Events

Come learn about some of the cutting edge sustainable building practices and systems the Hitchcock Center’s will be using in our new Living Building Challenge building.

with Charley Eiseman

As you may have heard the Hitchcock Center is moving down the road to Hampshire College. Near the site of our new building is a beautiful vernal pool/wetland that we intend to incorporate as part of our network of trails. Join expert Charley Eiseman to explore this new spot and inventory and discover what’s there at the peak of amphibian spring activity.
Space is limited, please call to register.

Join the Biothon fun and document biodiversity, learn new species, and raise funds for Hitchcock (and win prizes, too).

with John Green

Join naturalist John Green on a bird walk at the new Trustees of Reservations property at Mt. Warner. Spring Migration will just be getting started and John has a great ear so you are sure to hone your birding by ear skills. This program is cosponsored by The Trustees of Reservations.
Members $15/Non-members $20 Space is limited, registration required.

with Scott Surner at 7AM on Sunday, May 3rd in Hadley OR
with John Green at 7AM on Friday, May 8th in Belchertown

Join two of our most popular birders and naturalists for new one-time outings in support of the Hitchcock Center's Biothon! Scott Surner's birding classes are amongst our most popular courses each year; this year Scott's course filled up in just 20 minutes after opening for registration! During John Green's sold-out field walks, he shares his years of knowledge with adults of all ages to explore life around us and deepen our powers of observation. As a member of Scott's or John's "Biothon team," your outing will focus on spotting and documenting as many different species of birds as possible within a 3-hour period. And, help support the Biothon by collecting pledges in support of your outing, and receive a free custom-designed Biothon 2015 t-shirt when you reach $100 in pledges! Registration required.

with Nancy Goodman

Come and explore the wonders and beauties of our native wildflowers as we spend the day learning how to identify them in the field. Please bring lunch, water, a hand lens & a copy of Newcomb’s wildflower book if you own one. Members $18/Non-members $22 Space is limited, registration required.

with Dan Ziomek, Nursery and Garden Manager at Hadley Garden Center & Anne Cann, Chair Orchard Arboretum Committee at Applewood

Applewood has been nurturing a diverse planting of both native and non-native trees on a 2 acre parcel of land south of the residences since 1994. We'll identify a number of trees and discuss their ecology and adaptations. Program is accessible. If driving to this program please park on the south side of Spencer Drive. 

Join the Biothon fun and document biodiversity, learn new species, and raise funds for Hitchcock (and win prizes, too).

with Scott Surner at 7AM on Sunday, May 3rd in Hadley OR
with John Green at 7AM on Friday, May 8th in Belchertown

Join two of our most popular birders and naturalists for new one-time outings in support of the Hitchcock Center's Biothon! Scott Surner's birding classes are amongst our most popular courses each year; this year Scott's course filled up in just 20 minutes after opening for registration! During John Green's sold-out field walks, he shares his years of knowledge with adults of all ages to explore life around us and deepen our powers of observation. As a member of Scott's or John's "Biothon team," your outing will focus on spotting and documenting as many different species of birds as possible within a 3-hour period. And, help support the Biothon by collecting pledges in support of your outing, and receive a free custom-designed Biothon 2015 t-shirt when you reach $100 in pledges! Registration required.

We think it is good to know where our water comes from and where it goes. We just turn on our faucets and flush our toilets but what’s the infrastructure that makes that possible. Come tour the facility that receives Amherst’s wastewater and see what happens there. At this special facility tiny microorganisms normally present in wastewater are given optimum conditions to feed on biodegradable matter. As the microorganisms grow, they digest large amounts of biodegradable matter and convert some of it into carbon dioxide and water, two relatively harmless byproducts. The rest of the biodegradable matter consumed by the microorganisms remains in their cell bodies, causing them to grow even more and are then removed from the wastewater together with much of the waste materials. FREE but space is limited, please call to register.