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Ansonia Nature & Recreation Center
(203) 736-1053
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Ansonia Nature & Recreation
Center:
Calendar of Events
Summer 2010
To register for events call 736-1053 |
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2010 Theme—Sustainability
Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center Mission Statement
The mission of the Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center is to foster an ethic of
environmental stewardship that will connect our communities to the natural world
of the Lower Naugatuck River Valley, and balance the demand for recreation with
the need for conservation.
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JUNE
NATURE’S CHILDREN: Baby Birds – Thurs. June 3, 10:30 am
Baby birds are learning to fly at this time of year, and often end up on the
ground where humans find them looking helpless. Come to learn about what to do
if you see one in your own backyard. TUITION: Ansonia residents and current
family-level FANCI members, $6 per child; others, $8 per child (grownups come
for free). Please register in advance.
PARK TOTS – Fri. June 4 and 25, 11 am with Park Ranger Stefanie
Geared for infants and toddlers with their caregivers, this class will feature
nature-based play time emphasizing observation, motor, and social skill
development while we enjoy the park’s fields and forests. FREE.
CT TRAILS DAY – Sat. June 5, 9 am Meet at the Visitor Center
In celebration of this annual event, Peter Rzasa and Alison Rubelmann will lead
a natural history hike from 9 am to noon. The hike is of moderate difficulty, 4
to 6 miles over gentle to rocky terrain. Suitable for families, with some stops
planned. Bring water and/or snacks. Hikers are asked to leave pets at home.
Please register. FREE.
WILD EDIBLE FEAST – Sat. June 5, 9 am – 4 pm
Every year Mother Nature grows a tasty cornucopia of wild plants. Often called
weeds, these crops are not only nutritious and organic, they are totally free.
Come and learn how to identify, gather, and prepare some of nature’s most
delicious wild edible bounty. The program concludes with a Euell Gibbons—style
feast. Last year we ate wild leek and trout soup, wild stir fry, dandelion
fritters, steamed cattail and milkweed stalks, and so many more delicious
things. Bring a journal, a pencil, water, and a bag lunch. Call to register.
FEE: $45 ($35 for Ansonia residents and FANCI members).
BACK TO BASICS: Beekeeping for Beginners – Sat. June 5, 2 pm
Everybody knows that the honey we enjoy on toast and in tea comes from
domesticated honeybees, but did you know that nearly all of our fruits and nuts
depend on the pollination they provide? How can we help them to survive and
prosper in our own backyards? Come to find out from our own amateur beekeeper,
Ranger Dawn Sotir, and some local experts. Please call to register. FREE.
REGISTRATION BEGINS FOR SUMMER NATURE DAYS – Mon. June 7, 9 am
Priority students (residents of Ansonia and current family-level members of
FANCI) may begin to register today for Summer Nature Days. All others may begin
registering on Wed., June 23. Tuition for 4- and 5-year-olds is $65 ($45
priority), for 6- to 14-year-olds, $95 ($75 priority). One session for 11- to
14-year-olds, July 20–July 22; three sessions to choose from for 4- to
10-year-olds, July 27–29, Aug. 3–5, or Aug. 10–12.
FISHING REDWING POND – Sat. June 12, 10 am—1 pm
This introductory session for beginners is geared for children over 6 years old
and their parents or caregivers. Join Ranger Martin and Russ Zelanin for this
pondside class. Equipment will be included, but if you have your own, bring it.
Meet at the Nature Center building for some instructions, then head to the
water! FREE. Please call to register; class size is limited.
P.A.C.K.: Alliance Theatre Performance – Sun. June 13, 2 pm
Join our family of P.A.C.K. (Parents and Communities for Kids) participants for
this unusual event. New Haven’s Alliance Theatre will delight audiences of all
ages with their performance of the 2000-year-old Aesop’s Fables collection.
Lessons about competition, bullying, friendships, and patience—all relevant to
ancient and modern times as well! FREE, but please register. Funded by a
partnership with the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven.
CREATURES OF LONG ISLAND SOUND – Sat. June 19, 2 pm
Want to cuddle up to a crab? Sing a song to a snail? Learn all about the
creatures who share Long Island Sound with us? Come to see and touch our salt
water visitors before they go home! FREE. Please call to register.
SUMMER SOLSTICE DRUMMING CIRCLE – Sat. June 19, 6 pm
Bring your own drum to celebrate the new season, and the return of long days and
short nights once again. Join Ranger Dawn Sotir and reserve your place in the
circle. FREE. For adults and youth 12 and over.
PARK TOTS – Fri. June 25, 11 am with Park Ranger Stefanie
See June 4 listing for description.
ROSES AND FIREFLIES NIGHT HIKE – Sat. June 26, 8 pm
Ali and Marty are planning this unique after-dark hike in the park. You’ll use
all your senses as we navigate field and forest trails. Pre-registration is
required. Sturdy shoes and long sleeves and pants are recommended. FREE.
P.A.C.K.: Native American Flute Man – Sun. June 27, 2 pm
Back by popular request, Grammy award-winner Joseph Firecrow, a renowned Native
American flutist, evokes very powerful emotions with his beautiful music.
P.A.C.K. (Parents and Communities for Kids) programs are supported by the
Community Foundation for Greater New Haven. FREE, but please register in
advance.
JULY
PARK TOTS – Fri. July 2 and July 30, 11 am with Park Ranger Stefanie
A park outing is just the thing to prepare those little ones for a long
afternoon nap! Join Ranger Stef, a Mom of tykes herself, as you and your infants
and/or toddlers enjoy nature-based playtime. Please register in advance. FREE.
