Hitchcock Center for the Environment

Girls into the Wild
2019-04-11 15:30 - 17:30, 2019-04-04 15:30 - 17:30, 2019-03-28 15:30 - 17:30 (America/New_York) | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
Sometimes you just need to run, explore and play! That’s what we do at Girls into the Wild, and lots more. Girls into the Wild is designed to get girls outside, playing and engaging with nature in their own way. Instructor Katie Koerten strives to offer games and activities that each girl can participate in at her own comfort level, from climbing trees, to playing camouflage in the forest, to running and whooping wildly through fields. Even in winter we’ll spend the entirety of the afternoon outside so bring your warmest layers and come have some snowy fun! Families provide their own transportation to the Hitchcock Center.
Thursdays, 3:30-5:30pm
March 28 – June 13 (no program April 18)
With Katie Koerten
Ages 8-11, Grades 3-5
Members: $300/Non-members: $330
Limited to 10 participants.

Indigenous Peoples Rights
2019-04-10 18:30 - 20:00 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
Nicole Friederichs and Cedric Woods have been on the front line of many Native tribal struggles in Massachusetts and beyond. They will discuss current Native rights issues and some of the difficulties blocking the recovery of tribal lands and the recognition of tribes in our area.
Professor Friederichs has graduated many Suffolk Law students from her Indigenous Peoples Rights Clinic, where students work with tribes on a wide range of legal issues. She will talk about some of those student efforts.
Professor Woods directs the Institute of New England Native American Studies at UMASS/Boston and is a citizen of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. He combines over a decade of tribal government experience with a research background, and has served as the director of INENAS since 2009. The Institute’s purpose is to connect Native New England with university research, innovation, and education.
with Nicole Friederichs, Suffolk University Law School, Suffolk’s Indigenous Peoples Rights Clinic, and
Cedric Woods, Director, Institute for New England Native American Studies
Wednesday, April 10, 6:30 – 8pm
FREE, Registration appreciated

This event is c0-sponsored by a grant to Hampshire College from the Roddenberry Foundation.

Winter and Early Spring Birding
2019-04-10 18:30 - 20:00, 2019-04-06 07:00 - 12:00 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
Join Scott Surner for the 2019 winter and early spring birding class. This year because of Scott’s schedule we have him from January through mid- April. This will give participants an opportunity to explore the winter birdlife here in the valley as well as along the north shore of Massachusetts. As March approaches we’ll start to observe the beginning of the waterfowl migration into western Mass and still have an opportunity to track down some of the winter specialties still lingering into March. Later in March we’ll make a day trip to Moose Bog, Vermont looking for more winter finches (Crossbills, Evening Grosbeaks, Siskins, Redpolls) and focus in on the Boreal species that call Moose Bog home. (Spruce Grouse, Black-backed Woodpecker, Canada Jay and Boreal Chickadee)

The class ends with a trip back to Plum Island in mid-April, here we’ll see more waterfowl, early arriving Herons, shorebirds, hawks, warblers, (Yellow-rumped/Palm) and perhaps a Snowy Owl sitting in the dunes.
Evening Classes: 6:30-8:00pm, January 16, February 13, February 27, March 20, April 10
Field trips: see schedule below

Register here. Registration opens online Tuesday, January 8th at 9am.
Members $275/Nonmembers $325

Field trip schedule
January 26: 7am-12pm Local
February 16 & 17: North Shore Weekend
March 2: 7am- 12pm Local
March 9: 7am-12pm Local
March 23: Depart 5am. Moose Bog, Vermont (All Day)
April 6: 7am-12pm Local
April 13: 5AM-dusk Plum Island (All Day)

