WPNC Program Schedule Summer 2009
June
Celebrate National Trails Day
Saturday, June 6
It’s about more than hiking now: everyone can participate in National Trails Day at Warner Park! Run, walk, stroll or take a cart tour on the trails of Warner Parks!
Check out the Metro Parks website at www.nashville.gov/parks for information about programs in all parks.
On the Trail of the Early Bird
Saturday, June 6
7-8 a.m.
Age level: Adults, 13+
Registration opens May 22
Join naturalists to see and hear bluebirds, hummers, cardinals, and many more of our breeding birds!
Leaders: Ed Gleaves, Volunteer Naturalist, and Irene Perry
Trail Running on National Trails Day
Saturday, June 6
9-11 a.m.
Age level: Adults, 13+
Registration opens May 22
Celebrate National Trails Day by running the hiking trails in Warner Parks. The trails offer many calorie-burning opportunities. Breathe new life into your fitness routine with an outdoor workout that will engage your brain and body.
Leaders: Warner Parks Staff
Trails a la Cart
Saturday, June 6
9 a.m.-3 p.m. (hourly)
Age level: All ages
Call to register
Designed for those folks who find walking the trails difficult, guided golf cart tours of the park will be offered hourly to allow everyone to enjoy the trails of Warner Parks.
Leaders: Nature Center Staff and Volunteers
On the Trail of the Exotic!
Saturday, June 6
9 a.m.-noon
Age level: All ages
Call to register
Give back to the Parks on National Trails Day by clearing invasive exotic privet and bush honeysuckle from the forest!
Leader: Jon Martin, Friends of Warner Park
Mountain Biking and Trail Maintenance
Saturday, June 6
9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Age level: Adults, 18+
Call to register
Celebrate National Trails Day by riding the challenging routes and helping SORBA members maintain mountain biking trails at Hamilton Creek. No mountain bike experience necessary.
Leaders: Southeast Off Road Bicycle Association & Warner Park Staff
Hiking the Solar System
Saturday, June 6
10-11 a.m.
Age level: All ages
Registration opens May 22
Cover the greatest distance (from the Sun to Pluto) during our shortest hike (less than one mile!) while learning about the solar system.
Leaders: Nature Center Staff
Harpeth Woods Hike
Saturday, June 6
1-2:30 p.m.
Age level: All ages
Registration opens May 22
Hike the 2 ½-mile blue trail with your family through the hills and hollows of Edwin Warner Park.
Leaders: Nature Center Staff
Jr. Naturalist Kick-Off: Reptiles!
Wednesday, June 10
10 a.m.-noon
Age level: 6-12 years
Registration opens May 27
Leapin’ lizards and slitherin’ snakes! Reptiles are the focus of our Jr. Naturalist
Patch! Come play games, go on a reptile “hunt”, and make a new friend or two!
Leaders: Nature Center Staff
Mud Pies
Friday June 12
10 a.m.-noon
Age level: All ages
Registration opens May 29
Use your imagination to create mud pies! Join us at the Nature Center for a fun time in the cool mud.
Leaders: Nature Center Staff
Full Moon Pickin’ Party
Friday, June 12
7-11 p.m.
Age level: All ages
Join us for this bluegrass event under the light of a full moon. Come ready to play and join a jam session or come to eat and tap your toes. All proceeds help to protect & preserve the Parks. For information, fees, pre-registration, or to volunteer, go to www.friendsofwarnerparks.com or call 370-8053.
Leader: Maggie Odle, FOWP & Volunteers
LOST in the woods!
Saturday, June 13
10-11 a.m.
Age level: All ages
Registration opens May 29
Learn how to stay found and as well as about summer hazards such as poison ivy, snakes, and chiggers, and the easiest prevention method—identify and avoid!
Leaders: Heather Gallagher
Kite Flying 101
Tuesday, June 16
10-11 a.m.
Age level: 8-14 years
Registration opens June 2
Come join us and learn the basics of kite flying. Blue Ridge Mountain Sports staff will bring the latest technology in technical kites for participants to fly and enjoy.
Leaders: Blue Ridge Mountain Sports & Warner Parks Staff
Sustainable Food Film Series: Tableland
Tuesday, June 16
6:30 p.m.
Age level: Adults, 13+
Call to register
Martha’s at the Plantation, Good Food for Good People, and the Warner Park Nature Center present a screening of the film Tableland, a “culinary expedition in search of the people, place and taste of North American small-scale, sustainable food production.”
