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  • Compact Composting

    Mt Cuba 3120 Barley Mill Rd, Hockessin, DE, United States

    Turn your trash to treasure with home-scale composting. Transform everyday kitchen scraps into nutrient-rich treasure (compost) that makes plants flourish. Learn the key elements of creating compost at home, what materials can be safely composted, and how to keep the compost bin from smelling. Storage bin options will be discussed and demonstrated. This program takes place in person at Mt. Cuba Center on Saturday, November 4th, 2023. About the Instructor: Eileen Boyle is the former Director of Conservation and Research at Mt. Cuba Center. She loves teaching, especially about plants and their relationships with birds and butterflies. Previously, she was

    $29

  • FRIEDAcommunity – Opening Reception: A closer look by Gerri Spilka

    FRIEDAcommunity 320 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States

    FRIEDAcommunity is proud to announce the show A closer look by Gerri Spilka. Join us and the artist on Friday, December 1, First Friday, during the opening reception from 6pm to 8pm. Gerri Spilka considers herself to be an alchemist who takes ordinary pieces of cotton and transforms them into larger-than-life shapes of glorious, luminous colors. Her work fuses seemingly disparate elements: modern figurative abstraction, the grittiness of urban life, and decades of observing people. She uses these elements to re-imagine traditional quilts, making them into visual stories on the human experience. Gerri’s work has been widely exhibited in the

    $5 – $25

  • Historic Waynesborough Holiday Open House

    Historic Waynesborough 2049 Waynesborough Road, Paoli, PA, United States

    Join the family fun at the Holiday Candlelight Tour and Open House, 4-6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10, at Historic Waynesborough in Paoli. The historic mansion has been beautifully decorated for the season by the Suburban and Springfield Garden Clubs. Take a tour, craft festive ornaments for the holiday tree, and enjoy refreshments, music, and more. Students from Conestoga High School Tri-M Music Honor Society and St. Norbert Elementary School will perform carols throughout the event. The Tree Lighting is at 5 p.m in the Carriage House. Admission is $10 for adults $5 for children $25 for families and groups of

    $5 – $25

  • FRIEDAcommunity – Artist talk with Gerri Spilka

    FRIEDAcommunity 320 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States

    Join us for a conversation with Gerri Spilka in a more intimate and relaxed setting. Following the talk, dinner will be served allowing for more discussion with the artist and among guests. A talk with Gerri Spilka Date: Wednesday, January 17, 2024 Talk: 6:00 pm – 6:45 pm Dinner: served at 7:00 pm Location: FRIEDA, 320 Walnut Street Price (talk & dinner): Member: $25 (service and tax included) Guests: $35 (service and tax included) Guests “30 or under”: $15 (service and tax included) For more information and to sign up, please visit https://frieda.community/programs/gerri-spilka-artist-talk-1-17-24/

    $5 – $25

  • Deer-resistant Native Plants (Online)

    Deer, oh deer. Join us online with horticulturist Gregg Tepper for an entertaining and informative lecture inspired by Gregg’s recently co-authored book, Deer-Resistant Native Plants for the Northeast. Gregg will share his experiences with what he’s found to be the best native deer-resistant plants and how to create a strategy for rebuffing deer with effective and safe natural deer repellent products. This program takes place online Wednesday, January 24, 2024. About the Instructor: Gregg Tepper is a professional horticulturist, lecturer, consultant, and life-long native plant enthusiast. He has been in the public horticulture industry for over 30 years and has

    $19

  • A World of Discovery with Science and Heart (Online)

    Much has been written about gardening for human senses, but how do plants and animals perceive the world around them? What do we miss when we landscape for human visual appeal but neglect the sensory experiences of our wild neighbors? Noise, light and odor pollution can have many unintended consequences. Through science, heart, and our powers of observation, we can learn to mitigate these disruptions and create sensory refuges in an increasingly noisy world. This program is part of the Mt. Cuba Lecture Series. This program takes place online Saturday, March 23rd, 2024. About the Instructor: Nancy Lawson is the

