Hitchcock Center for the Environment

Spring Birding Class
2017-04-12 18:30 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
with Scott Surner
Classes: Wednesdays, 6:30pm-8pm – 2/1, 3/1, 4/12, 5/3, 5/17
Field Trips: 2/3-4, 3/5, 3/18, 4/8, 4/15, 4/29, 5/6, 5/13, 5/20, 6/10-11
Join this Hitchcock tradition! Scott has been leading this class since 1979. Space is limited and in high demand. Class dates and locations. Online registration opens on January 10th at 9am. Members $275/Non-members $315.

Nature Play Afterschool
2017-04-12 15:30 - 17:30, 2017-04-05 15:30 - 17:00, 2017-03-29 01:30 - 17:30, 2017-03-22 15:30 - 17:30 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
Spring Session
with Jeff Mazur
Wednesdays, 3:30pm- 5:30pm, extended days 1:30pm-5:30pm
March 22 – June 7 (no class April 19)
Extended days: March 29 & May 10
Members: $272 / Non-members: $300
Open to all children in grades 1-3. Limited to 10 participants.

Homeschool II
2017-04-11 10:00 - 14:00, 2017-03-28 10:00 - 14:00, 2017-03-21 10:00 - 14:00 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
Biologists in Training
Jeff Mazur, Hitchcock Educator
Ages 9-12
Tuesdays, 10:00am-2:00pm
10 classes: March 14, 21, 28, April 11, 25, May 9, 16, 23, 30, June 6
Members: $420/Non-members: $448
Limited to 10 participants. Non-refundable within a week of the program; all refunds incur a 10% administrative fee.

Homeschool I
2017-04-11 10:00 - 14:00, 2017-03-28 10:00 - 14:00, 2017-03-21 10:00 - 14:00 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
Raindrop to Reservoir: All About Water
Katie Koerten, Hitchcock Educator
Ages 6-8
Tuesdays, 10:00am-2:00pm
10 classes: March 14, 21, 28, April 11 & 25, May 9, 16, 23, 30, June 6
Members: $420/Non-members: $448
Limited to 12 participants. Non-refundable within a week of the program; all refunds incur a 10% administrative fee.

Second Saturday Science - Energy is Electrifying!
2017-04-08 10:00 - 11:00 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
Second Saturdays, January through June
Free
10am-11am
January 14, February 11, March 11, April 8, May 13, June 10
Join us for seasonal nature and science programs each second Saturday of the month. Designed for children with their parents, these programs will explore cool topics in nature. No registration required. Groups of 6 or more please call ahead.
Saturday Science themes:
January 14 – Scutes and Scales
February 11 – The Science of Snow
March 11 – Meet the Trees
April 15 – Energy Is Electrifying!
May 13 – Backyard Birds
June 10 – Wonderful Water

Saturdays at the Hitchcock Center
2017-04-08 09:00 - 13:00 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
Second and third Saturdays, 9am-1pm
Free
January through June
Drop in, see Hitchcock’s new home, and learn about our living building.

Youth Birding
2017-04-08 07:30 - 10:00 | Fieldtrip Location
with Dan Ziomek, Local Birder and WRSI’s Bird Songs Radio Program
For young people ages 8-13
6 Saturdays: April 8 – May 13
7:30am-10am
Individual/Youth: Members $60 Non-members $75
Parent/Child Members $100/Non-members $120
Space is limited, registration required
Spring migration is the most exciting time of year to get out and see birds! Be the next generation of birders!

Skydancer!
2017-04-07 18:00 - 21:00 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
with Dan Ziomek, local birder and host of Birdsongs on WRSI, the River
Friday, April 7, 6-9 pm
Member price $15/Non-Member price $18
Register here
Recommended for adults and young people 4th grade and up
Each spring a wonderful species of “shore” bird returns from their wintering grounds to nest near the wetlands and forests of the Valley. Most of the they are incredibly secretive, well-camouflaged and difficult to see. But during the mating season the males perform a beautiful sky dance at sunset; to attract a mate. Dan will explain the life cycle of the American Woodcock and then take us out to see the mating dance! Bring binoculars and dress warm for the evening chill! We may be carpooling to the dancing ground depending on where the action is this year!