Coordinators: Vera Vollbrecht & Nature Center Staff
Feathered Frenzy
Wednesday, June 17
10 a.m.-noon
Age level: 6-12 years
Registration opens June 2
Observe and learn the nesting birds of the park on this summer birding adventure. We will search for birds foraging for food, feeding their young and fledging the nest.
Leaders: Irene Perry & Nature Center Staff
Owl Prowl
Friday, June 19
8-9:30 p.m.
Age level: All ages
Registration opens June 5
Whoooo wants to prowls for owls? Enjoy a warm June evening looking for owls, it will be a hoot.
Leaders: Nature Center Staff
Picnic in the Park
Saturday, June 20
11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Age level: All ages
Registration opens June 5
Bring your lunch in a backpack to hike the Old Roadway in Edwin Warner Park. We’ll listen for birds, identify trees, and read a story.
Leaders: Nature Center Staff
Sustainable Food Film Series: King Corn
Tuesday, June 23
6:30 p.m.
Age level: Adults, 13+
Call to register
Martha’s at the Plantation, Good Food for Good People, and the Warner Park Nature Center present a screening of the film King Corn, a documentary “about two friends, one acre of corn, and the subsidized crop that drives our fast-food nation.”
Coordinators: Vera Vollbrecht & Nature Center Staff
Astronomy, Space and Model Aviation
Wednesday, June 24
10 a.m.-noon
Age level: 6-12 years
Registration opens June 16
You have seen their planes in the sky, now come and meet the pilots and see these model airplanes do their acrobatics. Also learn about space and constellations from members of the Bernard-Seyfert Astronomical Society.
Leaders: Edwin Warner Model Aviators, BSAS Volunteers & Warner Parks Staff
Astronomy on the Cheap
Friday, June 26
8-9:30 p.m.
Age level: All ages
Registration opens June 11
Bring your family to learn the basics of astronomy using star charts and binoculars as we explore the southern summer sky.
Leaders: Barnard-Seyfert Astronomical Society and Nature Center Staff
Fly-fishing with the Pros
Saturday, June 27
9 a.m.-noon
Age level: 10-16 years
Registration opens June 12
Come explore the world of fly-fishing and learn the basics from the professional anglers at Trout Unlimited. Youth will learn about fly casting, reading the water, fly tying, casting with insects, ecology, and conservation.
Leaders: Trout Unlimited & Warner Parks Staff
Growing Organic
Saturday, June 27
10 a.m.-noon
Age level: All ages
Registration opens June 19
Tour the garden and learn about growing organic herbs, vegetables and flowers. We’ll look for beneficial insects and potential pests. Variety is the Spice of Life in the organic garden.
Leader: Irene Perry
Knot Tying & Rock Climbing Safety
Tuesday, June 30
10-11 a.m.
Age level: 8-14 years
Registration opens June 16
Have you ever wondered how to tie a figure 8 knot or a water knot? Come join us and learn the basics of knot tying skills from local wilderness experts.
Leaders: Blue Ridge Mountain Sports & Warner Parks Staff
Sustainable Food Film Series: A Sense of Wonder
Tuesday, June 30
6:30 p.m.
Age level: Adults, 13+
Call to register
Martha’s at the Plantation, Good Food for Good People, and the Warner Park Nature Center present a screening of the film A Sense of Wonder, a film depicting pioneering environmentalist Rachel Carson sharing her convictions and her foresight regarding the risks posed by chemical pesticides.
Coordinators: Vera Vollbrecht & Nature Center Staff
July
The Un-Nature Trail, Blindfold Hike, and More!
Wednesday, July 1
10 a.m.-noon
Age level: 6-12 years
Registration opens June 16
Explore the outdoors through active, fun, and creative activities that will inspire and connect you to Nature in a whole new way.
Leaders: Vera Vollbrecht & Nature Center Staff
Camping Basics Demonstration
Tuesday, July 7
10-11 a.m.
Age level: 8-14 years
Registration opens June 23
Going camping is a great way to enjoy the great outdoors. Come join us and learn the how to buy the right fitting hiking boots, sleeping bags, and tents from local wilderness experts. The class demonstration will be at the local Blue Ridge Mountain Sports Store.
Leader: Blue Ridge Mountain Sports & Warner Parks Staff
Sustainable Food Film Series: The Rise of Southern Cheese and Saving Seeds
Tuesday, July 7
6:30 p.m.
Age level: Adults, 13+
Call to register
Martha’s at the Plantation, Good Food for Good People, and the Warner Park Nature Center present a screening of the films The Rise of Southern Cheese, a look at artisinal cheese producers in the South, and Saving Seeds, a portrait of Bill Best, an heirloom bean and tomato farmer of Berea, Kentucky.