    $25

  • Hummingbirds: Dynamic Aviators

    Mt Cuba 3120 Barley Mill Rd, Hockessin, DE, United States

    Get ready for hummingbirds! These amazing creatures will arrive this spring in your garden after traveling more than 3,000 miles from their Central American winter sites.  Learn about their life cycle, migration patterns, and the plants that attract and sustain them. Then stroll through the garden to see potential food sources, nest materials, and former nesting spots for these dynamic aviators. This program takes place in person at Mt. Cuba Center Saturday, March 23rd, 2024. About the Instructor: Eileen Boyle is the former Director of Conservation and Research at Mt. Cuba Center. She loves teaching, especially about plants and their

    $29

  • Sustainable Landscape Techniques

    Mt Cuba 3120 Barley Mill Rd, Hockessin, DE, United States

    Create more ecologically sound landscapes by implementing a variety of sustainable gardening and landscaping techniques. Learn how to manage and conserve water using rain gardens, bioswales, and rain barrels. Reduce the demands of lawn care by adding meadow areas and increase your energy savings with strategically placed layered plantings. Develop your garden to support a diverse population of beneficial wildlife and create healthy, natural habitats. This program takes place in person at Mt. Cuba Center on 2 Saturdays: April 13 and 27. About the Instructor: Susan Barton, PhD, is an extension specialist and professor in the Plant and Soil Sciences

    $169

  • Bees: Foragers in Woody Habitat

    Mt Cuba 3120 Barley Mill Rd, Hockessin, DE, United States

    Pollinators in the woods? Explore the many ways wild bees nest and forage in woody habitats. Most native bees are solitary and have long evolutionary relationships with our beloved wildflowers and provide important pollination services which ensure the stability of many of our favorite fruits, nuts, and vegetables. In the northeastern US, up to 1/3 of our wild bee species prefer and rely on forest habitats. Some are specialized to only collect pollen and nectar from spring ephemerals on the forest floor, while others nest in rotting logs and in leaf litter deep in the woods. Join Kass Urban-Mead from

    $39

  • Fall Bird Migration

    Mt. Cuba Natural Lands 1003 Old Wilmington Road, HOCKESSIN, DE, United States

    Large-scale, long distance bird migration has fascinated people for centuries. Joe Sebastiani, director of land stewardship at Delaware Nature Society and 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 “migration trap.” Learn what you can do to support birds as they migrate south this fall. Be prepared for a hike through hilly, uneven, and occasionally steep terrain. Dress for the weather; bring binoculars and a water bottle. This program takes place in person in Mt. Cuba Center natural lands on Wednesday, September 18,

    $35

  • The Biodiversity of Beetles

    Mt Cuba 3120 Barley Mill Rd, Hockessin, DE, United States

    Beetles are the most diverse group of living things on the planet, making up nearly one quarter of all described species! Such diversity means that beetles provide a wide range of services for humans and our ecosystems, from nature’s clean-up crew to pollination to pest control and everything in between. Join us as we learn about the beauty, benefits, and biodiversity of our spectacular native beetles. This program takes place in person at Mt. Cuba Center on Saturday, October 5, 2024. About the Instructor: Samantha Nestory is the engagement manager at Stoneleigh: A Natural Garden in Villanova, PA. She holds

    $29

  • Fungal Ecology

    Mt Cuba 3120 Barley Mill Rd, Hockessin, DE, United States

    Learn about the important identifying features of our local fungi. Discover some of the crucial roles they play in our ecosystems. Discuss what you can do to preserve fungal diversity in your area through community science and land stewardship.The lecture and discussion will be followed by a guided exploration of Mt. Cuba’s natural areas. Scout and learn about the fungal diversity in the area. Be prepared for a lengthy hike through hilly (sometimes steep) and uneven terrain. Dress for the weather and bring a water bottle. This program takes place in person at Mt. Cuba Center on Wednesday, October 16,

    $39

  • Adopt-a-Tree Tree Planting Event

    Riverbend Environmental Education Center 1950 Spring Mill Road, Gladwyne, PA, United States

    Join us with your family to adopt and plant trees at Riverbend. Fall is a wonderful time to plant trees just before it turns colder in the winter months. Planting trees at the preserve helps to provide habitat to local wildlife, combat climate change and helps to maintain our local water supply as the trees we plant keep runoff from heading to the Schuylkill River watershed. Registration is required as spaces are limited. This event is open to all ages. Please bring your own water and work gloves to the event. This is a Riverbend PAY WHAT YOU WISH Event:

