Ponds might seem ordinary, but they're specialized habitats full of fascinating species and they require specific care to keep them looking and functioning at their best. Come learn all about pond life with Cheyenne Hawkins, Clifton Institute Educator, and Ben Rhoades, Watershed Manager with the Reston Association and Certified Lake Manager with the North American […]
Come join us to bird watch around the field station! Cost: Free! Age: Adults and children accompanied by an adult. Weather policy: Rain or shine except in case of extreme weather (e.g. thunderstorm or significant snow fall). Registration is REQUIRED. Cancellation policy: If you register and can no longer attend this event, please let us […]
Come help us make the field station habitat the best it can be! Led by Habitat Specialist Andrew Eberly. All levels of experience welcome. May involve clearing invasive plants, light trail maintenance, or planting native plants, please contact aeberly@cliftoninstitute.org with any concerns. Cost: Free! Age: Adults and children ages 12 and up, accompanied by an […]
Nature journaling is a powerful tool for learning about plants and animals, a mindful practice for connecting to nature, and just a great way to spend time outside. Managing Director and passionate nature journaler Eleanor Harris runs quarterly nature journaling meetups to help people develop their nature journaling skills and meet other nature journalers in […]
Join us for a walk around the field station to see what we can see! Led by a staff naturalist, we’ll encounter birds, bugs, plants and more. Cost: Free! Age: Adults and children accompanied by an adult. Weather policy: Date and time subject to change dependent on weather. Please check your email for updates on […]
Come join us to bird watch around the field station! Cost: Free! Age: Adults and children accompanied by an adult. Weather policy: Rain or shine except in case of extreme weather (e.g. thunderstorm or significant snow fall). Registration is REQUIRED. Cancellation policy: If you register and can no longer attend this event, please let us […]
Join us way down yonder for a Pawpaw party! We are excited to host this celebration of our only native tropical fruit tree! With many colorful nicknames such as the hillbilly mango, the pawpaw’s cultural flavor is as intriguing as its taste. We will give a brief talk on the ecology and cultural history of […]
Come join us to bird watch around the field station! Cost: Free! Age: Adults and children accompanied by an adult. Weather policy: Rain or shine except in case of extreme weather (e.g. thunderstorm or significant snow fall). Registration is REQUIRED. Cancellation policy: If you register and can no longer attend this event, please let us […]
Piedmont grasslands are the most diverse plant communities in the state of Virginia. They are also home to declining birds and insects and a number of rare plants. Grasslands in our region require frequent fires, mowing, or grazing to prevent them from turning into forests. Therefore there is an active debate about how grasslands were […]
Hey grownups! Have you ever wished you could go to summer camp? Well, now you can! This September we are offering our sixth annual weekend-long Nature Camp for Grownups! Activities will start on the morning of September 26 and conclude on the afternoon of September 27. Activities will include short workshops (for example on insect […]
Join us to look and listen for creatures of the night! We'll be looking to observe several species of katydids, crickets, cicadas and birds. We will also look for beavers, reptiles and amphibians, and other animals! Back at the farm house we will see what kinds of moths and beetles we can attract with black […]
This three hour workshop combines basic floral design using the abundant wild flowers, grasses, berries and foliage found at the Clifton field station. The morning will begin with a brief introduction and demonstration followed by a short guided walk on the Clifton trails where participants will collect elements to be used in their designs. Following […]
Join us for a walk around the field station to see what we can see! Led by a staff naturalist, we’ll encounter birds, bugs, plants and more. Cost: Free! Age: Adults and children accompanied by an adult. Weather policy: Date and time subject to change dependent on weather. Please check your email for updates on […]
Come join us to bird watch around the field station! Cost: Free! Age: Adults and children accompanied by an adult. Weather policy: Rain or shine except in case of extreme weather (e.g. thunderstorm or significant snow fall). Registration is REQUIRED. Cancellation policy: If you register and can no longer attend this event, please let us […]
Join us for our inaugural day-long nature journaling retreat on our beautiful 900-acre nature preserve! Whether you have been nature journaling for years or have never nature journaled before but want to try it out, this event is for you! Nature journaling is a powerful tool for learning about plants and animals, a mindful practice […]
Join us for a hands-on workshop on how to start your very own small meadow at home! We will discuss important steps like choosing a location, selecting the right plants, and how to maintain your meadow after planting. Then we’ll tour Clifton’s new demonstration backyard meadow featuring three different site-preparation methods – solarization with plastic, […]
Come join us to bird watch around the field station! Cost: Free! Age: Adults and children accompanied by an adult. Weather policy: Rain or shine except in case of extreme weather (e.g. thunderstorm or significant snow fall). Registration is REQUIRED. Cancellation policy: If you register and can no longer attend this event, please let us […]
Join us for a hands-on workshop on how to start your very own small meadow at home! We will discuss important steps like choosing a location, selecting the right plants, and how to maintain your meadow after planting. Then we’ll tour Clifton’s new demonstration backyard meadow featuring three different site-preparation methods – solarization with plastic, […]
Collecting and propagating native seeds is a great way to help spread native plant populations, add 100% native species to your gardens, and learn about the native plants in your backyard. Although it may seem daunting, learning a few simple guidelines will get you well on your way to collecting and sowing your own seeds.Participants […]
In this program Co-Director and amateur lichenologist Bert Harris will teach participants the basics of lichen biology and identification. He’ll then lead participants on a lichen tour of the rocky outcrops and mature forests of the Clifton Institute. We have some exciting lichens here, but we are just starting to study our lichen community, so […]
Come join us to bird watch around the field station! Cost: Free! Age: Adults and children accompanied by an adult. Weather policy: Rain or shine except in case of extreme weather (e.g. thunderstorm or significant snow fall). Registration is REQUIRED. Cancellation policy: If you register and can no longer attend this event, please let us […]
We get questions all the time about how to manage invasive plants and we want to help you rid your property of unwanted invaders! In this program, Landowner Outreach Associate Kadiera Ingram and Habitat Specialist Andrew Eberly will give a talk and demonstration on their recommended methods for dealing with various species of invasive plants. […]
Join us for a walk around the field station to see what we can see! Led by a staff naturalist, we’ll encounter birds, bugs, plants and more. Cost: Free! Age: Adults and children accompanied by an adult. Weather policy: Date and time subject to change dependent on weather. Please check your email for updates on […]
Grasses have a reputation for being really challenging to identify, but with a little practice and expert guidance it’s not too hard to learn to recognize the most common grasses in our fields. In this workshop we will give a brief introduction to biology and identification of common grass species. Then we’ll walk a loop […]
Are you ready to take a casual interest in lichens to the next level? This special all-day workshop is intended for keen beginners and intermediates who would like to advance their identification abilities. We’ll start with a presentation on lichen identification, with a focus on the terminology that is used in dichotomous keys. After the […]
Come join us to bird watch around the field station! Cost: Free! Age: Adults and children accompanied by an adult. Weather policy: Rain or shine except in case of extreme weather (e.g. thunderstorm or significant snow fall). Registration is REQUIRED. Cancellation policy: If you register and can no longer attend this event, please let us […]
*If you register, Bridget will email you with a team assignment no later than Monday, 14th December! The leader of that team will tell you the start time (usually around 7AM) and it will be up to you how long you would like to count for.* Join us for the 27th Annual The Plains/Airlie Christmas […]
