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). COVID-19 Information: This program will be entirely outdoors (an outside porta potty will be available). Please do not attend if you are experiencing or have experienced in the […]
This workshop is open to all landowners in the Old Dominion Hounds (ODH) territory. Join us for a workshop where landowners will learn how to manage meadows and forests for the benefit of native plants and animals. We will learn how to control non-native invasive plants such as Japanese Stiltgrass and Oriental Bittersweet, and how […]
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). COVID-19 Information: This program will be entirely outdoors (an outside porta potty will be available). Please do not attend if you are experiencing or have experienced in the […]
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 […]
Join us for a fung-tastic afternoon with our friends at the Mycological Association of Washington, DC to learn about mushrooms! This program will include a presentation on mushroom biology and identification followed by a walk where we'll see how many species we can find. Cost: Free! Age: Adults and children accompanied by an adult. Weather […]
**This event has been cancelled! We look forward to seeing you next time.** Join Dr. Bert Harris of The Clifton Institute to explore the special plants and animals of Fauquier County’s Riverside Preserve! This beautiful park protects a fascinating variety of habitats, from mature riparian forest to mesic upland forest, and native meadows. In […]
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. […]
Did you know that flying squirrels glow pink? Or that some lichens fluoresce chartreuse or orange? We are still discovering the hidden world of fluorescence—plants, animals, fungi, and minerals that glow under UV light. During this program, we will wander slowly through fields and forests with UV flashlights turning over rocks and logs, inspecting leaves […]
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). COVID-19 Information: This program will be entirely outdoors (an outside porta potty will be available). Please do not attend if you are experiencing or have experienced in the […]
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 […]
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). COVID-19 Information: This program will be entirely outdoors (an outside porta potty will be available). Please do not attend if you are experiencing or have experienced in the […]
** This event will be held over Zoom ** Get ready for winter by brushing up on sparrow identification! Every season brings its own challenges for birdwatching. In winter, similar-looking sparrows can be hard to tell apart and birding by ear becomes more difficult as birds sing less and call more. Join Executive Director and […]
WE WILL BE MEETING AT WILDCAT MOUNTAIN. Email Bert bharris@cliftoninstitute.org if you haven't received the directions. On this program Executive Director and amateur lichenologist Bert Harris will lead participants on a tour of the greenstone barrens and adjacent oak-hickory forests of Wildcat Mountain in Fauquier County. The full-sun greenstone outcrops and mature hardwoods at this […]
**This event has been RESCHEDULED due to weather. Please check your email for more information** Every year the Leonids grace our skies with a shower of meteors. On this program we’ll take advantage of the long winter nights to look for meteors, as well as learn a few constellations and look at the stars through […]
Since 2019 we have been working to restore a 100-acre field that was dominated by Tall Fescue into a diverse native grassland. In cooperation with Virginia Working Landscapes and the Oak Spring Garden Foundation, we are conducting an experiment to test which of eight methods are best for establishing and maintaining native plants. In this […]
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 […]
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). / COVID-19 Information: This program will be entirely outdoors (an outside porta potty will be available). Please do not attend if you are experiencing or have experienced in […]
Join us for the 24th Annual The Plains/Airlie Christmas Bird Count this December! Our goal? Count as many birds as we can in our 15-mile-diameter count circle, which includes a variety of habitats--grasslands, forests, lakes, backyards, and even parking lots. There’s always a chance for Short-eared Owl and American Tree Sparrow, and counters get to […]
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). / COVID-19 Information: This program will be entirely outdoors (an outside porta potty will be available). Please do not attend if you are experiencing or have experienced in […]
Winter is a great time of year to learn how to identify trees and to practice looking at bark and twigs. We will start this program with a brief presentation indoors about the tips and tricks to identify the most common trees in our forests. Then we will take you on a mile-long walk in […]
**THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER** 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). / COVID-19 Information: This program will be entirely outdoors (an outside porta potty will be available). Please do not attend […]
On this special Walk with a Naturalist, we will walk one of the longer trails on our property. We expect to walk about 5 miles on varied terrain, some of which is steep, but we'll go slow as we look for plants and animals! Please bring a lunch and / or snacks to eat on […]
iNaturalist is a powerful tool for people to learn about nature and to contribute to science, but we’ve heard from lots of people that they aren’t sure how to use it. In this program, Co-Directors Bert and Eleanor Harris will give a brief introduction to the iNaturalist app and website and some background and why […]
**This is a virtual event. We will close registration at noon on February 9 to make sure everyone gets the Zoom link. If you have registered and have not yet received a Zoom link please email Eleanor at eharris@cliftoninstitute.org. If you would like to register after noon on February 9 you can email Eleanor, but […]
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 in the farmhouse for an afternoon making nature-inspired crafts, just in time to make something for your valentines. We will provide instructions and materials for participants to make linocut prints. If you would like to bring your own materials or crafts to work on (knitting projects! whittling projects! Coloring books!) please do. We […]
Once a year, salamanders leave their homes in the woods and head toward vernal pools, temporary ponds created by spring rains and melting winter snow. The conditions must be just right, a warm night with rainy conditions. The males arrive first and lay sperm sacks around the pond. The females come later and absorb these […]
Join us for a morning of birding at the field station. Led by expert birders. Includes a mile or two of slow walking over varied terrain. Please bring water/snacks as needed and dress for the weather. All levels welcome! Cost: Free! Age: Adults and children accompanied by an adult. Weather policy: Rain or shine except […]
Are you ready to take a casual interest in lichens to the next level? This special all-day workshop is intended for keen beginners who would like to advance their identification abilities. We'll start with a short presentation on lichen basics, with a focus on the terminology that is used in dichotomous keys. After the presentation we'll […]
On this special Walk with a Naturalist, we will walk one of the longer trails on our property. We expect to walk about 5 miles on varied terrain, some of which is steep, but we’ll go slow as we look for plants and animals! Please bring a lunch and / or snacks to eat on […]