Nature Play Afterschool
2019-04-10 13:30 - 17:30, 2019-04-03 15:30 - 17:30, 2019-03-27 13:30 - 17:30 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
Just because it’s cold outside, doesn’t mean your kids need to stay inside to play. Have them join Hitchcock’s Nature Play Afterschool Program, which is designed to let kids be kids. Together we will run, jump, climb, invent, imagine, play and be a free-range kids all while developing self-confidence and learning valuable social skills. During Winter Nature Play, we make snow forts, sled, find animal tracks, play games in the dark and use our imagination as we explore the wooded trails and fields. Instructor Aemelia Thompson (Monday’s) and Jeff Mazur (Wednesdays) provides a safe structure for children to explore nature and encourages children to stretch their limits as they balance on logs, hold salamanders, or co-create new games with their peers.
Wednesdays, 3:30-5:30pm, Extended Days, 1:30pm-5:30pm
March 27 – June 12, 2019 (no class April 17), Extended Days: March 27, April 10, May 8
with Jeff Mazur
Ages 6-9, Grades 1-3
Members: $290/Non-members: $350
Limited to 10 participants.

Spotted Salamander Egg Mass Count - Sold Out
2019-04-09 10:30 - 12:30 | Fieldtrip Location
Join us for our annual count of the tennis-ball sized jelly egg masses laid by the female salamanders in the red maple swamp just west of Henry Street. Counting these groups of eggs is a more reliable way of estimating the size of a population for these animals, since the animals move at various times of night depending on the temperature and rainfall. We start at the north end of the red maple swamp and slowly wade through, searching for and marking on our data sheets any egg masses that we find. Water depths vary from a foot to 4 feet but you can bail out if you are getting out of your depth. You are sure to get wet and muddy and have a lot of fun! Training at identifying the egg masses will be provided. It is a unique way to experience nature and learn first hand about these special creatures and their life history.
As of 3/27 this program is sold out. Thank you for your interest!
with Ted Watt and Jeff Mazur, Hitchcock Center Naturalists
Tuesday, April 9, 10:30am – 12:30pm

Homeschool II: Spring into Citizen Science
2019-04-09 10:00 - 14:00, 2019-03-26 10:00 - 14:00 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
Spring is an amazing time of year! As the natural world begins to wake up from winter there are lots of changes happening. As part of Spring into Citizen Science – we will become researchers. Working with scientists on local and national science projects, collecting data that matters! For this homeschool series we will dive into different science projects and asking lots of questions, such as: What do spotted salamanders do in spring? Who are our local migrating fish, and why do they migrate? When do flowers bloom and buds burst? And more! Kids can offer a new way of looking at an issue, so bring your scientific mind, observation skills and unique perspective to our class. Through observation, special guests, field trips, and surveys, we will study the world around us and contribute to science while also having fun, exploring and playing games.
With Jeff Mazur
Tuesdays, 10:00am-2:00pm
March 12 – June 4 (No program April 2, 16, May 7)
Members: $450/Non-members: $560

Homeschool I: Animals That Build
2019-04-09 10:00 - 14:00, 2019-03-26 10:00 - 14:00 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
They don’t use blueprints or fancy tools, but animals can be amazing builders by using natural materials like leaves, sticks and even spit! Whether it’s for nests, homes, camouflage or catching prey, animals have a lot of reasons for their architecture. At this homeschool session we will explore the construction skills of animals and build creations of our own. While we study animals, we will also think about human architecture: we will learn about the features of Hitchcock Center’s “Living Building” and the choices we made to make our building kind to the planet. Hikes, home projects, games and field trips are all part of the fun!
With Katie Koerten
Tuesdays, 10am – 2pm
March 12 – June 4 (No program April 2, 16, May 7)
Members: $450/Non-members: $560
Limited to 15 participants per age group.

Marcher, Walker, Pilgrim: Memoir from the 2014 Great March for Climate Action
2019-04-08 19:00 - 20:30 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
Ed Fallon will discuss and sign his book Marcher, Walker, Pilgrim. The book is Fallon’s memoir from the 2014 march from Los Angeles to Washington, DC, when a core of 35 marchers walked 3,100 miles in eight months. Three western Massachusetts residents who participated in the March are featured in the book.
Ed Fallon was raised in Saugus, Massachusetts and has lived in Des Moines, Iowa since 1984. His life of public service includes 14 years in the Iowa Legislature. Since 2009, Fallon has hosted a weekly talk show, the Fallon Forum. He also directs Bold Iowa, a non-profit organization that formed to fight the Dakota Access Pipeline and whose mission is to build rural-urban coalitions to fight climate change. Marcher, Walker, Pilgrim is his first book.
“While this book is deeply personal and reveals details of my life few are aware of, my primary motive in writing Marcher, Walker, Pilgrim was to fire-up people to take action against the existential threat of climate change,” said Fallon. “The urgency I felt during the March is now greater than ever, especially in light of October’s UN report and last month’s National Climate Assessment. I hope this story inspires people to mobilize to fight climate change immediately, before it’s too late.”
Ed Fallon, BoldIowa chief agitator, author, political activist for climate
Monday, April 8, 7 – 8:30pm

