Adult Community Programs

Spring Birding Course with Scott Surner

Sliding Scale $425 / $375 / $325
There is a maximum of 15 people

Yellow Warbler, October MT State Forest, Lee, MA, Berkshire County, by Scott Surner

The Hitchcock Center is announcing its annual Spring Birding Class for the 2025 season. The class will focus on the Identification and migration of birds that regularly occur in New England. It will begin in late February and conclude at the end of May. There will be eight half-day and three full-day trips, plus three Classroom sessions. There will be an optional trip to Maine in June to look for Atlantic Puffins.  

 Spring Birding Class Dates:

 February 22nd. Coastal Trip- All Day. Meet at 5:00 AM at Hitchcock Center. Bring lunch and dress for the weather. Depending on recent reports, we’ll visit either Plum Island or Gloucester. We’ll be looking for wintering sea ducks, Loons, and hopefully an Owl or two.

 March 8th– 7:00 AM-12:00. Local. Lingering winter birds, (Tree Sparrows, Horned Larks, Longspurs) and early migrating waterfowl.

 March 15th– 7:00 AM-12:00. Local. (Hadley/Northampton area) Migrating Waterfowl.

 March 22nd– 7:00 AM-12:00. Local. More waterfowl……

 April 5th—7:00 AM-12:00. Local. We’re looking for early migrating Warblers, Tree Swallows, eastern phoebes, etc.

 April 19th– 7:00 AM-12:00. Local. Westover Airbase- Looking for newly arriving Upland Sandpipers.

 April 26th– 5:00 AM- All Day. Plum Island. Bring Lunch. Waterfowl, Herons, early shorebirds, and Glossy Ibis.

May 3rd – 7:00 AM-12:00. Local- Migrating Warblers and Vireo’s.

 May 10th– 7:00 AM-12:00 Local. Migrating Warblers.

 May 17th– 5:00 AM- Coastal Connecticut. All Day. Bring Lunch. Shorebirds, Warblers, vireos.

 May 31st – 5:30 AM- 12:00. Southwick. Grasshopper Sparrows, Indigo Buntings, Prairie Warblers.

Classroom sessions-

Feb 19 – 6:00 PM -8:00 PM

April 9- 6:00 PM-8:00 PM

April 30- 6:00 PM-8:00 PM

Optional  June Trip to Maine- June 20th-22nd:

Sliding Scale $190 /$160 /$130
There is a maximum of 15 people

Leave Friday morning from Hitchcock Center, and bird our way up to Maine. Saturday, Boat trip to Eastern Egg Rock- Atlantic Puffins, Razorbills, Black Guillemot, Common and Arctic Terns, and Common Eiders. Sunday- depart early and bird our way back to Amherst. Arrive late afternoon. Participants will be responsible for their motel rooms, food, and boat tickets. More details to come.

Registration open- Waitlist only

A John Green Slideshow: Nature’s Odyssey East – Part 1 & 2

Wednesday, March 26,  6pm – Newfoundland to Southern New England 
Wednesday, April 16, 6pm – Connecticut River Valley to the Everglades 

Join Naturalist John Green on a photographic exploration of eastern North America. This visual trek begins in the wild landscapes of Newfoundland, Canada then moves south of the St. Lawrence River to southern Quebec to study and photograph Northern Gannets on Bonaventure Island. Next we’re off to Baxter State Park in Maine then to a coastal Maine island to see Puffins and other seabirds. The slideshow continues to New Hampshire to visit the White Mountains and then a stand of orchids in southern Vermont.

Part 2 brings us to three areas in Massachusetts John loves to photograph, Mt. Greylock, the Connecticut River Valley and Cape Cod. He then leapfrogs down to the mysterious Okefenokee swamp of southern Georgia and ends the journey in the unique Florida Everglades.

John Green’s slideshows are a real treat, especially with the nostalgic hum of the old slide projector and click of the slides, and his love and connection to nature come through in his work and stories along the way.

Youth Climate Stories Exhibit Opening and Reception

Sunday, April 13, from 1 – 3 PM
Most meaningful for folks 12+ but open to all ages
Free to attend, registration appreciated

Join us for the free exhibit opening and reception for the Youth Climate Stories Project, in partnership with the Climate Stories Project, and made possible through funding from Mass Humanities.

This project elevates youth voices and tells the untold stories of young people and their experiences, understanding, and responses to climate change. The goals of this project are to use youth storytelling as a vehicle for inspiring young people to see themselves as climate change problem solvers; broadening engagement in youth climate action by inspiring peers and adult mentors; helping visitors of all ages to the Hitchcock Center learn about and get inspired by youth taking action on climate change; and catalyzing community conversations about visioning for the future.

Join us to hear from the youth, enjoy refreshments and community, and learn why it’s important to talk about climate change.