Coordinators: Vera Vollbrecht & Nature Center Staff
River Games
Wednesday, July 8
10 a.m.-noon
Age level: 6-12 years
Registration opens June 24
When the weather is hot the river is the place to be. Let’s play games and cool off in the river.
Leaders: Nature Center Staff
Herp Hunt
Friday, July 10
10 – 11 a.m.
Age level: All ages
Registration opens June 26
The Warner Parks have reptiles and amphibians a’plenty. Come join the search for our “herp” friends!
Leaders: Nature Center Staff
Full Moon Pickin’ Party
Friday, July 10
7-11 p.m.
Age level: All ages
Join musicians and music lovers for an evening of bluegrass, delicious food & drink and FUN for the entire family. All proceeds help to protect & preserve the Parks. For information, fees, pre-registration, or to volunteer, go to www.friendsofwarnerparks.com or call 370-8053.
Leader: Maggie Odle, FOWP & Volunteers
Follow the Leader
Saturday, July 11
9:30-11:30 a.m.
Age level: All ages
Registration opens July 2
Can you read the signs of the Trail? Let’s design a trail route and see if others can follow your lead.
Leader: Melissa Donahue
Sustainable Food Film Series: The Real Dirt on Farmer John
Tuesday, July 14
6:30 p.m.
Age level: Adults, 13+
Call to register
Martha’s at the Plantation, Good Food for Good People, and the Warner Park Nature Center present a screening of the film The Real Dirt on Farmer John, which tells the story of one man, his farm and his family—a story that parallels the history of American farming.
Coordinators: Vera Vollbrecht & Nature Center Staff
Saddle Up Kids
Wednesday, July 15
10 a.m.-noon
Age level: 6-12 years
Registration opens June 30
Come visit the Warner Park Equestrian Center and discover the therapeutic bond between horses and humans. Local children who are currently Pony Club members will teach participants riding skills and horse care fundamentals.
Leaders: Middle Tennessee Pony Club & Warner Parks Staff
Family Campfire
Friday, July 17
7:30-9 p.m.
Age level: All ages
Registration opens July 2
Enjoy marshmallows, stories and more by a summer evening campfire.
Leaders: Heather Gallagher, Nature Center Staff & Volunteers
Catchin’ Crawdads
Saturday, July 18
10-11 a.m.
Age level: All ages
Registration opens July 3
Bring the entire family for this outing to seek, catch, and release everyone’s favorite creek critter!
Leaders: Vera Vollbrecht
Outdoor Photography
Tuesday, July 21
10-11 a.m.
Age level: 8-14 years
Registration opens July 7
Capture the best nature has to offer with a camera. Join us to learn the basic skills of outdoor photography from local wilderness experts.
Leader: Blue Ridge Mountain Sports & Warner Parks Staff
Sustainable Food Film Series: The Good Food Film Festival
Tuesday, July 21
6:30 p.m.
Age level: Adults, 13+
Call to register
Martha’s at the Plantation, Good Food for Good People, and the Warner Park Nature Center present a screening of The Good Food Film Festival, a collection of shorts on food and sustainability.
Coordinators: Vera Vollbrecht & Nature Center Staff
There’s Venom in ‘Em!
Wednesday, July 22
10 a.m.-noon
Age level: 6-12 years
Registration opens July 8
Spiders and Bees and Snakes Oh My! Let’s have fun with venomous critters. The more you learn, the less your jitters!
Leaders: Nature Center Staff
Insects of the Night XVI
Friday, July 24
7-9 p.m.
Age level: All ages
Call to register
It’s a celebration of summer, the annual Insects of the Night festival! Dress up as your favorite nocturnal nymph, beetle, or bug and buzz, fly, or click over for a night of games, hikes, puppet shows, and insect investigation.
Leaders: Nature Center Staff & Volunteers
Fly-fishing with the Pros
Saturday, July 25
9 a.m.-noon
Age level: 10-16 years
Registration opens July 10
Come explore the world of fly-fishing and learn the basics from the professional anglers at Trout Unlimited. Youth will learn about fly casting, reading the water, fly tying, casting with insects, ecology, and conservation.
Leaders: Trout Unlimited
Insects of the Day
Saturday, July 25
1-2 p.m.
Age level: All ages
Registration opens July 10
Hunt for butterflies, dragonflies, beetles and more at this hike about animals with 3 body parts, antennae, and usually some wings.