Nature Play Afterschool
2019-04-08 15:30 - 17:30, 2019-04-01 15:30 - 17:30, 2019-03-25 15:30 - 17:30 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
Just because it’s cold outside, doesn’t mean your kids need to stay inside to play. Have them join Hitchcock’s Nature Play Afterschool Program, which is designed to let kids be kids. Together we will run, jump, climb, invent, imagine, play and be a free-range kids all while developing self-confidence and learning valuable social skills. During Winter Nature Play, we make snow forts, sled, find animal tracks, play games in the dark and use our imagination as we explore the wooded trails and fields. Instructor Aemelia Thompson (Monday’s) and Jeff Mazur (Wednesdays) provides a safe structure for children to explore nature and encourages children to stretch their limits as they balance on logs, hold salamanders, or co-create new games with their peers.
with Aemelia Thompson
Mondays, 3:30-5:30pm
March 25 – June 12, 2019 (no class April 15 or May 27)
Age 6-9, Grades 1-3
Members: $225/Non-members $270
Limited to 10 participants.

Living Building Tour
2019-04-05 16:00 - 17:00 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
Come meet our newest educator – our building! It is designed to model systems in nature, it is net zero energy, net zero water, has composting toilets, and has been made with responsibly sourced non-toxic materials, come check it out at one of our bi-monthly tours. Tours typically last from 1-1.5 hours.
Note: We are pleased to be able to offer Spanish language translators for our building tours. If you or someone you know could benefit from translation, please let us know in advance, so that we may schedule a translator for your tour date.
First Fridays at 4pm: January 4, February 1, March 1, April 5, June 7 (no tour May 3)
Third Wednesdays at 12pm: January 16, February 20, March 20, April 17, May 15, June 19
FREE but please register online

Nature Discovery Preschool: PreHistoric Preschool
2019-04-05 13:00 - 15:00, 2019-03-29 13:00 - 15:00, 2019-03-22 13:00 - 15:00 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
This season we will travel back in time to the days of the dinosaurs. Children will learn about dinosaurs through stories, songs, movement and crafts. We will compare different dinosaurs, dig for bones, and learn about the plants they munched on. Come have a dinomite time!
With Colleen Kelley
Ages 3-5 (Adult required to attend with child)
Fridays, Morning session: 9:30a-11:30am, Afternoon session: 1-3pm
March 22, 29 April 5,12,26, May 3,10,17,24,31 (no class April 19)
Members: $220/Non-members: $255
Non-refundable within a week of the program, all refunds incur a 10% administrative fee. Limited to 12 families per session.

Nature Discovery Preschool: PreHistoric Preschool
2019-04-05 09:30 - 11:30, 2019-03-29 09:30 - 11:30, 2019-03-22 09:30 - 11:30 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
This season we will travel back in time to the days of the dinosaurs. Children will learn about dinosaurs through stories, songs, movement and crafts. We will compare different dinosaurs, dig for bones, and learn about the plants they munched on. Come have a dinomite time!
With Colleen Kelley
Ages 3-5 (Adult required to attend with child)
Fridays, Morning session: 9:30-11:30am, Afternoon session: 1-3pm
March 22, 29 April 5,12,26, May 3,10,17,24,31 (no class April 19)
Members: $220/Non-members: $255
Non-refundable within a week of the program, all refunds incur a 10% administrative fee. Limited to 12 families per session.

