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Bird Hill Grassland Field Trip, September 7th

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Image: Courtesy of the Clifton Institute

Saturday, September 7, 2024
10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Cost: $15 ($10 for Friends of Clifton)

Registration is REQUIRED.

This program will be held at the residence of the Clifton Institute co-directors to experience a remnant prairie, a planted meadow, and a native plant garden. The remnant prairie on the property hosts a remarkable assemblage of native wildflowers and grasses over sandstone bedrock. Bert and Eleanor are managing the prairie with mowing, burning, and invasive plant control. They have also planted a one-acre meadow on an old lawn and they’ve worked with Hill House Nursery to establish a native plant garden.

This program is a case study of how landowners can manage their land to benefit native plants and animals on a relatively small property.

Location: Near Orlean, VA. Registered attendees will be emailed the address and directions.

 

Spring Native Plant Sale at The Clifton Institute, May 18th

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Image: Courtesy of The Clifton Institute

Saturday, May 18, 2024
11:00AM – 2:00PM

The Clifton Institute
6712 Blantyre Rd
Warrenton, VA 20187

Native plants provide better food for insects, which in turn provide food for birds. You can make a huge difference for wildlife by planting native species on your property. Since fall 2019 The Clifton institute has been collecting seeds of native grassland plants from around the area, which means in addition to being native they are of local ecotypes. At the plant sale they will sell seedlings grown from these seeds of a variety of perennial wildflowers, native grasses, and a few trees. Some of their favorites include butterflyweed, upland ironweed, scaly blazing star, narrow-leaf mountain-mint, and gray goldenrod. Partners from other organizations will also have plants and merchandise for sale. They will accept credit card, cash, or checks made out to the Clifton Institute. Hope to see you there!

Spring Creatures of The Night, May 17th

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Image: Courtesy of the Clifton Institute

Friday, May 17, 2024
8:00 – 9:30PM

The Clifton Institute
6712 Blantyre Rd
Warrenton, VA 20187

Cost: FREE

Registration is REQUIRED.

Join the Clifton Institute for a night-time exploration of their trails and vernal pools while participants listen for frog calls, look for insects, and see what animals swimming in the ponds.

Cancellation policy: If you register and can no longer attend this event, please let the Clifton Institute know as soon as possible so that they can open your spot to someone else.

By registering for this event, you are affirming that you have read and agree to the Clifton Institute liability release policy.

Science Saturday: Box Turtles, May 11th

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Image: Courtesy of The Clifton Institute, Box Turtles

Saturday, May 11, 2024
1:00 – 4:00PM

The Clifton Institute
6712 Blantyre Rd
Warrenton, VA 20187

Cost: FREE

Registration is REQUIRED.

In 2022, The Clifton Institute started a research project to study what habitats Box Turtles use at different times of year. This will help inform researchers and other landowners about the best time of year to mow fields and do other land management practices that might disrupt or even kill Box Turtles. On this second installment of Science Saturdays, participants will help get the 2024 season started by looking for turtles that were radio-tagged last year as well as potentially finding new turtles to tag. This is a special opportunity to tag along with the staff researchers and see how field science is done.

Cancellation policy: If you register and can no longer attend this event, please let the Clifton Institute know as soon as possible so that they can open your spot to someone else.

By registering for this event, you are affirming that you have read and agree to the Clifton Institute liability release policy.

The Sounds of Nature: How Natural Sounds are Made and Why They Sound Like They Do *Virtual*, February 22nd

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Image: Courtesy of the Clifton Institute

February 22, 2024
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

**This is a virtual program**

FREE

Registration is REQUIRED.

As mostly visual creatures, we often take sound for granted, but there is a whole incredible world of vibrations going on around us. In this Zoom program, Co-Director Eleanor Harris, Ph.D., will explain how natural sounds are made and how both human and non-human animals hear them. From why birds sing in the morning to how insects hear with their legs, thinking about sounds in nature might change the way you see and hear the world around you. A Zoom link will be emailed to participants shortly before the program.

Cancellation policy: If you register and can no longer attend this event, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can open your spot to someone else.

By registering for this event, you are affirming that you have read and agree to the Clifton Institute liability release policy.

Spotted Salamander Walk, February 13th

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Image: Courtesy of The Clifton Institute

February 13, 2024
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

The Clifton Institute
6712 Blantyre Rd
Warrenton, VA 20187

FREE

Registration is REQUIRED.

Once a year, salamanders leave their homes in the woods and head toward vernal pools, temporary ponds created by spring rains and melting winter snow. The conditions must be just right, a warm night with rainy conditions. The males arrive first and lay sperm sacks around the pond. The females come later and absorb these sacks, which causes them to lay their eggs, about 50-100 per female. Join this walk to the vernal pools to witness this spectacle of nature.

