There's Lots Happening In Nature In Winter

Online, January 27, 2014 (Newswire.com) - Hold that remote! No settling onto the couch for a long winter of binge-TV-watching! Sheldrake wants to get you outdoors! While it may look quiet out there, there's lots happening, and Sheldrake has programs designed to help you explore the natural world -- even during the wintry months. The Neighborhood Nature and Young Explorers programs, which started last fall, aren't taking a break in winter. February Break wouldn't be the same without Nature Camp fun.

With Neighborhood Nature, you will visit local sites that have become familiar to thousands of schoolchildren who participate in Sheldrake trips. Take advantage of midweek sessions for adults or Saturday programs for the whole family.

Winter Trees at Sheldrake River Trail (for adults) - Tuesday, 2/11, 9:30-11am
Winter is a great time to learn how to identify trees by looking at buds, bark and branches. Explore the magnificent trees on this beautiful trail. After this walk, you'll see your own trees with new eyes!

Micro-World at the Nature Center (for adults) - Thursday, 3/6, 9:30-11am
The world looks different under a microscope! In the nature center's microscope lab, you'll look at the veins in a dragonfly's wings, a yellowjacket's stinger, and some living organisms from the pond. If you want, you can bring your own specimens to examine!

Signs of Spring at the Larchmont Reservoir (for all ages) - Saturday, 3/15, 10-11:30am With the vernal equinox less than a week away, the natural world is starting to stir. Join a Sheldrake naturalist on the trail and look for swelling buds, migrating birds, and other signs that spring is approaching.

Neighborhood Nature is free for members. Non-members pay $10 for adults, $5 for children, for each program. For more information or to rsvp, contact Jenny at 914-834-1443 or [email protected].

And there's more for the kids so they don't have to start feeling cooped up indoors. They'll be inspired to get out with all the fun things to do at Sheldrake's children's programs. They'll search for signs of animals, find out who's awake and who's asleep, how they adapt. They'll find winter birds, insects, egg cases, even butterflies. They'll look for signs of rabbits, deer, mice, chipmunks and squirrels, observe their tracks in snow or mud, find their winter homes. The Young Explorers program, for pre-school children ages 4 and 5, is back by popular demand this winter and… lasts through June. From February 17 to 21 when school is out, children ages 3 to 5 will want to get out of the house to explore, discover and participate in many other fun activities at February Break Nature Camp. For more information or to register for these programs, contact Amy at 914-834-1443 or [email protected].
So… bundle up! Come find out what happens in nature during the crisp season. You'll see that winter's a season full of wonder and learning - you just have to get out there and get into it with Sheldrake naturalists!

Sheldrake Environmental Center is a non-profit organization whose mission is to inspire environmental awareness and action in the community, and to preserve, protect and enhance local environmental resources. The center is located at 685 Weaver Street in Larchmont, NY. More information on Sheldrake and its programs can be obtained by visiting www.sheldrakecenter.org, or by contacting Amy at (914)834-1443 or at [email protected].