Attracting Birds to Your Garden
2019-04-03 19:00 - 20:30 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
Join Ted for a presentation where we will look more closely at some of the birds that will choose to live in your yard and garden, if you create the right habitat for them. We’ll review the special lives of some of these birds and then talk about plantings and other means of attracting birds to share your habitat. Reconciliation Ecology is a new term to describe our efforts to make our living spaces friendlier to other species. Ted will provide a handout list of plantings that are “bird-friendly.”
Ted Watt, Naturalist with the Hitchcock Center
Wednesday, April 3, 7-8:30pm
Members $8. Non-members $10
Space is limited, please register.

Homeschool Discovery Day: Composting with Worms
2019-04-02 10:00 - 14:00 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
Do you love science and nature? Do you want to see what the Hitchcock Homeschool program is all about? Sign up for our Discovery Days, our one-time programs about science and nature. In a mixed-age setting, we explore cool topics at the Hitchcock Center, meet science experts, and sometimes go on field trips. Our Discovery Day programs are appropriate for everyone from first time to veteran homeschoolers, and we welcome almost-6 year olds who are interested in joining our class in the spring. This is designed as a drop-off program. Limited to 12 participants per program.
April 2: Composting with Worms with Jeff Mazur
How do you make your garden grow? With compost, of course! We will get to meet some worms and their composting compatriots both in the classroom and in the wild. We will also make our own mini worm bins to take home!
Tuesdays 10am-2pm
January 15, 29, February 5, March 5, April 2, May 7, June 11
Members: $45 per program/Non-members: $55 per program
Ages 6-12

Woodcock: Skydancer
2019-03-29 18:00 - 20:00
Have you heard the telltale peep of the woodcock looking for a mate to do its early spring sky dance? If not you are in for a treat that will likely become an annual tradition, you’ll be hooked. Join bird song radio personality and our favorite garden advisor Dan Ziomek to enjoy this special spring event. Recommended for adults and young people 4th grade and up.
with Dan Ziomek, local birder and naturalist
Friday, March 29, 6-8pm
Members $12/Non-members $16
Please register.

Earth Matters 10th Anniversary Celebration
2019-03-28 18:00 - 20:00 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
Hitchcock Center and Friends celebrate 10 years of our biweekly Earth Matters column in the Daily Hampshire Gazette. Come for a reception, readings and earth matters trivia.
Every two weeks, the Hitchcock Center publishes a column, “Earth Matters: Notes on the Nature of the Valley,” in The Daily Hampshire Gazette. Writers include Hitchcock staff and board members, former board members, presenters in our Community Programs series, and friends of the Center. Look for the column at the end of Section C of the weekend Gazette or on our website.
Thursday, March 28th 6pm
Free, registration requested.

Winter and Early Spring Birding
2019-03-23
Join Scott Surner for the 2019 winter and early spring birding class. This year because of Scott’s schedule we have him from January through mid-April. This will give participants an opportunity to explore the winter birdlife here in the valley as well as along the north shore of Massachusetts. As March approaches we’ll start to observe the beginning of the waterfowl migration into western Mass and still have an opportunity to track down some of the winter specialties still lingering into March. Later in March we’ll make a day trip to Moose Bog, Vermont looking for more winter finches (Crossbills, Evening Grosbeaks, Siskins, Redpolls) and focus in on the Boreal species that call Moose Bog home. (Spruce Grouse, Black-backed Woodpecker, Canada Jay and Boreal Chickadee)

The class ends with a trip back to Plum Island in mid-April, here we’ll see more waterfowl, early arriving Herons, shorebirds, hawks, warblers, (Yellow-rumped/Palm) and perhaps a Snowy Owl sitting in the dunes.
Evening Classes: 6:30-8:00pm, January 16, February 13, February 27, March 20, April 10
Field trips: see schedule below

Register here. Registration opens online Tuesday, January 8th at 9am.
Members $275/Nonmembers $325

Field trip schedule
January 26: 7am-12pm Local
February 16 & 17: North Shore Weekend
March 2: 7am- 12pm Local
March 9: 7am-12pm Local
March 23: Depart 5am. Moose Bog, Vermont (All Day)
April 6: 7am-12pm Local
April 13: 5AM-dusk Plum Island (All Day)