Designing Low-Maintenance Landscapes with Native Plants

Owen Wormser
Thursday, April 24, 7pm  

Learn how to design unique garden spaces that strengthen your connection to the
landscape around you. Discover important functional and aesthetic qualities of nativeplants that can provide the building blocks for creating easy-to-care-for, sustainable gardens. Using strategies based on the observation and emulation of naturally existing plant communities, landscape designer Owen Wormser will share key techniques for creating beautiful, low-maintenance garden spaces. In this interactive format, you are encouraged to bring your ideas, along with photographs, plans, or sketches of your own property.  (This is also an option as part of the Flora and Fauna Walks fundraiser)
Bio- 
Owen was born and raised off the grid in rural Maine, surrounded by the presence of the natural world. That connection inspired Owen to pursue a career working with plants and design. He received a landscape architecture degree in 1998. Since then, he has
gone on to design and build hundred of landscapes with a focus on sustainability, regeneration, and beauty.
Owen is the founder and principal of Abound Design, which provides landscape design
and installation services in Western Massachusetts. He also co-founded a nonprofit,
Local Harmony, that initiates and installs local landscape projects built entirely with
volunteers and community support, including the gardens at the Hitchcock Center. The
second edition of his first book, Lawns Into Meadows, Growing a Regenerative
Landscape, was released in November, 2022.

Earth Day Week Flora and Fauna Walks 

Celebrate Earth Day with the Hitchcock Center for the Environment, participate in one or more of our Flora and Fauna Walks. Join expert naturalists and survey for biodiversity while fundraising for a healthy planet. Space is limited, register now! 

Birds with John Green – Tuesday, April 22 – 7am -Amherst
Earth Day Family Walk – Tuesday, April 22- 3:30pm – Hitchcock
Spring Ephemeral Wildflowers with Katie – Wednesday, April 23 – 9am – Greenfield
Birds with Dan Ziomek – Thursday, April 24 – 8am – Amherst
Low Maintenance Native Gardens – Thursday, April 24 – 7pm – Hitchcock
Native Plant Gardens with Master Gardener Bridgit – Saturday, April 26 – 10am – Hitchcock 
Vernal Pool Walk with Jennifer – Sunday, April 27th – 1pm – Amherst 

Forest Bathing 

with Todd Lynch
Thursday, May 1,  6-8pm
Saturday, May 17, 10am-12pm

Connecting with nature an essential part of who we are as people. Time spent in
forests has been proven to reduce stress-hormone levels and lower blood pressure, a
perfect way to navigate the challenges of the modern world. A Forest Bathing
experience allows you to slow down and immerse yourself in the world around you. Our
time together will consist of a leisurely walk with stops along the way to explore the
magic of the Hitchcock Center woodland. This is a very relaxed, slow, and mindful way
of spending time in nature. Walks typically last about 2-3 hours and finish with an herbal
tea from Todd’s garden.  There is hardly a better antidote for these times!   Space is limited. 

One session $25 or $40 for both sessions. 

Salamander Egg Mass Survey 

Saturday, May 3rd, 1pm- 3pm
Space is limited and registration is required.
Free, donations appreciated.

Join us for this hearty trek into the red maple swamp and adjacent vernal pool on Henry Street, for annual count of the yellow spotted salamander egg masses.  This community science project has been collecting data in this location since 1993. There will be a short discussion/ training followed by delving into knee to waist high water, navigating muddy uneven terrain and traveling from tussock to tussock looking for egg masses.  Recommended for ages 10 and up, anyone under 16 needs to be accompanied by an adult. Waders and polarized sunglasses are highly recommended. 

Planting for Pollinators Demo with a My Home Park Native Plant Kit

with Casey Beebe
Sunday, May 18th
10am – 11:30am

As part of our native plant sale collaboration with My Home Park, we will be demonstrating how to plant your kit and generally how to plant well for pollinators as we expand one of our many pollinator gardens.  Teaching participants what plants support what pollinators throughout the season.  Space is limited,  and come ready to try out some planting yourself. This is for folks who have purchased a kit from My Home Park. 

 

Hitchcock Community Read- The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer 

Thursday, May 22, 6pm– 8pm 
Free or by donation, registration required

Join us for a discussion of Braiding Sweetgrass author Robin Wall Kimmerer’s new book The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World.  We will come together to discuss and share our experience of this special and timely book. This gathering will take place in the garden if weather allows and we will be able to visit our own Amelanchier (or Shadbush as we tend to call it here at Hitchcock) somewhere between its flowering and fruiting.  

Firefly Ecology Fireside Program

with John Green
Thursday, June 12, 8:30pm
Sliding Scale $10, $20, $30

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, a truly magical group experience.  

Building Tours for Classes or Groups 

The Hitchcock Center is the 23rd building in the world and the 4th in Massachusetts to achieve the Certified Living Building designation! The building is designed to model systems in nature- it is net zero energy and water, has composting toilets, and has been made with responsibly sourced non-toxic materials. Find out what makes our building a special teaching tool empowering visitors to ask, “what does sustainability look like in the built environment and in my community?” Using Zoom, we’ll explore the systems and features of the building. Bring your questions so we can learn together. Tours typically last from 1-1.5 hours and have a sliding scale fee of $100-$200.  Please email dan@hitchcockcenter.org to schedule a tour.

Fees

Out of a strong commitment to improve access to our programs we are now offering a sliding scale fee structure aimed to provide greater flexibility in choosing a price that is right for you and your family.

Cancellation policy

Cancellation policy for Hitchcock’s seasonal programs: You may cancel your registration for any of our programs up to a week prior to the program’s start date to receive a refund minus a 10% administrative fee.  If you cancel within 7 days or less of the program’s start date, we cannot offer a refund unless we are able to fill your spot in the program.

COVID-19 Safety

As per the State of Massachusetts guidelines, if you have symptoms of a respiratory virus, such as a fever, sore throat, cough or a runny or stuffy nose, you should stay home. If you have been exposed to someone with a virus we ask that you please wear a mask and wash hands often to protect others. 

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Hitchcock Center for the Environment