Upcoming Nature Trips

Below is a list of upcoming nature trips within NYC's five boroughs for the weekend of August 20th - August 21st, 2011:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park (Brooklyn)
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Introduction to Birdwatching
Every Saturday, 12 - 1:30 p.m.
Explore the Park's natural areas and learn how to look for amazing birds.

Macy's Fishing Clinics
Saturdays in July and August, 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Learn how to fish at Prospect Park!

Sunday, August 21, 2011
Discover Tour
Every Saturday and Sunday, 3 p.m.
Discover the Prospect Park you never knew! Meet birds and other wildlife on this walk, guided by a naturalist

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Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club
Saturday, August 20, 2011, 1pm – 5pm
Canoe on Gowanus Canal
Bring a friend for a self-guided Canoe trip sponsored by the Gowanus Dredgers to raise awareness of Harbor Issues www.gowanuscanal.org
Unless otherwise noted, Gowanus canoeing events depart from 2nd St. near Bond St.
Directions to 2nd St. Canal Launch Site: Take the F Line or G Line to Carroll Street - exit to front of Bklyn-bound train and walk three blocks down 2nd Street to the Canal (away from Smith St). For a calender of walk-up canoeing events at each location Click Here

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New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Debbie Becker leads a free bird walk at the Garden every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. beginning at the Reflecting Pool in the Leon Levy Visitor Center

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New York City Audubon Society
Saturday, August 20, 2011, 8:00am – 9:30am
Van Cortlandt Bird Walks
Guide: Andrew Baksh or Urban Park Rangers. With the Van Cortlandt Park Conservancy, NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, and Urban Park Rangers. Meet at Van Cortlandt Nature Center. The history of birding and Van Cortlandt Park are inseparable. Influential birders such as Roger Tory Peterson and Allan D. Cruickshank got their starts on Van Cortlandt’s ecologically diverse grounds. These walks celebrate the tradition set forth by these great ornithologists. Participants will look for various species of migrants and discuss a wide range of avian topics. For more information, please call 718-548-0912. No registration necessary. No limit. Free.

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NYC Wildlflower Week
Saturday, August 20, 2011, 10 – 11:30 am
Botanical Tour of Oakwood Beach
Location: Meet at the end of Kissam Avenue. Parking is limited. More parking available along Old Mill Road and Guyon Avenue.
Guide: Tim Chambers, NYC Parks and Recreation
Register for this event
Description: Come see interesting, remnant maritime plants. These coastal communities are very rare in New York City. We will see dune grasses, asters, goldenrods and Eastern prickly pear, the only cactus native to the eastern U.S. and a NYC rarity.

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Protectors of Pine Oak Woods (Staten Island)
Saturday, August 20, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Forest Restoration Workshop at LaTourette multi-purpose path
Meet at the bike path entrance on the Old Mill Road next to St. Andrews Church (the old one). We will walk along path toward its T-junction where we will cut invasive vines that strangle saplings on the north side of the trail. If you don’t have your own, Protectors will supply gloves and pruners (and refreshments). After a two hour work session (our 182nd consecutive monthly workshop), we will take a short walk over nearby trails.
For more information call Don Recklies at (718) 768-9036 or Chuck Perry at (718) 667-1393.

Sunday, August 21, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Magnifying Nature at the Greenbelt Nature Center
Celebrate Staten Island's 350th birthday, naturally, in the heart of the Greenbelt. Two of the borough's premier environmental organizations, the Greenbelt Conservancy and Protectors, are joining forces to bring an afternoon of learning to examine nature more closely, with a variety of lenses, as well as the naked eye. All children will receive a magnifying glass courtesy of Protectors.
For registration or more information call Jessica Kratz at (718) 351-3450 or Chuck Perry at (718) 667-1393 or email naturecenter [AT] sigreenbelt.org.

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Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, August 20, 2011

Seining the Shores
12:00 p.m.
We connect children with nature to encourage active exploration of the natural world....
Location: Orchard Beach Nature Center (in Pelham Bay Park-Orchard Beach), Bronx
Cost: Free

Bat Exploration
7:30 p.m.
New York City is home to an amazing abundance of wildlife. From falcons and salamanders, to...
Location: Belvedere Castle (in Central Park), Manhattan
Cost: Free

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Basic Canoeing
11:00 a.m.; 2:00 p.m.
Few truly unique experiences compare with being on the open water in New York City. The...
Location: Audubon Center at the Boathouse (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Basic Canoeing
1:00 p.m.; 4:00 p.m.
Few truly unique experiences compare with being on the open water in New York City. The...
Location: Inwood Hill Nature Center (in Inwood Hill Park), Manhattan
Cost: Free