Warner Park Nature Center Programs and Services

Attend a Nature Center Program

Enjoy the beauty and wonder of Warner Parks through a Nature Center program. Most programs are free and many require registration. For more details, download our seasonal schedule or check out the Calendar of Events page.

Call the Nature Center at 615-862-8555 or email Warner Park Nature Center with questions.

Participate in Professional Development

Summer professional development opportunities will be announced soon. For questions, please email [email protected].

Options for Groups at the Nature Center

We are currently not planning to offer guided field trips for elementary schools in the upcoming 2025-2026 school year.

To schedule a high school or college field lab, please contact Rachel Anderson at [email protected]. Registration will begin in August 2025.

Homeschool, private and public school groups may request an on-your-own visit to Warner Park Nature Center as space allows. Please review the On-Your-Own Educator Guide for details on making a request.

For questions about school field trips, please contact Rachel Anderson at [email protected].

Please note that Nature Center campus spaces (including the building porches, program shelter by the pond and amphitheater) are outdoor classroom spaces used by Nature Center staff for environmental education programming. These spaces are non-reservable and unavailable for exclusive use by the public or any organized group.

Educational groups such as pre-schools, after school camps and instructor-led programs interested in reserving shelters and spaces at Warner Parks should contact Cammie Claybrook at [email protected] for permitting information.

Virtual Field Trips

Connect to nature through these interactive videos, led by Warner Park Nature Center naturalists. Each video is directly linked to Tennessee State Science Standards and are designed to deepen understanding of core concepts. If you have any questions about these virtual field trips, please contact [email protected].

Don't forget to download the teacher/student pdf and other materials for each field trip as they enhance the field trip experience!

Discovery Swap

• 3rd through 9th grade field trip
• 16 minutes
• Focuses on structure and function of aquatic animals
• Discovery Swap Teacher Guide
• Discovery Swap Animal Field Guide
• Discovery Swap at Warner Park Video

Food Build Do Waste Virtual Program

• 4th / 6th grade field trip
• 18 minutes
• Focuses on matter and energy
• Food Build Do Waste Teacher Guide
• Food Build Do Waste: Virtual Warner Park Field Trip Video

Observation Lab

• Middle and high school field lab
• 9 minutes
• Focuses on making accurate observations and asking questions
• Observation Lab Teacher Guide
• Observation Lab Student Data Sheet
• Warner Park Observation Lab Video

Ecological Succession Lab

• High school field lab
• 21 minutes
• Focuses on forest resiliency and diversity
• Ecosystem Teacher Guide
• Ecosystem Student Data Sheet and Question Sheet
• Warner Park Ecological Succession Lab Video

Water Quality Lab

• High school field lab
• 21 minutes
• Focuses on using observations, chemical testing and macroinvertebrate survey to assess the health of a section of the Little Harpeth River
• Water Quality Teacher Guide
• Macroinvertebrate ID keys
• Water Quality Student Data and Question Sheet
• Warner Park Water Quality Lab Video

Bird Banding Lab

• High school field lab
• 9 minutes
• Focuses on observation of a local, long-term research project and interpretation of bird banding data gathered over 40 years.
• Bird Banding Lab Teacher Guide
• Bird Banding Student Data Sheets
• Bird Banding video