    Pay What You Wish

  • MLK Day of Service

    Riverbend Environmental Education Center 1950 Spring Mill Road, Gladwyne, PA, United States

    Join us with your family at Riverbend as a Martin Luther King Day of Service! Riverbend is hosting a Day of Service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to honor the life and legacy of Dr. King and improve their communities. This event is open to ALL ages! Please bring your own water and work gloves to the event. Volunteers will be working outdoors helping our Habitat Manager with invasive plant removal. This is a Riverbend PAY WHAT YOU WISH Event: The true cost to Riverbend to offer this educational event to the public is $35 per family. We recognize

    Pay What You Wish

  • Insects of Early Spring (Online)

    Spring is an essential time for insects. After the harshness of winter, insects and other wildlife need plentiful food and resources to help them prepare for the new season ahead. Learn about some of the earliest-emerging insects and how you can plan, prep, and primp your garden to make it a haven for these harbingers of spring. This program takes place online on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. About the Instructor: Samantha Nestory is the engagement manager at Stoneleigh: A Natural Garden in Villanova, PA. She holds ecology and entomology degrees from the University of Delaware and is passionate about ecological

    $25

  • Join Wissahickon Trails for a Community Feedback Event

    Wissahickon Valley Public Library Blue Bell Main Library 650 Skippack Pike, Blue Bell, PA, United States

    The future of our trails, waterways, and open spaces starts with you! Join Wissahickon Trails for a walk-through event on April 1st, where you can share your thoughts in a quick, interactive format. It only takes 20 minutes, but your input will last for years to come. We invite you to help shape the next strategic plan for Wissahickon Trails and the natural spaces we all value. The event will be held at the Blue Bell Branch of the Wissahickon Valley Public Library from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Whether you hike our trails, explore our waterways, or simply enjoy

    Free

  • Craft Beer by the Creek

    Wissahickon Trails Four Mills Barn 12 Morris Rd, Ambler, United States

    Enjoy a Sunday Funday amid the beauty of the Wissahickon Creek at Four Mills Nature Reserve & Barn in Ambler, PA. This family & dog friendly event will have food trucks, local craft breweries, and live music. Follow signs for parking in Ambler. $15 per person (ages 13 & up) supports Wissahickon Trails and your local environment. Pre-registration requested. Food & drink available to purchase: El Toro Serrano Food Truck Little's Ice Cream Ten7 Brewing Co. Tannery Run Brew Works Live Music by Low Totem What to know: Parking is available in Ambler at the Post Office or along Butler

    $13. – $21

  • Fantastic Fungi

    Mt Cuba 3120 Barley Mill Rd, Hockessin, DE, United States

    Learn about the important identifying features of our local fungi and discover some of the crucial roles they play in our ecosystems. Discuss what you can do to preserve fungal diversity in your area through community science and land stewardship. The lecture and discussion will be followed by a guided exploration of Mt. Cuba’s natural areas. Scout and learn about the fungal diversity in the area. Be prepared for a lengthy hike through hilly (sometimes steep) and uneven terrain. Dress for the weather and bring a water bottle. This program takes place in-person at Mt. Cuba Center Tuesday, May 13, 2025. About

    $49

  • Bats and Your Backyard Habitat (Online)

    These little flying mammals are great hunters of insects, eating more than 600 mosquitoes per hour! Learn about the eight species of bats native to Delaware, where they live, and how to include suitable shelters and landscape elements for bats in your yard. This program takes place online Wednesday, May 14, 2025. About the Instructor: Kesha Braunskill is a licensed wildlife rehabilitator and founder of the nonprofit organization, Delaware Bat Rehabilitation and Conservation (DBRC). Kesha has a professional background in wildlife, ecology and urban forestry. DBRC’s mission is to rehabilitate injured and orphaned bats in Delaware. Every year the organization

