About the Roarng Brook Nature Center

A member of The Children's Museum family
(formerly the Science Center of CT)

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Exhibits, Events and Nature Walks


*Exhibits*
NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE FOREST EXHIBIT This fall, the Nature Center opened its newest exhibit on how the forest appeared some five hundred years ago and how Native Americans managed the forest to meet their needs. This exhibit completes the Changing Land and Wildlife in the Farmington Valley exhibit renovation project begun in 2006. These exhibits includes visually exciting, walk-in dioramas of forests, thickets, farms, suburban and wetland habitats for our resident live animals and mounts. These new exhibits will set the stage for our visitors, helping to explain what can be found along our trails or their own backyards. Again, our exhibit has been made possible through the outstanding work of Ted Esselstyn and Appleloosa Artworks To learn more, click here. Stop by and visit and see our new exhibits!

Events

Sunday March 14th 2 PM	Family Concert with Dave Fry As daylight savings time begins, Dave Fry returns to Roaring Brook for his annual Rollicking Family Concert. Armed with guitar, mandolin, banjo and rhythm instruments for all, Dave's warmth and energy create the perfect opportunity for families to sing, dance and laugh together. Toddlers, teens, parents and grandparents will have a good time, guaranteed! Tickets are available in advance at a cost of $6.00 members, $7.00 nonmembers. Remaining tickets will be sold at the door prior to the show at a cost of $8.00. Additional information is available by calling the Center at (860) 693-0263

Sunday April 11th 1 PM	Family Concert with Debbie and Friends Combine a love of children, music, and education, and you’ve got Debbie Cavalier of Debbie and Friends. Babies, toddlers, kids and their grown-ups all love Debbie and Friends songs; they’re fun, educational, and stylistically diverse. From original pop, rock, and showstyle tunes to down-home country and story songs, there’s something for everyone. Tickets are available in advance: $7 member and $8 nonmembers Remaining tickets will be sold at the door prior to the show for $10. Additional information is available by calling the Center at (860) 693-0263

*Weekend Nature Programs*

Saturday February 27th 2:00-4:00 PM	Family Orienteering/Winter Survival What do you do if you get lost in the woods in winter? Learn to find your way using map, compass and your own ingenuity for surviving a night outdoors. Dress for winter weather. Not geared for children under age 9. Admission: $5.00 per person for members, $6.00 for nonmembers; $15.00 maximum per family (members), $18.00 (nonmembers).

Sunday March 7th 2:00-3:00 PM	Maple Sugaring in Your Own Backyard Our annual demonstration teaches you how to make maple syrup the easy way. We’ll cover the entire process from identifying the tree to the best part – tasting the final product. Admission: Members: $4.00 adults, $2.00 children; Nonmembers: $6.00 adults, $3.00 children. Pre-registration is not required.

Sunday March 21st 2 PM	North American Bears Lecture by Gary Melnysyn Gary Melnysyn, Wildlife Photographer and Master Wildlife Conservationist will be presenting a discussion on North American Bears. The discussion will include photos of the 3 different bear species (Black, Brown and Polar) as well as facts about their habitat, feeding habits, reproduction and general behaviors. Gary has traveled extensively to study and photograph these bears in their natural habitat. Tickets are available in advance at a cost of $5.00 members, $7.00 nonmembers.

Sunday April 18th 2 - 3 PM Additional information is available by calling the Center at (860) 693-0263.	Betty Kleiner Memorial Lecture by Richard Cech: Lifestyles of East Coast Butterflies This year's annual Betty Kleiner Memorial Lecture will feature well-known naturalist and former West Hartford resident Richard Cech, author of Butterflies of the East Coast: An Observer's Guide. Butterfly lifestyles reflect intimate links with the host plants on which they feed. Why do butterflies select only certain hosts? How do host plants fight back against browsing caterpillars? How does plant choice affect other key aspects of a butterfly's lifestyle, from when it emerges as an adult to how it spends the winter? Find the answers to these questions, plus many interesting and surprising facts about butterflies' hidden lives. Rick Cech, a former West Hartford resident, is co-author of “Butterflies of the East Coast: An Observer’s Guide.” Betty Kleiner was a long time Nature Center volunteer, a past president of the Hartford Audubon Society and the Simsbury Garden Club. Admission: $5.00 per person. No charge to TCM/RBNC members or to active members of Hartford Audubon Society, CT Ornithological Association, Simsbury Garden Club or the CT Butterfly Association.

Sunday June 6th Lecture & Walk 2 PM This program is co-sponsored by the Canton Land Conservation Trust.	HUNT FOR WILD FOOD WITH "WILDMAN" STEVE BRILL Roaring Brook Nature Center presents world-famous naturalist “Wildman” Steve Brill, who will provide both a one hour morning lecture and an afternoon hike through Werner’s Woods in search of wild edibles. Brill is best known for having been handcuffed and arrested by undercover park rangers for eating a dandelion in Central Park! He is the author of Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and Not-So-Wild) Places and The Wild Vegetarian Cookbook and stars in Wild Edible Basics, the first of a video/DVD series on foraging. Brill will offer a lecture in the Center’s auditorium beginning at 2 PM followed by a walk. The cost for both lecture and walk is $10.00 per person in advance. Any remaining spaces will be $15 at the door. Pre-registration with payment is required. Additional information is available by calling the Nature Center at (860) 693-0263.

