Come on out for our Nature Club! You’ll have the opportunity to explore the field station, learn about local plants and animals, and spend time with like-minded, nature-loving peers. Bring your friends! Cost: $10 ($8 for Friends of the Clifton Institute) Age: Youth grades 6-12; this program is drop off only. Weather policy: Rain or shine except […]
Invasive plant species crowd out native plants and provide little to no food for native animals. Every winter we work to remove invasive Autumn Olive from around our property and over the last few years we have made a lot of progress, thanks to all of our amazing volunteers! Please bring your own work gloves, […]
Novice 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. Cost: Free! Age: Adults and children 12 and up, accompanied by an adult Weather policy: Rain or shine except in case […]
Friends of the Rappahannock will be giving away free Project Feederwatch bird feeders at the Clifton Institute after our regular Wednesday morning bird walk! The feeders are first-come first-serve, and the limit is one per family. A Friends of the Rappahannock instructor will give you instructions on how participate in Project Feederwatch, which is a community […]
Piedmont Polliwogs is a monthly pre-K program that includes an outdoor story time and short nature walk. Cost: Free! Age: Children ages 2-5, accompanied by a caregiver Weather policy: Rain or shine except in case of extreme weather (e.g. thunderstorm or significant snow fall). Please check your email for updates on the morning of the event. […]
Invasive plant species crowd out native plants and provide little to no food for native animals. Every winter we work to remove invasive Autumn Olive from around our property and over the last few years we have made a lot of progress, thanks to all of our amazing volunteers! Please bring your own work gloves, […]
At first glance, it might seem like grasses all look the same and that they don't offer the same beauty that showy flowers do. But we think it's worth taking the time to learn to tell grasses apart and to appreciate their unique beauty. And winter is a great time to do it because the […]
Families with children in grades K-8 are invited to come along as we explore the field station and experience autumn in Virginia. We’ll explore the woods to look for changes in the landscape and migrating birds. This program is a wonderful opportunity for families to explore nature together. We pick a different trail to explore […]
For the first time ever, we are offering after-school programs! Students in grades 3-8 are invited to join us for an adventure in nature. Activities will vary from month to month and will include science projects, art projects, and lessons in outdoor skills; but every month we will spend time outside making friends with each […]
Lichens, part algae, part fungi, and all mystery! Lichens are some of the hardiest organisms on earth and can be found all around us, but they can be difficult to identify. In this program mycologist Thomas Roehl will teach us about lichen biology and then lead us on a walk around the field station to […]
Join us for our annual Christmas Bird Count! We’ll spend the day surveying the birds in our 15-mile-diameter count circle, which includes a variety of habitats. We usually see a nice diversity of waterfowl and grassland birds. There’s always a chance for Short-eared Owl and American Tree Sparrow! Participating in the Christmas Bird Count is a great way to […]