    $25

  • Bats and Your Backyard Habitat: Section A

    Mt Cuba 3120 Barley Mill Rd, Hockessin, DE, United States

    These little flying mammals are great hunters of insects, eating more than 600 mosquitoes per hour! Learn about the eight species of bats native to Delaware, where they live, and how to include suitable shelters and landscape elements for bats in your yard. Then walk Mt. Cuba’s property to scout locations where bats are likely to roost and use a small acoustic monitor to listen for bats as well as see them. This program takes place in-person at Mt. Cuba Center Friday, May 30, 2025 (Rain Date: Friday, June 6). About the Instructor: Kesha Braunskill is a licensed wildlife rehabilitator

    $39

  • Dragonflies: Aerial Acrobats (Online)

    Dragonflies have been around for 300 million years, with several extinct species having wingspans of over two feet. Inhabiting sites around lakes, ponds, streams, and wetlands, they are excellent predators, eating mosquitoes and other small insects. Examine the habitats that support dragonflies, as well as their lifecycles, foraging behaviors, and reproductive strategies. This program takes place online Wednesday, July 9, 2025. About the Instructor: Michael Moore recently retired from being a Biology professor after 38 years. He learned a love of the outdoors from my father who was an avid outdoorsman and fisherman. He started birding in Massachusetts when he

    $25

  • The Pollinator Connection: How Your Garden Can Save Wildlife

    Mt Cuba 3120 Barley Mill Rd, Hockessin, DE, United States

    Protecting pollinators, and the essential ecological services they provide, requires an all-hands-on-deck approach. Be a part of the solution by contributing to pollinator conservation right in your own yard, neighborhood, town, or city through individual actions and collaborative efforts. Learn about pollinator diversity, Delaware native bees, how to make your local landscape pollinator-friendly by providing habitat, improving pesticide protection, engaging in community science, and educating others. This program takes place in-person at Mt. Cuba Center Wednesday, August 20, 2025. About the Instructor: Kelly Gill is a Senior Pollinator Conservation Specialist with the Xerces Society and a Partner Biologist with USDA-NRCS.

    $49

  • Caterpillars 101

    Mt Cuba 3120 Barley Mill Rd, Hockessin, DE, United States

    Learn about the amazing adaptations of caterpillars from host specialization to defensive mechanisms. Discuss the critical role caterpillars play in food webs and how to promote them in your garden. Discover signs of caterpillar activity, tools to identify them, and explore outdoors to hone your search skills. This program takes place in-person at Mt. Cuba Center Thursday, August 21, 2025. About the Instructor: Ellen Lake, PhD, is the Director of Conservation and Research at Mt. Cuba Center. She taught environmental education and was the Education Director at the Brandywine and Red Clay Valley Associations. Ellen has a master’s degree in

    $49

  • Designing Resilient Landscapes

    Mt Cuba 3120 Barley Mill Rd, Hockessin, DE, United States

    Late summer is a great time to make observations and devise a plan for the fall to improve your garden. Explore ways to create diverse, attractive, and functional landscapes using basic principles of naturalistic gardening design. Learn how to work with your site to solve problems and maximize its use. Discover ways to design pathways that have purpose, beds that create interest and variety throughout the year considering sun, shade, wind patterns, microclimates, existing conditions, and other factors. This program takes place in-person at Mt. Cuba Center Friday, August 22, 2025. About the Instructor: Nancy Bell is the Education and

    $49

  • Lawn-less Yards

    Mt Cuba 3120 Barley Mill Rd, Hockessin, DE, United States

    Reducing the American lawn is good for everyone. We can add more native plants, reduce flooding in our watershed, attract pollinators, and bring balance to our ecosystems. Dive into some examples projects where native plant solutions have replaced lawns. Class will focus on a variety of site conditions such as sunny slopes, low wet spots, and wooded areas. View before/during/after images and learn the plant lists that made them successful as inspiration to transform your lawn into less. This program takes place in-person at Mt. Cuba Center Saturday, August 23, 2025. About the Instructor: Lucy Dinsmore is a horticulturist and

    $39

  • Backyard Composting (Online)