NATURE’S CHILDREN: Snakes – Thurs. July 8, 10:30 am
Who’s that slithering through your garden, or sleeping under that rock in your
backyard? Come to learn from Ranger Wendy about our parkland’s snakes who live
in the water, in the fields, and in the woods. TUITION: Ansonia residents and
current family-level FANCI members, $6 per child; others, $8 per child. Grownups
come for free. Pre-registration, please.
P.A.C.K.: Make Tunes from Trash! With Dennis Waring – Sun. July 11, 2 pm
Join Dennis to make your own musical instruments from discarded items from your
recycling bin! Make music together with our PACK (Parents and Communities for
Kids) families. Supported by a partnership with the Community Foundation for
Greater New Haven. FREE, but please register.
BACK TO BASICS: Jamming!!! – Sun. July 18, 12 noon
This is the season for picking luscious berries. We’ll make a batch of jam from
scratch and share the results with our students. Tuition: $7.00 for all
materials and a jar of jam! Save your place—register early for this class.
Checks to Ansonia Nature Center.
SUMMER NATURE DAYS for 11- to 14-year-olds: Splish Splash – Tues., Wed., &
Thurs., July 20–July 22, 9:30 am to 2:30 pm
This class is for 11- to 14-year-olds, and will focus on the wonders of water.
Our science-based class will incorporate a field trip to our beautiful valley,
where we’ll explore the history and health of our river! KAYAKING ANYONE? See
SUMMER NATURE DAYS tuition/registration information in the June 7 listing on
page 1.
SNAKES OF CONNECTICUT – Sat. July 24, 2 pm
Meet some of nature’s most important predators up close and personal! Discover
how they eat, what’s inside those long, skinny bodies, and how invasive reptile
species impact the natives. Join Ranger Russ Miller of Meigs Point Nature Center
as he shows at least six of our indigenous snakes, including a copperhead. FREE.
Please call to register.
SUMMER NATURE DAYS for 4- to 10-year-olds: Wet and Wild! – choose from 3
sessions, July 27–29, Aug. 3–5, or Aug. 10–12
These popular summer classes combine discovery, all things natural, and hands-on
learning fun. Expect indoor and outdoor activities and daily excursions into our
150-acre sanctuary. Four- and five-year-olds meet from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm; six-
to ten-year-olds meet from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm. See SUMMER NATURE DAYS
tuition/registration information in the June 7 listing on page 1.
PARK TOTS – Fri. July 30, 11 am with Park Ranger Stefanie
See July 2 listing for description.
BUTTERFLIES OF THE PARK with Andy Brand / CT Butterfly Association – date to be
announced
Butterflies are found on every continent except Antarctica, and about 121
species of butterflies have been recorded in Connecticut. These beautiful and
diverse insects live 100 feet below sea level in U.S. deserts, and have even
been seen flying at 20,000 feet over the Himalayas by airplane pilots. These
seemingly fragile flyers may be tougher than we think! Come to see and learn
about the Lepidoptera living in the meadows and gardens of the Nature Center.
FREE.
AUGUST
PARK TOTS – Fri. Aug. 6 and Aug. 27, 11 am with Park Ranger Stefanie
Join park ranger Stefanie for some outdoor time in the park, with activities to
stimulate observation skills and the development of social and motor skills in a
small group setting of infants and toddlers and their caregivers. FREE. Please
register in advance.
P.A.C.K.: Chris Rowlands—Artist and Environmental Entertainer – Fri. Aug. 6, 7
pm
An interactive presentation for those who love music and nature with Chris
Rowlands, an award-winning singer and songwriter touring the United States and
abroad who offers participatory environmental education concerts for kids and
families. FREE. Please pre-register. Supported by the Community Foundation for
Greater New Haven.
STARRY STARRY NIGHT – Fri. Aug. 13, 7:30 pm (rain date Aug. 20)
Come to the darkest location in our area to view the night sky with amateur
astronomers of the Nature Center. We’ll have a telescope or two to use, but
binoculars will also be useful. FREE, but please call to register.
BACK TO BASICS: Putting Food By – Sat. Aug. 21, 2 pm
Canning and preserving are two time-honored ways to use the surplus from your
garden and other locally grown food to feed your family wholesome fruits and
vegetables this winter! Join Ranger Dawn Sotir for this how-to hands-on class.
Handouts too! Preregistration only by Aug. 19.
FAMILY CAMPOUT – Sat. Aug. 21, 6 pm to Sun. Aug. 22, 11 am
Join Two Coyotes for this overnight adventure! Camping is a great way to step
out of the fast lane and reconnect with family and nature. We’ll enjoy a
relaxing night under the stars and storytelling around the campfire, and a
delicious potluck dinner to share. Please bring tents, sleeping bags, camp
chairs, etc. We’ll provide a breakfast of local egg and cheese sandwiches and
crispy bacon, juice and coffee/tea. Tuition is $45 per family ($35 for Ansonia
residents and current FANCI members). Advance registration by Aug. 18, please.
PARK TOTS – Fri. Aug. 27, 11 am with Park Ranger Stefanie
See Aug. 6 listing for description.
ONGOING PROGRAMS • Sundays: Guided Hikes, 1 pm. • Thursdays: Yoga Classes, 6:30
pm. • Saturdays: Creature Features, 12 noon |
