Programs for Adults 55+
Boomers & Beyond

 Meet and mingle while we learn about the wonders of nature! Bring your lunch. We'll spend an hour outside exploring, then we will discuss what we saw while we enjoy lunch together. We meet the last Tuesday of each month (except November and December) from 11am - 1pm. Check back soon for a full 2010 Boomers & Beyond Schedule!

Upcoming Boomers & Beyond Programs: 

Forest Ecology – Decomposers, Tuesday, March 30
Decomposers are a big part of our forests and how they grow.  Take a hike to learn about decomposers and their connection with forest ecology.  Please bring a lunch – to conclude our program, we’ll eat together and enjoy some sweet treats!

"Green" Spring Cleaning - Tuesday, April 27
This month we learn a new perspective on cleaning! We’ll learn to make cleaners that are safe and healthy for both us and our planet. We’ll take a walk to take in some fresh air & then come back to eat our lunch together. Of course, we’ll finish off our program with some sweet treats!

Amphibians - Tuesday, May 25
Let’s talk about slick salamanders and toxic toads! We have many different kinds of amphibians here in Michigan. We will talk about what makes an amphibian special, where they live and how they spend their time. Hopefully we’ll see some amphibians on our hike and then end our program with lunch and some sweet treats!

The Green Living Series (GLS) at the Kalamazoo Nature Center is aimed at helping us live with less impact on the natural world.  GLS programs are free to the public and occur on the first Tuesday of every odd-numbered month from 6:30 – 8pm.  Participants leave each program with simple and inexpensive ideas that can be easily implemented at home. 

Upcoming Green Living Series Programs:

Making Maple Syrup at Home
Tuesday, March 2, 6:30 – 8 pm – Evening Program!
Indoor/Outdoor demonstration for adults
Learn how to safely tap sugar maple trees and collect sap.  Then see what is needed to set up a simple outdoor kitchen to boil sap down to maple syrup.

Backyard Chickens
Tuesday, May 4, 6:30 – 8 pm – Evening Program!
Indoor demonstration for adults

Backyard chickens have become one of the fastest growing "green" hobbies in the world.  Join local poultry keeper, Marcia Stucki and naturalist Jenn Wright as we share basic tips and tricks to starting out.  We'll discuss preservation of genetic diversity in poultry and we'll even share a few of the pleasures and a pitfalls that you may experience when raising a flock of your own. 

Upcoming Trips

Bird Trip to the "Warbler Capital of the World" 
Spring Birding trip to Crane Creek
Wednesday, May 12 at Noon - Friday, May 14, 2010 at 5 pm
Fee: Members $200, Non-Members $250 (includes membership)
Preregistration and Payment Required by May 5.

Click Here to register for the Crane Creek trip.

See many spring warblers up close, view songbird banding and visit a variety of locations to see a large diversity of birds! Visit http://cranecreekbirding.blogspot.com for Kenn Kaufman's review of the area.

Special outdoor programs for women, led by women designed to enhance knowledge of the natural world and our connections to it.

Connecting Women & Nature: Self Defense Workshop
Tuesday, April 6, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
*Fee: $10/Members, $15/Non-members
Click Here to register online
Registration required by Friday, April 2
Indoor workshop for women 14+
One of the keys to enjoying nature is the feeling of safety. This class will provide instruction on simple techniques that you can use to be safe in the out-of-doors. Julie Workman, founder of the LADY program in Portage, is a Kukkiwon 3rd Dan black belt who studies Taidwondo and Kapkido. Although this is not a martial arts class, Julie will demonstrate true self-defense methods that will leave participants feeling more empowered and confident about going out and enjoying their natural surroundings.

Wellness Classes

Yoga Level I
 A relaxing and rejuvenating evening of Iyengar-based yoga for students of all skill levels.

Yoga Level II
Level II classes refine technique and add new postures for students who have completed Level I or equivalent experience. Join us for one of these upcoming sessions!

Class Sessions:

Join us for one of these upcoming sessions! Register online or call (269) 381-1574, ext. 0.

Yoga Level I, Wednesdays, April 14 - May 19, 2010. Click Here to register for this session online.

Yoga Level II, Mondays, April 12 - May 17, 2010. Click Here to register for this session online.

Citizen Science Programs

Bluebird Monitor Training
Thursday, March 25, 2010 from 6-8 pm
Saturday, March 27, 2010 from 10 am - noon
Fee: Member $25, Non-Member $30. Previous monitors receive $10 off!

Click Here to register for the Bluebird Monitor Training

Have you ever wondered what goes on in a bird's nest? Nestboxes are ideal for discovery since they're not too high and the birds are generally tolerant. This workshop will teach you the safest way to monitor a nestbox, which birds you'll be likely to encounter, and how to ID the nest, eggs, and adults. You can even assist a licensed bander as they band your nestlings. KNC maintains "bluebird trails" on the grounds, at Fort Custer Recreation Area, and at several local golf courses so you'll have a choice of terrain and walking distance. Depending on weather, nesting can start in March and go through August, but don't worry -- we can work around vacations.

PhotoMonitor Training
April 12, 2010 from 5:30 - 7 pm
Fee: Members $35, Non-Members $40

Click Here to register for the PhotoMonitor Training.

Help us manage our property by documenting the changes in our prairies and fens using a camera and a compass. We’ve established “photo points” in sensitive management areas across KNC. Taking pictures at these points each season or each year will help us determine the effectiveness of our management techniques. All the equipment will be provided but bring your own digital camera and GPS unit if you have them.

Informal Photography Session

Sunday, May 23, 2 - 5 pm

Fee: Members/$20, Non-Members/$25

Registration and payment due by Wednesday, May 19^th: Click Here to register online or call (269) 381-1574 ext. 0

Ages 12 and up (please bring your own equipment)

Join photographers Dave & Josh Haas for an informal afternoon of shooting in the field.  Learn techniques they use every day to capture better results more often.  Exposure, composition & responsible shooting in the field are examples of what will be learned.  Dave & Josh have taught several photography workshops in the area and their work can be seen at Art Shows throughout Michigan as well as www.glancesatnature.com.