It will be necessary to watch the weather closely to adjust the time and date that looks most promising for the group to see this wonderful migration. For now, this date is a best-guess placeholder for the walk. You will receive an email closer to the date with information about when to meet.

Please bring a flashlight. As you will likely go out in the rain, the recommendation is to wear a raincoat and waterproof shoes.

Age:  Adults and children ages 12 and up, accompanied by an adult.

COVID-19 Information: This program will be entirely outdoors (an outside porta potty will be available). It is required that everyone have a mask with them in case the class needs to go inside during inclement weather, to administer first aid, or for other reasons. Please do not attend if you are experiencing or have experienced in the last two weeks any symptoms associated with COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath, etc.).

Cancellation policy: If you register and can no longer attend this event, please let the Clifton Institute know as soon as possible so that they can open your spot to someone else.

Before attending this event, please read the information included on the Clifton Institute liability release form (click here).

How to iNaturalist, February 3rd

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Image: Courtesy of The Clifton Institute

February 3, 2024
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

The Clifton Institute
6712 Blantyre Rd
Warrenton, VA 20187

FREE

Registration is REQUIRED.

Cost: Free!

iNaturalist is a powerful tool for people to learn about nature and to contribute to science, but there are lots of people who are not sure how to use it. In this program, Co-Directors Bert and Eleanor Harris will give a brief introduction to the iNaturalist app and website and some background and why it is loved it so much. Then you will go outside and practice how to take pictures and upload them to have the best chance at having your observation identified. Please download the iNaturalist app onto your phone before you arrive.

Age:Adults and children accompanied by an adult.

Weather policy: Rain or shine except in case of extreme weather (e.g. thunderstorm or significant snow fall).

COVID-19 Information: This program will be entirely outdoors (an outside porta potty will be available). Please do not attend if you are experiencing or have experienced in the last two weeks any symptoms associated with COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath, etc.).

Cancellation policy: If you register and can no longer attend this event, please let the Clifton Institute know as soon as possible so that they can open your spot to someone else.

By registering for this event, you are affirming that you have read and agree to the Clifton Institute’s liability release policy.

 

Winter Tree Identification at The Clifton Institute, January 13th

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Image Courtesy of The Clifton Institute

Saturday, January 13, 2024
1:00 – 3:00 pm
Program is Free

Registration is required!

6712 Blantyre Road
Warrenton, Virginia 20187

Winter is a great time of year to learn how to identify trees and to practice looking at bark and twigs. The program will start with a brief presentation indoors about the tips and tricks to identify the most common trees in the forests. Then instructors will take participants on a mile-long walk in the woods to practice. This program is meant for beginners. Advanced botanists are welcome! If you would like to start practicing now or if you would like to bring some resources with you, we recommend the book Winter Tree Finder by May Theilgaard Watts and Tom Watts and the Flora of Virginia app.

Science Saturday: Grass Identification Workshop and Survey, November 18th

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Image: Courtesy of The Clifton Institute

Saturday, November 18, 2023
 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

The Clifton Institute
6712 Blantyre Rd
Warrenton, VA 20187

Fee: FREE, but registration is required

Register here.

Since 2019, The Clifton Institute has been working to restore a 100-acre field that was dominated by Tall Fescue into a diverse native grassland. In cooperation with Virginia Working Landscapes and the Oak Spring Garden Foundation, they are conducting an experiment to test which of eight methods are best for establishing and maintaining native plants. In this workshop, participants will be given a brief introduction to the restoration experiment and an introduction to common grass species identification. Then attendees will walk about half a mile out into the grassland where they will practice their grass identification skills while learning about the methods the scientists use to study the results of the different treatments.

Cost: Free!

Age:  Adults and children accompanied by an adult.

Weather policy: Rain or shine except in case of extreme weather (e.g. thunderstorm or significant snow fall).

COVID-19 Information: This program will be entirely outdoors (an outside porta potty will be available). Please do not attend if you are experiencing or have experienced in the last two weeks any symptoms associated with COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath, etc.).

Registration is REQUIRED.


Cancellation policy: If you register and can no longer attend this event, please let The Clifton Institute know as soon as possible so that they can open your spot to someone else.

By registering for this event, you are affirming that you have read and agree to The Clifton Institute liability release policy.

Image: Courtesy of The Clifton Institute

Mushroom Walk, October 14th

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Saturday, October 14, 2023
2:00 – 4:00 PM

FREE

The Clifton Institute
6712 Blantyre Rd
Warrenton, VA 20187

Registration is REQUIRED.

 

Come to the Clifton Institute for a  fung-tastic afternoon with friends at the Mycological Association of Washington, DC to learn about mushrooms! This program will include a presentation on mushroom biology and identification followed by a walk where we’ll see how many species we can find.

Age: Adults and children accompanied by an adult.

Weather policy: Date and time subject to change dependent on weather. Please check your email for updates on the morning of the event.