Leader: Heather Gallagher
I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter-flies!
Wednesday, July 29
10 a.m.-noon
Age level: 6-12 years
Registration opens July 14
Explore the fields and gardens, both wild and organic, searching for beautiful butterflies. We will examine plants and leaves as we learn the life cycle of butterflies and find out which plants make the best hosts. Yum, its Butter-flies season!
Leader: Irene Perry & Nature Center Staff
Spiders at Night!
Friday, July 31
8-9 p.m.
Age level: All ages
Registration opens July 17
Does a nocturnal adventure appeal? Bring your flashlight and learn how to spy spider eyes gleaming in the night!
Leaders: Nature Center Staff
August
Canoe & Kayak Clinic
Saturday, August 1
9 a.m.-noon
Age level: 14 years and up
Registration opens July 17
Designed to introduce you to the sport of paddling, this is a perfect opportunity to explore and learn the basic skills you need to paddle safely and have fun. Whether enjoying a scenic float or aspiring to be a whitewater paddler, this is a great place to start.
Leaders: Warner Parks Staff & Bells Bend Staff
Colors of the Wind
Saturday, August 1
10 a.m.-noon
Age level: 6-12 years
Registration opens July 24
Learn a sketch and color technique while using nature as an inspiration. We’ll start with a short hike followed by a rest in the shade where we will sketch. Next, we return to the learning center and add beautiful colors to our artwork.
Leader: Irene Perry
Outdoor Cooking
Tuesday, August 4
10-11 a.m.
Age level: 8-14 years
Registration opens July 21
Cooking a great meal in the great outdoors is easy and affordable. Come join us and learn the basic skills of outdoor cooking and food safety from local wilderness experts.
Leaders: Blue Ridge Mountain Sports & Warner Parks Staff
Arts & Crafts
Wednesday, August 5
10 a.m.-noon
Age Level: 6-12 years
Registration opens July 22
Cut, paste, paint, glue, design and create! Get in touch with your creative side at the Nature Center.
Leaders: Nature Center Staff
Water Play
Friday, August 7
Age Level: All ages
10 a.m.-noon
Registration opens July 24
Meet at the Harpeth River to play in the water, have fun and look for insects, crayfish, snails and more.
Leaders: Nature Center Staff
Cave Explore
Saturday, August 8
Age Level: Adults
10 a.m.-noon
Registration opens July 25
Tennessee has more caves than any other state. Join us in exploring this unique ecosystem.
Leaders: Kim Bailey and Melissa Donahue
Celebrate Hummingbirds
Saturday, August 9
10-11:30 a.m.
Age level: All ages
Registration opens July 31
Hummingbird migration is in full swing! Join the Nature Center staff and volunteers in sending off our ruby-throated visitors.
Leaders: Heather Gallagher, Nature Center Staff and Volunteers
Humming in the Gardens
Friday, August 14
Age Level: Adults
7-8:30 a.m.
Call to register
Gardens are not just for the birds! We will look at the wonderful variety of native plants that attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Then we move to the vegetable garden and talk organics.
Leader: Deb Beazley
Full Moon Pickin’ Party
Friday, August 14
7-11 p.m.
Age level: All ages
Ya'll come on out for good bluegrass and good food in the park. You won't want to miss this family friendly event. All proceeds help to protect & preserve the Parks. For information, fees, pre-registration, or to volunteer, go to www.friendsofwarnerparks.com or call 370-8053.
Leaders: Maggie Odle, FOWP & Volunteers
LaZee Day Hike
Saturday, August 15
9:30-11:30 a.m.
Age Level: All ages
Registration opens
Summer is the perfect time for a lazy day hike. We will amble along the trails and find the hidden jewels of summer.
Leader: Melissa Donahue
Summer Star Party
Saturday, August 15
8:30-10:30 p.m.
Age level: All ages
Call to register
Enjoy a starry sky and the last of the Perseid meteors at the Special Events Field!
Coordinators: Kris McCall of Sudekum Planetarium, Barnard-Seyfert Astronomical Society, & Warner Parks Staff
The Summer Games
Saturday, August 22
10-11 a.m.
Age level: All ages
Registration opens August 7
Bird feeder bingo, nature scavenger hunt, and owls and crows are just some of the summer games we will play!
Leaders: Nature Center Staff
Reptiles Reign!
Saturday, August 29
1-2 p.m.
Age level: All ages
Registration opens August 14
Explore Frist Pond and Vaughn’s Creek, looking for these scaly vertebrates and working on our Junior Naturalist patch!
Leader: Heather Gallagher