Due to on the ground conditions following the recent snowstorm and forecast for continued sleet, rain, and unsettled weather, we have unfortunately cancelled this event. If you already registered, we will contact you about refunding your registration fee.
Signs of Spring - Vernal Pools, Buds and Catkins
Spring has sprung at Hidden Valley Nature Center. The woods are alive with the sounds, sites and smells of the awakening forest. Vernal pools, filled with the rains of spring, are just beginning to show signs of life, promises of frogs, salamanders and insects soon to hatch. Trees are adorned with swollen buds ready to burst into the first green leaves of the season. And catkins hang on the branches of willows, birches and aspens waiting for the wind to carry their pollen to other catkins.
Join Maine Master Naturalist Heather Hardy to immerse yourself in these emerging signs of spring. Visit a number of different vernal pools to see what, if anything, is developing beneath the surface. Identify different tree species by their spring buds and flowers. And look for early signs of skunk cabbage and other first plants just emerging. Feel free to bring your journal if you’d like to sketch the things you discover along the way.
Be prepared for muddy trails with proper footwear and don’t forget your water bottle. Meet at the Welcome Center at Hidden Valley Nature Center.
A note to educators
There is immense value in getting students outside, even for short amounts of time, to explore the natural world. Research is continuing to show that taking kids outdoors benefits social-emotional learning and leads to greater focus when students return to the classroom. For many teachers, this may seem daunting for a plethora of reasons from short class blocks, behavioral concerns, ticks, access to trails, and the perceived difficulty of meeting learning goals in an unconventional setting. Teachers may also be new to learning about the ecology of their setting. This Naturalist Workshop Series is designed to help address the concerns and challenges of taking students outside and grow your comfort level facilitating class learning goals within and beyond the playground.
Each program will provide an opportunity to observe an educator teaching to a group of students. We will provide supplemental materials for teachers to bring back to school, content you can use with students, and time at the end to ask questions and brainstorm ways you can transfer the lesson to your school's unique setting.
We hope you will step outside with us and bring what you experience back to your schools!