Volunteer Day: Native Plant Propagation

The Clifton Institute 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA

We need help propagating native plants! Afterward, participants are welcome to bring a packed lunch and join us for a picnic on the lawn! Clifton will provide cold drinks. Cost: Free! Age: Adults and children ages 12 and up, accompanied by an adult. Bring: Please bring gardening gloves if desired. Weather policy: Date and time […]

Free

Lichen Walk

The Clifton Institute 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA

On this program Executive Director and amateur lichenologist Bert Harris will give a guided tour of some of his favorite lichen-y spots while explaining the basics of lichen biology and how to identify common species. This is a special opportunity to dive into this interesting and mysterious group and you never know, we might find […]

Free
Recurring

Open-access Day for Friends of the Clifton Institute

Event time: Jan 14 - Oct 14
The Clifton Institute 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA

We invite Friends of the Clifton Institute to come explore the field station on their own every Saturday from mid-January to mid-October. You can become a Friend of Clifton with a minimum annual donation of $40. Your support will help us reach our goals of expanding and improving our education, restoration, and research programs this […]

Recurring

Nature School

Event time: Sep 7 - Jan 1
The Clifton Institute 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA

We’re offering another year of Nature School! Each class will include a structured learning activity on a particular topic and an exploratory nature walk. For example, in the past we studied vultures, bird eggs and nests, leaf identification, beaver dams, and more. We will repeat some topics from the 2021-2022 school year, but we will […]

$145 – $180

Science Saturday: Kestrel Watch

The Clifton Institute 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA

In what we hope will become a regular occurrence, we are inviting the public to participate in one of our ongoing research projects. This time you’ll help us track American Kestrels that have been outfitted with GPS transmitters, collect vegetation data in different types of fields, and visit ink-pad tracks to see what kinds of […]

Free
Recurring

Open-access Day for Friends of the Clifton Institute

Event time: Jan 14 - Oct 14
The Clifton Institute 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA

We invite Friends of the Clifton Institute to come explore the field station on their own every Saturday from mid-January to mid-October. You can become a Friend of Clifton with a minimum annual donation of $40. Your support will help us reach our goals of expanding and improving our education, restoration, and research programs this […]

Nature Journaling Meetup and Walk

The Clifton Institute 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA

From Co-Director Eleanor Harris: Nature journaling is my favorite hobby, a great way to spend time outside, and a powerful tool for learning about nature. I want to help develop the community of nature journalers in our area and to encourage more people to start their own nature journals. Whether you have been nature journaling […]

Free
Recurring

Open-access Day for Friends of the Clifton Institute

Event time: Jan 14 - Oct 14
The Clifton Institute 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA

We invite Friends of the Clifton Institute to come explore the field station on their own every Saturday from mid-January to mid-October. You can become a Friend of Clifton with a minimum annual donation of $40. Your support will help us reach our goals of expanding and improving our education, restoration, and research programs this […]

Recurring

Nature Club

Event time: Sep 3 - Jan 1
6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA

Over 9 sessions beginning in September and running through May, the members of Nature Club will work together to create a map of an uncharted piece of the Clifton Institute and build a trail that runs through it. The project will culminate in an unveiling party for the new trail led by the students themselves.  […]

$72 – $90

Bird Walk

The Clifton Institute 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA

Cost: Free! Age: Adults and children ages 12 and up, 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 […]

Free
Recurring

Nature School

Event time: Sep 7 - Jan 1
The Clifton Institute 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA

We’re offering another year of Nature School! Each class will include a structured learning activity on a particular topic and an exploratory nature walk. For example, in the past we studied vultures, bird eggs and nests, leaf identification, beaver dams, and more. We will repeat some topics from the 2021-2022 school year, but we will […]

$145 – $180
Recurring

Piedmont Polliwogs

Event time: Sep 8 - Jan 1
The Clifton Institute 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA

Piedmont Polliwogs is a monthly program for pre-K children that includes a lesson on a different topic every month, story time and short nature walk. As of fall 2022, we are changing registration for Polliwogs: instead of signing up month to month, you can sign up for a whole series of monthly programs. This will […]

$75 – $90
Recurring

Open-access Day for Friends of the Clifton Institute

Event time: Jan 14 - Oct 14
The Clifton Institute 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA

We invite Friends of the Clifton Institute to come explore the field station on their own every Saturday from mid-January to mid-October. You can become a Friend of Clifton with a minimum annual donation of $40. Your support will help us reach our goals of expanding and improving our education, restoration, and research programs this […]

Science Saturday: Box Turtles

The Clifton Institute 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA

In 2022 we started a research project to study what habitats Box Turtles use at different times of year so that we and other landowners can know what the best time of year is to mow fields and do other land management practices that might disrupt or even kill Box Turtles. On this second installment […]

Free

Spring Creatures of the Night

The Clifton Institute 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA

Join us for an night-time exploration of our trails and vernal pools while we listen for frog calls, look for insects, and see what animals are swimming on the ponds. Cost: Free! Age: All ages welcome. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Bring: Please bring a flashlight. Weather policy: Date and time subject to […]

Free
Recurring

Open-access Day for Friends of the Clifton Institute

Event time: Jan 14 - Oct 14
The Clifton Institute 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA

