Earth Day is April 22nd!

Here are some fun things you can do with your school:

Earth Day Ideas

Marker Drive - Crayola Color Cycle

Battery Drive - Bring to Holly Hill

Book Drive – or sale

Clothing Drive - Neighbor to Neighbor, Dress for Success, Jr. League

Assembly with Recycled materials made into instruments

Recyclables Relay Races

Build a bin worm composter

Recycled craft ideas – polystyrene tray mosaic, water bottle crafts

Walk or Bike to school

Read environmental poetry

Students take environmental pledges

Greenwich Conservation  Commission is a good resource - Earth Day Program

Presenters from the Garden Education Center or Audubon - see websites - Contact Educational Director

April 24th, Arbor Day, to arrange a tree planting on your school grounds, contact Greenwich Tree Conservancy with information about where the trees are needed.

Bash The Trash  Performance Event

Recycling is Magic – CJ May (AKA Cyril the Sorcerer) – elementary schools

"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." - John Muir

Audubon Greenwich Spring Schedule

Audubon Greenwich Spring Schedule

613 Riversville Road, Greenwich, CT 06831 | 203-869-5272 |

LINK:  greenwich.audubon.org

http://greenwich.audubon.org/nature-program-calendar

APRIL

Saturday, April 2
Early Spring Mead Lake Hike
2:00 - 3:45 p.m.
All Ages - $3 member, $5 non- member
Join us for a walk to Mead Lake to seek colorful tree buds, early flowers, and emerging turtles, frogs, snakes, and re- turning birds. RSVP to Ted at 203-930- 1353 or tgilman@audubon.org.

Sunday, April 3
Family Nature Play: Tracks & Traces
1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
Price per Family - $10 member, $15 non-member
Join an experienced naturalist for an ex- citing day of family explorations. Discover wildlife through their tracks and the trac- es they leave. RSVP to Susan at sematthews@audubon.org.

Sunday, April 3
Summer Camp Expo & Reunion
2:30 - 4:00 p.m.
Free
Enjoy a sampling of exciting summer camp activities at our first Summer Camp Expo & Reunion! Reconnect with old camp friends while making s'mores around a campfire. Light refreshments will be avail- able. Families who bring a new, prospective camper will receive a 20% off coupon for our nature store. RSVP to Susan at 203-930- 1387 or sematthews@audubon.org.

Early Morning Bird Walks
Wednesdays: April 6 - May 25 at Fairchild Garden from 7:00 - 8:30 a.m.
Saturdays: April 2 - May 21 at Audubon Center from 7:00 - 8:45 a.m.

Sunday April 10

Vernal Pools: Search for Frogs, Sala- manders, & More!
2:00 - 3:30 p.m.
All ages - $3 member, $5 non- member
Join us for an afternoon walk to the ver- nal pool at the Fairchild Wildflower Gar- den. We will look and listen for breeding wood frogs, spring peepers, and spotted salamanders. RSVP to Susan at 203-930- 1387 or sematthews@audubon.org.

Nature Sprouts Series
Wednesdays, April 13 - May 18 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Ages 18 months - 4 years old & Adult - $30 per session, $150 for all six sessions
Explore nature with your child at Audu- bon Greenwich. Enjoy short hikes, live animal meet & greets, stories, family fun, and crafts. Adults enjoy a brief conserva- tion discussion at the end of each class. Themes will include: nature play, animal architects, signs of spring, pollinators, and much more. RSVP to Susan at 203-930- 1387 or sematthews@audubon.org.

Saturday, April 16
Birding by Ear
9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Adults & Interested Youth - $12 member, $15 non-member, no charge for youth
Learn how and why birds vocalize, listen to bird song recordings, and then walk outdoors to practice your Birding-by-Ear skills. Registration is required with Ted at 203-930-1353 or tgilman@audubon.org.