Living Building Tour
2017-04-07 16:00 - 17:30 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
Public Building Tours: Spring Tour Dates
First Fridays at 4pm: April 7, May 5, June 2
Third Wednesdays at 12pm: April 19, May 17, June 21
FREE but please register online.
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.
Private Building Tours
The Hitchcock Center offers private group building tours, based on availability. The fee for these tours is $50/group. Please limit group size to 15-20 for the best experience. Please contact Jessica Schultz, Living Building Coordinator, to arrange your group’s tour.
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.

Nature Discovery Preschool
2017-04-07 13:00 - 15:00, 2017-04-07 09:30 - 11:30, 2017-03-31 13:00 - 15:00, 2017-03-31 09:30 - 11:30 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
Animals That Build
with Colleen Kelley
Ages 3-5 (Adult required to attend with child)
Fridays, Morning session: 9:30am-11:30 am
Afternoon session: 1:00pm-3:00pm
Members: $205 / Non-members: $225
Limited to 12 families per session.
Register here.

Girls into the Wild
2017-04-06 15:30 - 17:30 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
with Katie Koerten
Ages 8-11, Grades 3-5
Thursdays, March 23 – June 15 (no class April 20 or June 8)
3:30pm-5:30pm
Members: $297/Non-members: $352
Limited to 10 participants.

Homeschool Discovery Day
2017-04-04 10:00 - 14:00 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
Amphibians of Spring
with Jeff Mazur
Tuesdays 10:00am-2:00pm
Ages 6-12
Members: $42 per program /Non-members: $46 per program
Tuesdays, January 10, January 24, February 7, March 7, April 4, May 2, June 13
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, although the occasional parents and younger siblings stay as long as disruptions are kept to a minimum. Limited to 12 participants per program.
Register here.

Girls into the Wild
2017-03-30 15:30 - 17:30, 2017-03-23 15:30 - 17:30 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
with Katie Koerten
Ages 8-11, Grades 3-5
Thursdays, March 23 – June 8 (no class April 20)
3:30pm-5:30pm
Members: $297/Non-members: $352
Limited to 10 participants.

Through the Seasons with Wildflowers
2017-03-29 19:00 - 20:30 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
with Ted Watt
Wednesday, March 29, 7pm
FREE registration appreciated

Are you looking forward to the coming of spring? Here’s a way to anticipate the beauties. Ted will show his images of wildflowers and narrate the images with fascinating details about their life histories and adaptations. We’ll begin with hepatica and end with New England aster and enjoy the beauties of so many of the blooms in between. Join us for a colorful taste of what is to come.

Hampshire Woods Walk and Wildlife Sightings Database Update
2017-03-25 10:00 - 12:00 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
with Ted Watt
Saturday, March 25, 10am – 12noon
FREE registration appreciated

Hampshire College, with some input from the Hitchcock Center, has set up a public online database project to record sightings of animals and plants and other organisms on the Hampshire Campus. Join us for an exploration of a portion of the Hampshire Woods, recording sightings as we go. Then we’ll gather back at the Center and hear about the database and its capabilities. Afterwards we’ll practice entering our data into the site and retrieving information as well. You can also use web-based databases to create your own project and track your own sightings for any location you choose. Come learn more!

Nature Discovery Preschool
2017-03-24 13:00 - 15:00, 2017-03-24 09:30 - 11:30 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
Animals That Build
Colleen Kelley
Ages 3-5 (Adult required to attend with child)
Fridays, Morning session: 9:30am-11:30 am
Afternoon session: 1:00pm-3:00pm
Members: $205 / Non-members: $225
Limited to 12 families per session.
Register here.

Senior Walk – Quabbin Park
2017-03-22 09:00 - 11:00 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
with John Green
Wednesday, March 22, 9am-11am
FREE, space is limited registration required

Join naturalist John Green for a nature walk at Quabbin. See what signs of spring are emerging and maybe hear the first red-winged blackbirds of the season or see the first turkey vultures. Directions provided with registration.

Citizen Science: Red-Backed Salamander Population Monitoring
2017-03-18 10:00 - 12:00 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
with Ted Watt
Saturday, March 18, 10am-noon
FREE registration appreciated

You’ve probably been within inches of red-backed salamanders many times and just not seen them. Come learn about their life histories and their role in the ecology of our forests. They’re common and very important, even though they’re only 4 inches long! We’ll also visit our red-backed salamander monitoring plots and learn about the study we are participating in. The study is a region-wide monitoring project to gauge the animals’ population status across their range, from the maritimes, to Minnesota to Georgia, and establish a baseline from which to gauge their responses to coming climate changes. Click for more information on the study.