*Classes*

Mondays March 1st April 5th May 3rd June 7th 1 - 2 PM	STORY HOURS Story hour continues through spring with one hour programs on the first Monday of the month. Geared for children ages 2-5, program may include a craft and/or a short nature walk. Children must be accompanied by an adult. There is no charge for this program, however pre-registration is requested.
	Can't make our story hours? Bring your child and select a book from our wetlands room library of children's nature books and create your own story time at the Nature Center.

DISCOVERY DAY PROGRAMS
	Discovery Days is the Nature Center’s enrichment series for children in pre-school and in grades K-3. (Note: days have changed for some of our traditional programs) The cost of each four week session is $40.00 for members, $50.00 for nonmembers except for Nature for Little Ones. Discounts are extended to families with multiple children attending during the same time period. To learn more about these programs and their availability, click here or contact the Nature Center at 693-0263.

VACATION PROGRAMS

Monday - Friday April 19th – April 23rd 9 AM - Noon	WILDLIFE RAMBLE – APRIL VACATION PROGRAMS FOR GRADES K-6 Spend vacation mornings looking for wildlife at Roaring Brook Nature Center. We’ll peer into vernal pools looking for tadpoles, watch for migrating birds returning from the south, look for early insects and try to determine how winter affects wildlife populations. Daily Rate: Members $30, nonmembers $35. Sign up for all five days at a discounted rate of $110 for members, $120 for nonmembers.

	NATURE CENTER 2010 SUMMER PROGRAMS Roaring Brook is taking registrations for our SUMMER 2010 Discover Days programs. This summer's program offerings include activities for pre-schoolers through students entering grade 8. Enrollment is limited; early registration is strongly recommended. To view our summer programs, click here. The Nature Center is mailing its summer program brochure to all who participated in our programs in 2009, as well as members who live in neighboring Farmington Valley towns. If you would like to be on our mailing list for the summer program brochure, please call us at (860) 693-0263 or send us a short e-mail at rbnc@thechildrensmuseumct.org

*Guided Nature Walks*

Saturdays April 24 May 1 May 8 7 - 9 AM	Saturday Bird Walks An early morning walk through Werner’s Woods (followed by refreshments in the Nature Center auditorium) provides welcome sights and sounds for beginning birders as well as those with more experience in the field. Bird walks are not geared for younger children. Bring binoculars and dress for wet ground underfoot. Cost: Members $2, nonmembers $3

Sundays 2:00-3:30 PM March 7th May 9th May 23rd	Sunday Family Nature Walks Guided walks geared for all ages. March 7th – Maple Sugaring in Your Own Backyard May 9th – Annual Mother’s Day Wildflower Walk (moms admitted free) May 23rd – Butterflies, Dragonflies & other unusual insects Cost: Members $3, nonmembers $5; children 12 and under are $2.00 members, $3.00 nonmembers. Pre-registration is not required.

Friday April 9th 7:30 – 9:30 PM	Evening Vernal Pools Walk Join us as we learn about the amphibians that inhabit vernal pools and search for nocturnal wildlife. Not geared for very young children. Cost: Members $6.00; Nonmembers: $8.00. Pre-registration is required for this program as space is limited.

Friday April 16th 7:30-9:00 PM	Owl Prowl Listen and look for barred owls and other nocturnal creatures along our trails. Pre-registration is required for this program as space is limited. Not geared for very young children. Cost: Members $6.00; Nonmembers: $8.00

Guided Nature Walks for Organized Groups
During July and August, group nature walks may be scheduled by individuals, families or by organized groups on selected weekday afternoons. Walks may be general or may focus on a specific topic of interest. Call the Nature Center for additional information.

Volunteers Needed! Volunteers are needed this summer to help maintain the Porritt Wildflower Trail and the Marabeth Finn Memorial Native Plant Butterfly Garden. We will be weeding and planting on Monday and Wednesday afternoons from 1 - 3pm. Feel free to drop by and help out! Call Margery Winters at the Nature Center to find out more (693-0263). Volunteers interested in working with the Nature Center's Raptor Care Program (must be over 18 years of age), please call the Center (860) 693-0263. Whatever time you can offer will be appreciated. For more information on our volunteer needs, click here.

Birthday Party Opportunities During the school year, the Nature Center offers birthday parties on Saturdays (morning parties from 10:30 AM-12:30 PM, afternoon parties from 1:30-3:30 PM) and on selected weekday afternoons from 3:00 to 5:00 PM. During July and August, the Nature Center will offer birthday parties on selected weekday afternoons from 1:30 – 3:30 PM. (Please note that birthday party availability is subject to the Nature Center’s summer program schedule of classes and public events). Parties include a live animal demonstration, nature walk, and use of our auditorium for holding the party. Cost of a party is $100 for members, $125 for nonmembers. For more information, click here. To make a reservation call the Center at (860) 693-0263.

Scout Programs Leaders of Daisy, Brownie, and Junior Girl Scout Troops, as well as Cub Scout Troops, will find that numerous badge requirements may be fulfilled by a visit to Roaring Brook Nature Center. Winter programs include the “Frosty Fun” badge for Juniors. (For more information on Scout programs, call the Center at 693-0263.)