Hitchcock Center for the Environment

The Magic of MOTHS
2024-07-26 20:00 - 21:30 (America/New_York)
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?

Chickadee Camp
2024-07-29 08:45 - 13:00, 2024-07-30 08:45 - 13:00, 2024-07-31 08:45 - 13:00, 2024-08-01 08:45 - 13:00, 2024-08-02 08:45 - 13:00
Chickadee Camp
Entering Kindergarten* See our Summer Camp page for more info
Mondays – Fridays, 8:45 am – 1 pm
Session 4: July 22 – August 2 (two weeks)
The Chickadee program is a safe, nurturing first outdoor day camp experience for young ones. Attentive and loving counselors facilitate safe and curious exploration of the Discovery Yard and Hitchcock trails while sharing enthusiasm and joyful nature connection. Our “Nest” (the gazebo) and pollinator gardens are our home base. Each day has a specific nature theme and includes free play, morning circle, snack time, songs, stories, lunch time, chores and games.. Sand kitchen play and sprinkler time are also part of each day! Our goals for our Chickadees are to use all their senses to explore nature, to feel comfortable and safe learning and playing outdoors, and to be part of a caring and respectful group.

Nature Summer Camp: Making & Tinkering
2024-07-29 08:45 - 15:00, 2024-07-30 08:45 - 15:00, 2024-07-31 08:45 - 15:00, 2024-08-01 08:45 - 15:00, 2024-08-02 08:45 - 15:00
Making and Tinkering
Entering grades 1 – 6
Mondays – Fridays, 8:45 am – 3 pm
Session 4: July 22 – August 2 (two weeks)
Become a nature-inspired inventor! Campers will spend this week outdoors exploring science and biomimicry, and then applying what they learn to create! And yes, chain reaction machines (a.k.a. Rube Goldberg machines) will be part of the fun too! Through investigation and play, campers will discover nature’s smartest lessons and use them to playfully solve problems. We will also have field trips for the two older groups. By learning from the world around us, we can become sustainable engineers!

Chickadee Camp
2024-08-05 08:45 - 13:00, 2024-08-06 08:45 - 13:00, 2024-08-07 08:45 - 13:00, 2024-08-08 08:45 - 13:00, 2024-08-09 08:45 - 13:00
Chickadee Camp
Entering Kindergarten* See our Summer Camp page for more info
Mondays – Fridays, 8:45 am – 1 pm
Session 5: August 5 – August 9 (one week)
The Chickadee program is a safe, nurturing first outdoor day camp experience for young ones. Attentive and loving counselors facilitate safe and curious exploration of the Discovery Yard and Hitchcock trails while sharing enthusiasm and joyful nature connection. Our “Nest” (the gazebo) and pollinator gardens are our home base. Each day has a specific nature theme and includes free play, morning circle, snack time, songs, stories, lunch time, chores and games.. Sand kitchen play and sprinkler time are also part of each day! Our goals for our Chickadees are to use all their senses to explore nature, to feel comfortable and safe learning and playing outdoors, and to be part of a caring and respectful group.

Nature Summer Camp: Micro World
2024-08-05 08:45 - 15:00, 2024-08-06 08:45 - 15:00, 2024-08-07 08:45 - 15:00, 2024-08-08 08:45 - 15:00, 2024-08-09 08:45 - 15:00
Our Little Micro World
Entering grades 1 – 6
Mondays – Fridays, 8:45 am – 3 pm
Session 5: August 5 – August 9 (one week)
Get ready to get very tiny this week as we explore all things small. Who are the creatures that can fit in your hand, or on a penny? We’ll investigate teeny tiny ants, pillbugs, worms, and other invertebrates that have important jobs in nature. We’ll pay attention to the tiniest flowers and plants and discover their importance to their ecosystems. Through live animal visits, exploration, hikes, and art projects, campers will investigate the tiny things in life! There will be no field trips this week.

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.

Hitchcock Center Closed - August 12 Through August 16
2024-08-12 - 2024-08-16 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West Street, Amherst, MA, 01002
The Hitchcock Center will be closed for cleaning August 12-16, 2024.

Fall Birding Field Trip with Scott Surner
2024-08-24 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 | 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

Girls into the Wild
2024-09-03 15:30 - 17:30
with Katie Koerten
Grades 4 – 6
Tuesdays, 3:30 – 5:30 PM
September 3 – December 17 (no program November 5)
Fee per Child: Tier A-$453 | Tier B-$378 | Tier C-$321 | Tier D-$245
Limited to 12 participants
Girls into the Wild is back in Fall 2024 for more romping wildly through the field and forests of the Hitchcock Center with Katie! As always we’ll visit our favorite places to play in the forest, such as Stump City, the Ferns, and the Faraway Woods – exploring the seasonal beauty of nature as we go. Play games, make friends, and create nature projects outdoors! Come build your confidence and show your wild side! Genderqueer, nonbinary, agender and trans young people are welcome.

Junior Nature Play Afterschool
2024-09-04 15:30 - 17:30
Junior Nature Play Afterschool
with Lauren Dausch
Grades K – 2
Wednesdays, 3:30 – 5:30 PM
September 4 – December 18 (Extended day (1 PM) on October 23, no program November 27)
Fee per Child: Tier A-$487 | Tier B-$406 | Tier C-$345 | Tier D-$264
Limited to 12 participants
Hitchcock’s Junior Nature Play Afterschool Program is designed to let kids be kids. Together we will run, jump, climb, invent, imagine, play and be free-range kids all while developing self-confidence and learning valuable social skills. During Fall Junior Nature Play we will explore wooded trails and fields, play pretend in our mud kitchen, and make leaf crowns. Our instructors provide a safe setting for children to explore nature and encourage children to stretch their limits.