    Learn how to turn your household waste into nutrient-rich compost with the help of home-scale composting. Join Rick Carr, Senior Farm Director of Rodale Institute, as he shares the key elements of composting effectively in your backyard. Learn how to quickly identify and troubleshoot problems when they arise during the process, and how to harvest and use the finished compost in your garden to improve plant growth. This program takes place online Wednesday, August 27, 2025. About the Instructor: From laboratory research to field applications, Rick Carr has been studying the science and utilization of compost, vermicompost, and liquid compost

    $25

  • Understanding the Misunderstood: Ecology of Fungi

    Mt Cuba 3120 Barley Mill Rd, Hockessin, DE, United States

    Learn about the important identifying features of our local fungi. Discover some of the crucial roles they play in our ecosystems. Discuss what you can do to preserve fungal diversity in your area through community science and land stewardship. The lecture and discussion will be followed by a guided exploration of Mt. Cuba’s natural areas. Scout and learn about the fungal diversity in the area. Be prepared for a lengthy hike through hilly (sometimes steep) and uneven terrain. Dress for the weather and bring a water bottle. This program takes place in-person at Mt. Cuba Center Saturday, November 8, 2025 (Rain Date:

    $49

  • The Deer Conundrum (Online)

    Gardeners and native plant lovers often see deer as a threat: They eat the plants we try to nurture, and they are a major factor influencing forest ecosystems. But the truth about deer is complicated, and so is the quest to manage their numbers. How did we get here? Explore the many facets of the deer question, particularly the history of their changing populations in North America with author Erika Howsare of the book The Age of the Deer: Trouble and Kinship with Our Wild Neighbors. Join live to participate in our online learning community or watch after as your schedule

    $25

  • Shrouded In Light: Illuminating the Wild Potential of Shrublands (Online)

    Shrublands exist all around us, thriving in almost any environmental condition, from the blasted, wind-blown heath, to the private shade of moist forests. These diverse and inspiring ecosystems not only serve as perfect models for our gardens but offer the chance to blow apart conventional garden-making through their intense and challenging beauty. Join the authors of  Shrouded in Light: Naturalistic Planting Inspired by Wild Shrublands as they invite you to work, live and play with shrubs. Explore a glorious spectrum of wild shrublands and discover the philosophies, cultures, radical aesthetics and design strategies behind accepting and understanding these magnificent plant communities.

    $25

  • The Secret Lives of Spring Wildflowers (Online)

    Skunk cabbage, bloodroot, and trout lilies are among the first signs of spring and warmer weather ahead. Spring ephemerals and wildflowers must complete part of their life cycles before the tree canopy leafs out, reducing light levels at the forest floor. These plants face many challenges, including unpredictable weather and pollinator availability. Spring wildflowers have special adaptations to overcome these challenges and intricate relationships with pollinators and seed dispersers. Learn more about these wildflowers, their life histories, and plant-insect interactions. Join live to participate in our online learning community or watch after as your schedule allows. All registrants will receive

    $25

  • Let It Glow: Protecting Fireflies in the Home Garden (Online)

    Few sights capture the wonder of summer quite like the flicker of fireflies. But their glow is growing dim. Across North America, firefly populations are declining due to habitat loss, pesticide use, light pollution, and other human-caused threats. Conservation educator and macro photographer Danae Wolfe will guide you through the curious lives of fireflies, from glowing larvae to synchronous spectacles. Author of Grass Isn’t Greener: The Everyday Conservationists Guide to Bringing Nature to Your Yard will share how to identify common backyard fireflies, understand their unique flash patterns and lifecycles, and discover what makes them so vulnerable. Come away with

    $25

  • Preserving Iconic Wildflowers: Trillium

    Mt Cuba 3120 Barley Mill Rd, Hockessin, DE, United States

    Mt. Cuba’s premier collection of native trilliums provides a spectacular floral display each spring. Enjoy an informative overview of our efforts to protect and conserve this iconic genus and their culture and care as garden plants. A tour of our woodland gardens to see these jewels of the forest floor completes the day. A copy of Trilliums of Mt. Cuba Center is included. Class is rain or shine. This program takes place in-person at Mt. Cuba Center Sunday, April 26, 2026. About the Instructor: Élan Alford, Plant Conservation Scientist at Mt. Cuba Center, earned a B.S. in Ecology & Evolution

    $39