Parties with Herbal infusion Demos
Thursday, September 19, 5 PM
In the Hitchcock Center Gardens – FREE

Join us for a garden party in the Hitchcock Center gardens. Enjoy a demonstration on how to make a variety of infusions with seasonal herbs and flowers and learn more about the work of the Hitchcock Center with Executive Director Billy Spitzer. Light refreshments from the garden will be served. Please RSVP to shelly@hitchcockcenter.org or kim@hitchcockcenter.org.

Forest Bathing with Todd Lynch
2024-09-25 17:00 - 19:00 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
Forest Bathing with Todd Lynch
Wednesday, September 25, 5-7PM

Sliding Scale: $18, $25, or $35
There is a quiet pulse to the fall forest, as the trees and landscape turn inward and
prepare for winter. It is darker earlier; the leaves fall – creating spontaneous collages on
the forest floor and the trees reveal their winter forms. Come experience this changing
of the seasons on a Forest Bathing walk with Todd Lynch, certified ANFT Forest
Bathing guide. Forest Bathing offers the opportunity to slow down. It re-aligns our
rhythms with the landscape, allowing our senses a respite from everyday demands and
uncertainties, and gives us a template to practice on our own time at home. It’s a
chance to remember ourselves and the joyful relationships that await us outside. Come
experience what the Forest at the Hitchcock Center might share on this 2 hour
experience.
REGISTER HERE – SEPTEMBER

Autumn Herbal Foraging with Jade Alicandro
2024-10-03 16:30 - 18:30
Autumn Herbal Foraging with Jade Alicandro
Thursday, October 3, 4:30-6:30pm
Join us for a walk identifying our bio regionally abundant medicinal herbs that come into season in the fall. We’ll learn identification, medicinal uses, harvesting techniques, medicinal preparations and more. Participants will be given time to do some foraging of their own and we’ll end our walk by sharing some medicinal wild food recipes.
Sliding Scale: $25, $35, or $45
REGISTER HERE

Senior Nature Hike with John Green
2024-10-17 09:00 - 11:00
Senior Nature Hikes with John Green
Thursday, October 17, 9-11am – Fitzgerald Lake

These nature hikes will be led by naturalist John Green, they are all at locations with f
airly level ground, they will move slowly and not cover a lot of distance. Please wear solid footwear, and binoculars are welcome.
Registration is required, exact location and meeting spot will be provided upon registration. Sliding Scale: $10, $20, or $30

Fireside Chat: Astronomy
2024-10-18 19:00 - 21:00 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
Fireside Chat: Astronomy
Friday, October 18, 7pm
Join us for an evening in our gardens under the stars. We have a nice open landscape for stargazing, come for a chat and nibbles around the fire and hear a bit about astronomy and its history, look through telescopes and see what we can see. Weather permitting. Sliding Scale: $10, $20, or $30
REGISTER HERE

Forest Bathing with Todd Lynch
2024-10-20 10:00 - 12:00 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
Forest Bathing with Todd Lynch
Sunday, October 20, 10-12PM

Sliding Scale: $18, $25, or $35
There is a quiet pulse to the fall forest, as the trees and landscape turn inward and
prepare for winter. It is darker earlier; the leaves fall – creating spontaneous collages on
the forest floor and the trees reveal their winter forms. Come experience this changing
of the seasons on a Forest Bathing walk with Todd Lynch, certified ANFT Forest
Bathing guide. Forest Bathing offers the opportunity to slow down. It re-aligns our
rhythms with the landscape, allowing our senses a respite from everyday demands and
uncertainties, and gives us a template to practice on our own time at home. It’s a
chance to remember ourselves and the joyful relationships that await us outside. Come
experience what the Forest at the Hitchcock Center might share on this 2 hour
experience.
REGISTER HERE – OCTOBER

Climate Cafe
2024-10-20 14:00 - 15:30 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
Climate Cafe
Sunday, October 20, 2-3:30PM
Free to attend
One of the biggest challenges of the climate crisis is knowing what to do with the complex set of emotions regarding the planetary emergency. Where is it safe to talk about the fear, outrage, and grief? The idea is that the more comfortable we become with these difficult feelings, the more able we are to cope with our situation. Climate Cafes offer a structured space for informal open, respectful discussion of emotional responses and reactions related to the climate.
The Climate Cafe is a facilitated, welcoming space for people concerned about the climate and ecological crises, and their impacts on the global, local, and individual levels. We call it a Cafe because we aim for an informal and open discussion (and participants are welcome to bring a beverage to enjoy during the meeting). This is not a lecture, nor is it a therapy group. Each participant will be welcome to speak or not to speak as they feel comfortable. The Climate Cafe fills an important and often unmet need: a safe space for people to speak about their emotions stemming from the climate and ecological crises (CEC). Many people have been deeply concerned for decades about the climate and ecological crises, and some are just beginning to feel concerned as we experience more direct impacts in our area and as the news of climate-related disasters continues to increase. Many fall somewhere in between. Everyone is welcome, no matter where they fall on that continuum.
Climate Cafes focus on feelings rather than action. We recognize the importance of taking action to bring about a better future, and many local groups exist for this purpose. This group exists to fulfill a different need, that of building emotional resilience in the face of uncertain times. We also believe that, in the words of the Climate Psychology Alliance, “the more we recognize and tolerate feelings arising from the climate crisis, the easier it will be to connect with others, act in collaboration, and envision a just and equitable solution.” The facilitators will provide resources for anyone who would like to learn more about ways to work with climate emotions, as well as local opportunities for action, after the event.
Facilitators:
Sadie Forsythe, LICSW, is a climate-aware therapist based in Amherst, MA, offering individual therapy and monthly climate cafes, as well as consultation for organizations looking to add a psychological lense to their climate work. Sadie is a member of the Climate Psychology Alliance of North America, Group Facilitators Hub and Climate Cafe Facilitator Training committees. She holds a Certificate in Climate Psychology through The California Institute of Integral Studies.
Hannah Harvester is a Conway-based artist and educator who has been facilitating eco grief and climate anxiety support circles since 2023. She is a member of the Climate Psychology Alliance of North America.
Both Sadie and Hannah have completed Climate Cafe trainings led by Climate Psychology Alliance of North America, and hope to bring more and more local opportunities for individuals to come together to share and process climate-related emotions.
REGISTER HERE

Locally Grown Homes: A Path To Climate Justice and Housing Equity
2024-10-24 19:00 - 21:00 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
Locally Grown Homes: A Path To Climate Justice and Housing Equity
with Greg Bossie and Kelley Wagner of Rare Forms Design
Thursday, October 24, 7PM
What would it look like if everyone had access to sustainable, affordable housing? This talk explores the intersection of biogenic building materials (rapidly renewable materials like straw, cork, hemp, and bamboo), housing equity, and climate justice through the lens of Rare Forms’ journey into manufacturing straw bale insulated building panels. We explore the critical challenges of affordability, environmental impact, and health in today’s housing market, and how biogenic materials like straw offer sustainable, cost-effective solutions; support local agriculture; and provide high-quality, healthy homes. Rare Forms’ work centers housing equity and reduces the carbon footprint of the construction industry, creating access to sustainable, affordable housing. Suggested donation $10
REGISTER HERE