Saturday, April 16
Invasive Plant Workshop & Walk
2:00 - 3:15 p.m.
$3 member, $5 non-member
Learn about our local "aliens" and the problems they are causing for native plants, insects, birds, and people. RSVP to Ted at 203-930-1353. Ages 12 & up are invited to help control invasive plants on our grounds after the workshop, 3:30 - 4:45 p.m.

Thursday, April 21 - New England Wild Flower Society Native Plant Workshop
at Audubon Greenwich
Wildflowers of Connecticut
7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
$14 member, $16 non-member
Join botanist Ted Elliman for a look at the wildflowers of Connecticut as de- scribed in his new book A Field Guide to the Wildflowers of New England. Books will be available for sale, and a book signing will follow the lecture.

Saturday, April 23
Wildflower Ecology & Photo Walk
2:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Ages 5 & up - $3 member, $5 non- member
Come walk and learn about the natural history of early spring wildflowers. Dis- cover the ecological niches and insect pollinators of these fragile woodland treasures. Bring a camera or cell phone to snap some pictures. RSVP to Ted at 203- 930-1353 or tgilman@audubon.org.

Saturday, April 30
Native Plant Sale Pre-Order Deadline
It's time to place your native plant order. Beautify your garden and provide a more sustainable food supply for birds, pollina- tors, and other wildlife. To place your order, visit greenwich.audubon.org/native- plant-sale by April 30.

MAY

Sunday, May 1
Family Nature Play: Sensory Hike
1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
All Ages - Price per Family - $10 members, $15 non-members
Use your five senses to explore the for- ests and fields during an afternoon of na- ture discovery. RSVP to Susan at 203-930- 1387 or sematthews@audubon.org.

Saturday, May 7
Wood Warblers & Other Neotropical Migrants
9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Adults & Interested Youth - $12 member, $15 non-member, no charge for youth
Explore the characteristics, adaptations, life histories, and behaviors of these col- orful springtime migrants. Learn identifica- tion tips and resources for continued study. Registration required with Ted at 203-930-1353 or tgilman@audubon.org.

Sunday, May 8
Mother's Day Celebration Walk
1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
All Ages - $3 members, $5 non- members, (Mom's are free!)
Are you looking for a special place to take mom on Mother's Day? Join us for an afternoon walk at our beautiful 285-acre wildlife sanctuary. Afterwards, mom will enjoy a 20% discount on nature store items, while kids make a nature-themed craft for mom. RSVP to Susan at 203-930- 1387 or sematthews@audubon.org.

Saturday, May 14
International Migratory Bird Day Celebration—Bird Walk & Breakfast 6:30 - 9:30 a.m.
$10 per person for breakfast
Enjoy an early morning hike and hearty breakfast. RSVP required for breakfast. Contact Ted at 203-930-1353 or tgilman@audubon.org.

Friday, May 20 - Sunday, May 22 Native Plant Sale & Order Pickup Visit Audubon Greenwich to purchase a wide selection of native plants to beautify your garden and provide wildlife habitat! Also pick up plants that were pre-ordered by the April 30th deadline. Sale & pick up hours: May 20 (2 - 6 p.m.), May 21 (9 a.m. - 5 p.m.), and May 22 (10 a.m. - 5 p.m.).

Saturday, May 21
Insects on Our Native Plants
2:00 - 3:30 p.m.
All Ages - $3 member, $5 non- member
Emerging insects and other invertebrates are essential foods for birds returning from their winter homes. Join us as we search local plant life for critters that feed our avian friends. RSVP to Ted at 203-930 -1353 or tgilman@audubon.org.

Saturday, May 28
Turtle Time
2:00 - 3:30 p.m.
All Ages - $3 member, $5 non- member
Meet some of Audubon's resident turtles and discover their natural history, nesting behavior, and how to protect these fan- tastic reptiles. Then hike to Mead Lake in search of nesting turtles. RSVP with Ted at tgilman@audubon.org or 203-930- 1353.

