During this unique experience, students will explore and carry out their own research project. Young Scientists will engage in inquiry-based, hands-on learning as they develop their own research questions, collect […]
Come walk the property with one of our staff to look for birds! Please bring binoculars if you have them. Cost: Free! Age: Adults and children 12 and up, accompanied […]
ONLINE REGISTRATION IS CLOSED BUT ADDITIONAL PEOPLE ARE STILL WELCOME. PLEASE EMAIL BERT AT BHARRIS@CLIFTONINSTITUTE.ORG IF YOU'D LIKE TO ATTEND. Join us for our third annual Dragonfly Count! Our goals […]
During Young Explorers camp (previously Piedmont Polliwogs), your early learner will explore and engage with nature on our beautiful 900-acre field station. We aim to inspire feelings of curiosity and […]
Join us to learn about butterfly identification and biology. Bert Harris will give a presentation on the identification of common butterflies in our area. We will then take a walk […]
Join us for a bird walk around the property! Birders of all levels welcome. Cost: Free! Age: Adults and children ages 12 and up, accompanied by an adult. Weather policy: […]
Join us to look and listen for creatures of the night! Summer is an ideal time to observe several species of katydids, crickets, cicadas and birds. We will also look […]
ONLINE REGISTRATION IS CLOSED BUT PEOPLE ARE STILL WELCOME TO SIGN UP. PLEASE EMAIL BERT AT BHARRIS@CLIFTONINSTITUTE.ORG TO DO SO. BERT WILL ASSIGN YOU TO A TEAM AND SPECIFY A […]
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 […]
It's time to move some of our young native plants into bigger pots and we need some help! Age: Adults and children accompanied by an adult. Bring: Gardening gloves and […]
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: […]
Hey grownups! Have you ever wished you could go to summer camp? Well, now you can! This August we are offering our third annual weekend-long Nature Camp for Grownups. Now […]
Join us at the residence of our co-directors to experience a remnant prairie, a planted meadow, and a native plant garden. The remnant prairie on the property hosts a remarkable […]
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 […]
Nature Club is a program where middle and high school students who are interested in the natural world can spend time in a nerd-friendly environment. If they like bones, insects, […]
We are in our third full year of offering Nature School! Students meet every other Wednesday from September through May to learn about different natural history subjects through hands-on research, […]
Come along while we partner with the Fauquier County Department of Parks and Recreation to participate in the Parks for Pollinators Bioblitz! We'll explore Riverside Preserve with the goal of […]
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, […]
Join us to look and listen for creatures of the night! We’ll start by listening to the evening chorus of birds and katydids. Then we will take a gentle walk […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. Students get to know each […]
More than a thousand K-12 students visit the Clifton Institute on field trips each year. Our goal is to get students outside, engaging with plants and animals, and learning that […]
A few of our trails need some love! Habitat Specialist Andrew Eberly will lead this event. No trail maintenance experience required. Age: Adults only. Bring: Work gloves and a water […]
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: […]
Join us way down yonder for a Pawpaw party! Every year in late September we host this celebration of our only native tropical fruit tree. We will give a brief […]
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 […]
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 […]
We need help planting plugs in our meadow restoration project! No experience required. Cost: Free! Age: Adults and children ages 12 and up, accompanied by an adult. Bring: Please bring […]
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 […]
