Every year community scientists help count the butterflies in 15-mile-diameter circles all around the country and contribute their data to the North American Butterfly Association. This summer we will host our 27th annual butterfly count and celebrate our 20th year contributing our data to NABA. Butterfly enthusiasts of all levels of experience are welcome! If […]
Each day at Young Explorers camp, children will explore the field station with our naturalists and learn about the plants and animals that live in the northern Virginia Piedmont. In the afternoon, children will enjoy crafts and games that will expand their knowledge of ecology and the environment. Campers will gain a deep understanding of […]
We have a lot of trees down throughout the property, and need help getting them cleaned up. Bring good work clothes, including gloves and sturdy boots, and plenty of water. Additional equipment, including chainsaws, handsaws, loppers, or clippers are also welcome. Age: Adults only and children ages 12 and up, accompanied by an adult. Weather policy: Date […]
Both beginner and experienced birders will enjoy this guided 1-2 mile hike to look for the many species of birds that can be found on the field station. We will explore successional fields, meadows, lake edges, and forest. Don’t forget to bring your binoculars! Cost: Free! Age: Adults and children 12 and up, accompanied by an adult […]
Invasive plant species crowd out native plants and provide little to no food for native animals. This year we are trying to tackle some of the Multiflora Rose in our forests and we need your help! Please bring work gloves and clippers if you have them. Age: Adults only and children ages 12 and up, […]
During this field trip, Executive Director Bert Harris will lead a walk through a mega-diverse prairie, highlighting some of the special species that are found there and discussing the conservation and restoration of this important habitat. We will meet at Leopold's Preserve and then carpool to the site. Cost: Free! Age: This program is intended […]
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 […]
Join us for a walk on our trails with one our naturalists. In August we will be focusing on the weather! Habitat Specialist and weather enthusiast Andrew Eberly will talk a bit about the Virginia's summer weather and then will narrate some of the afternoon's weather phenomena on the walk. We focus so much on […]
Hey grownups! Have you ever wished you could come to one of our nature camps? Well, now you can! This August we are offering our second annual weekend-long Nature Camp for Grownups. Activities will start on the morning of August 27, go through a campfire that night, resume on the morning of August 28, and […]
Invasive plant species crowd out native plants and provide little to no food for native animals. This year we are trying to tackle some of the Multiflora Rose, Tree-of-Heaven, Autumn Olive, and Wavyleaf Basketgrass in our forests and we need your help! Please bring work gloves and clippers if you have them. Age: Adults only […]
NO MUSHROOMS APPEARED THIS YEAR :( Late summer is a mushroom-y season and a great time to learn about this under-appreciated kingdom of life! Join mushroom expert Mayor Carter Nevill and Executive Director Bert Harris on a walk in the woods to find and identify as many species of mushrooms as we can. Cost: […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
Invasive plant species crowd out native plants and provide little to no food for native animals. This year we are trying to tackle some of the Multiflora Rose in our forests and we need your help! Please bring work gloves and clippers if you have them. Age: Adults only and children ages 12 and up, […]
Come and see our fields at their best! The fields we call Lower and Upper Woodcock are unplanted and naturally dominated by native plants. We will look for Gray Goldenrod, Slender Lespedeza, Green Milkweed, Field Thistle, Upland Ironweed, Elliott's Bluestem and Little Bluestem in the drier areas, and Great Blue Lobelia, New York Ironweed, and […]
Join Clifton Institute Executive Director Bert Harris to look and listen for creatures of the night! We’ll start by listening to the evening chorus of cicadas and birds. Then we will take a gentle walk through fields and woods to look for nocturnal animals. Late summer is an ideal time to observe several species of […]
Families with children in grades K-8 are invited to come along as we explore the field station AT NIGHT! We'll see how long we can walk without flashlights and then explore the woods to look for nocturnal animals and listen to the sounds of the night. We might hear owls screeching and flying squirrels calling […]
Both beginner and experienced birders will enjoy this guided 1-2 mile hike to look for the many species of birds that can be found on the field station. We will explore successional fields, meadows, lake edges, and forest. Don’t forget to bring your binoculars! Cost: Free! Age: Adults and children ages 12 and up, accompanied […]
Every fall raptors migrate south along the Appalachian Mountains. Several species of hawks, eagles, and falcons can be seen migrating, but the biggest spectacles are the days when huge numbers of Broad-winged Hawks fly by. If we’re lucky we might see thousands! One of the expert bird-watchers on our staff will lead the group and […]
Join us for a walk on our trails with one our naturalists. 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 […]
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 […]
Both beginner and experienced birders will enjoy this guided 1-2 mile hike to look for the many species of birds that can be found on the field station. We will explore successional fields, meadows, lake edges, and forest. Don’t forget to bring your binoculars! Cost: Free! Age: Adults and children ages 12 and up, accompanied […]
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 fall 2019 we have been collecting seeds of native grassland plants from around the area, which means in addition to being native they are of […]
Cost: Free! Age: Adults and children ages 12 and up, accompanied by an adult. 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 if […]
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 […]
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. […]
Both beginner and experienced birders will enjoy this guided 1-2 mile hike to look for the many species of birds that can be found on the field station. We will explore successional fields, meadows, lake edges, and forest. Don’t forget to bring your binoculars! Cost: Free! Age: Adults and children ages 12 and up, accompanied […]
** 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 expert birder Nick […]
Join us to collect and clean seeds of native grasses and wildflowers for use in our grassland restoration programs. 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 […]