Paper Shredding Day - April 30th

From: Daviesally@aol.com
Date: March 24, 2016 at 3:04:05 PM EDT
To: Daviesally@aol.com
Subject: Shred Your Sensitive Documents

Spring is here!  Time to clear out your old financial statements, medical records and documents that contain sensitive and personal information and bring them along to the paper shredding event sponsored by GRAB and Greenwich Green & Clean. We do ask that you sort out your materials so that we are not shredding extraneous material.  This only holds up the line unnecessarily.

• Saturday, April 30
• Island Beach parking lot
• 9:30 am - 12:15 pm
• 2 cans of Tuna or Fruit per box of paper or $2/box
• Box size similar to 10-ream case, 12" x 18" x 12", maximum 5 boxes
• All non-sensitive papers, folders, envelopes, paper clips, plastic binders and covers MUST be removed and recycled with regular single stream recycling.  Staples are ok.

Food will be donated to Neighbor-to-Neighbor.  Paper is shredded on-site and properly recycled. 

 

There will also be a separate opportunity for residents to drop off gently used Children's books which the Book Shed at Holly Hill will sort and distribute where needed.

 

Please pass on to family, friends and neighbors. 

 

Sally Davies
Chair, Greenwich Recycling Advisory Board
daviesally@aol.com
203-629-2987
(c) 203-921-5334

GEC Lettuce Challenge - Last Chance to Register!

Teacher/volunteer Q&A and refreshments, and in-person school registration takes place Wednesday March 23, 3:30-5:00 pm at the GEC.  Please RSVP if you plan to register in person.  We will have registration forms printed out, and be available to answer questions.

Greenwich 2nd graders adopt and tend to lettuce plants for six weeks, and participate in community showcase at the Garden Education Center in Cos Cob, CT.

Welcome to the Greenwich Lettuce Challenge (CLICK HERE for google doc summary including plant care tips, award categories, and printable calendar)

Timing for Greenwich Lettuce Challenge 2016

• Online school registration, NOW OPEN, click here to register online.  Final school enrollment deadline will be Wednesday, March 23, 2016, 5:00 pm
• Teacher/volunteer Q&A and refreshments, and in-person school registration, March 23, 3:30-5:00 pm at the GEC
• Plant plug pickup for pre-registered schools, Wednesday, May 4, 2016, at the GEC, 10:00 am-4:00 pm
• Deliver three plants per school to the GEC, June 15th, 9am-1pm, with entry forms
• Showcase and Buttercrunch Awards, Wednesday June 15, 2016 at 4:00 p.m. in the Garden Education Center Gallery.

GreenSchools! Update

Burst into Spring with Project Learning Tree!
The clocks have changed, Spring is on its way! Take your students outside and get them to connect their seasonal observations about plants to those being made all across the country. They'll gain invaluable experience collecting data and contributing to ongoing scientific research about climate change.

• Use Project Learning Tree's free activities, like "Bursting Buds," "Looking at Leaves," and PLT's School Site Investigation, to help your students make observations of plants.
• Get your students to share their data by contributing to Project BudBurst's well-established citizen science project. They'll see their data appear on an online map and compare it to other data being recorded in their community and around the country.
• Find plenty more resources to teach about phenology and how changes in climate affect a plant's lifecycle. For more information, see https://www.plt.org/newsletter-project-budburst-and-plt.

GreenSchools for Early Childhood Project Learning Tree has expanded its GreenSchools program to specifically meet the needs of early childhood educators and younger learners. PLT's GreenSchools for Early Childhood includes an Educator Guide and five Investigations that teach young children about their environment and how they can make a difference, while developing their skills in language, mathematics, science, and more. To access the materials, login or create an account (it's free!)

Special Offer for EE Week EE Week is the nation's largest annual celebration of environmental education that takes place this year April 17-23. Register for EE Week and you'll get a 10% discount on PLT's PreK-8 e-Guide and Online Course. You'll also get free "Greening STEM" materials and educator toolkits, plus benefits from other partners such as Green Teacher Magazine, Acorn Naturalists, Ranger Rick Magazine, Nature Watch, and World Water Monitoring Challenge.

Regards,

James Riley McGirt
Manager of Education Programs
Project Learning Tree