Explore Mt. Cuba’s natural areas with Rowan Nygard, experienced mycophile. Scout and learn about the fungal diversity in the area. Be prepared for a lengthy hike through hilly, uneven, and occasionally steep terrain. Dress for the weather and bring a water bottle. This program takes place in person in Mt. Cuba Center natural lands on
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Rare plant conservation is a science that requires a high degree of expertise and knowledge of regulatory frameworks, such as botanical identification and species permits. Gain a deeper understanding of rare plants and the systems to classify and protect them with Élan Alford, Mt. Cuba Center’s conservation fellow. Explore the gardens with Élan as she
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Connecting your yard with surrounding landscapes creates vital flight corridors for native and migratory birds, including bluebirds. Using ArcGIS technology, ornithologist Ian Stewart demonstrates how personal gardens contribute to a larger ecosystem and support bluebird populations. Learn the role of nest boxes in bluebird reproduction, identify where to place one in your yard, and leave
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Ecologically sound landscapes are adapted to local environmental conditions and require fewer inputs to achieve success. Learn how to measure, inventory, and analyze a site; then make a conceptual design and planting plan using the “right plant, right place” approach. Broaden your design perspective, increase biodiversity in the landscape with native plants, decrease lawn, and
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While Mt. Cuba Center’s gardens showcase how native plants can enhance formal and naturalistic gardens, behind the scenes, Mt. Cuba conducts conservation programs at many scales, ranging from individual species to whole ecosystems. We monitor and propagate rare plants, cultivate breeding habitat for bird species of conservation concern, and conduct a 100-year reforestation experiment. We
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Even as scientists make discoveries about navigational and physiological feats that enable migratory birds to cross immense oceans or fly above the highest mountains, go weeks without sleep or remain in unbroken flight for months, humans have brought many migratory birds to the brink. Based on his bestselling new book “A World on the Wing”,
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Many people have heard an owl, but few have ever seen one. Mt. Cuba’s varied landscapes and topography provide the ideal habitats for four of Delaware’s native owl species — the barred, barn, great horned, and Eastern screech — and winter is the best time to spot them roosting in the trees. Owls are nocturnal,
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Are native cultivars as valuable in pollinator habitat gardens as straight native species? Native plants are generally recommended for supporting pollinators, but the growing demand for native plants, coupled with the horticulture industry’s desire for plants with unique characteristics, has led to the increased breeding and availability of native cultivars or “nativars.” Annie White was
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After an introductory explanation of the iNaturalist app and its functions, Andrew Conboy, Morris Arboretum’s Martha S. Miller and Rusty Miller urban forestry fellow, will guide a tour through Mt. Cuba’s gardens and natural lands, logging observations of plants and wildlife found along the way. Leave inspired to continue to record observations in your own
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Large-scale, long-distance bird migration has fascinated people for centuries. Joe Sebastiani, an expert birder, presents research findings on the origins of and the triggers for migration, how birds navigate hazards along the way, and the importance of “migrant traps”. Learn what you can do to support birds as they migrate southwards this fall. This program
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