We invite Friends of the Clifton Institute to come explore the field station on their own every Saturday from mid-January to mid-October. You can become a Friend of Clifton with a minimum annual donation of $40. Your support will help us reach our goals of expanding and improving our education, restoration, and research programs this […]

*Cancelled* Spring Native Plant Sale

The Clifton Institute 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA

**This event has been cancelled due to winter die-off causing a low plant stock. Check back in the fall for our fall plant sale!**   Native plants provide better food for insects, which in turn provide food for birds. You can make a huge difference for wildlife by planting native species on your property. Since […]

Walk with a Naturalist

The Clifton Institute 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA

Cost: Free! Age: Adults and children ages 12 and up, accompanied by an adult. Weather policy: Date and time subject to change dependent on weather. Please check your email for updates on the morning of the event. COVID-19 Information: This program will be entirely outdoors (an outside porta potty will be available). Please do not […]

Free

Bird Walk

The Clifton Institute 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA

Cost: Free! Age: Adults and children 12 and up, accompanied by an adult. Weather policy: Date and time subject to change dependent on weather. Please check your email for updates on the morning of the event. COVID-19 Information: This program will be entirely outdoors (an outside porta potty will be available). Please do not attend […]

Free
Recurring

Open-access Day for Friends of the Clifton Institute

Event time: Jan 14 - Oct 14
The Clifton Institute 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA

We invite Friends of the Clifton Institute to come explore the field station on their own every Saturday from mid-January to mid-October. You can become a Friend of Clifton with a minimum annual donation of $40. Your support will help us reach our goals of expanding and improving our education, restoration, and research programs this […]

Introduction to Insects

The Clifton Institute 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA

Spend the afternoon with Education Associate Bridget Bradshaw learning about the bizarre and colorful world of our most diverse animal kin—the insects! The class will begin by covering basic insect biology and taxonomy at the peach house. The rest of the time will be spent catching and identifying insects from a smorgasbord of Clifton’s habitats […]

$5.00 – $10.00

Recurring

Open-access Day for Friends of the Clifton Institute

Event time: Jan 14 - Oct 14
The Clifton Institute 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA

We invite Friends of the Clifton Institute to come explore the field station on their own every Saturday from mid-January to mid-October. You can become a Friend of Clifton with a minimum annual donation of $40. Your support will help us reach our goals of expanding and improving our education, restoration, and research programs this […]

Firefly Walk

The Clifton Institute 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA

Who doesn’t love fireflies? Many of us have fond memories of catching fireflies or watching a magical light show on a summer evening. But why do fireflies flash? What do they eat? How many species are there? And are fireflies disappearing? Learn all about these fascinating insects with Ariel Firebaugh, firefly researcher and Director of […]

$5.00 – $10.00

Plant Family Identification Workshop

The Clifton Institute 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA

If you’re learning to identify plants, learning the common families can really help narrow down your options when you’re faced with an unfamiliar specimen. If you already know a few plants, learning their families can provide a useful framework to help organize all the species rattling around in your brain. Whatever level you’re at, learning […]

Free
Recurring

Open-access Day for Friends of the Clifton Institute

Event time: Jan 14 - Oct 14
The Clifton Institute 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA

We invite Friends of the Clifton Institute to come explore the field station on their own every Saturday from mid-January to mid-October. You can become a Friend of Clifton with a minimum annual donation of $40. Your support will help us reach our goals of expanding and improving our education, restoration, and research programs this […]

Bird Walk

The Clifton Institute 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA

Cost: Free! Age: Adults and children 12 and up, accompanied by an adult. Weather policy: Date and time subject to change dependent on weather. Please check your email for updates on the morning of the event. COVID-19 Information: This program will be entirely outdoors (an outside porta potty will be available). Please do not attend […]

Free

Bobolink Walk

The Clifton Institute 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA

Join us for a visit to an active Bobolink nesting colony in partnership with our friends at Virginia Working Landscapes! Bobolinks are unique and beautiful birds that select hay fields for nesting. Sadly, they are declining as a result of nest losses from cutting the hay early in the summer. We should enjoy views of […]

Free
Recurring

Open-access Day for Friends of the Clifton Institute

Event time: Jan 14 - Oct 14
The Clifton Institute 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA

We invite Friends of the Clifton Institute to come explore the field station on their own every Saturday from mid-January to mid-October. You can become a Friend of Clifton with a minimum annual donation of $40. Your support will help us reach our goals of expanding and improving our education, restoration, and research programs this […]

Dragonfly Identification Workshop

The Clifton Institute 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA

Dragonflies and damselflies are some of the most mysterious and beautiful animals that live at the Clifton Institute, and June is the perfect time to search for them. Join us for a workshop that will cover the basics of dragonfly identification and biology. We will then practice what we learned by visiting lakes, streams, and […]

Free

Walk with a Naturalist

The Clifton Institute 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA

Cost: Free! Age: Adults and children ages 12 and up, accompanied by an adult. Weather policy: Date and time subject to change dependent on weather. Please check your email for updates on the morning of the event. COVID-19 Information: This program will be entirely outdoors (an outside porta potty will be available). Please do not […]

Free