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Houston Arboretum & Nature Center is gearing up for the best, most exciting, hands on classes of the season, and we want you to get a slice of the action! Ever wondered how you’d survive if you were stranded on a deserted island? Or maybe just how to prepare dishes using nature’s most delicious ingredients? Spend the afternoon with hawks, owls, falcons, and vultures from Sky Kings Falconry at Hawk Walk. Continue the fun at Geocaching Basics where you’ll learn the fundamentals of geocaching and join the world’s greatest scavenger hunt. The action doesn’t stop there! I have included a brief overview of all the upcoming events at the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center, and hope you will share this information with your readers. Please let me know if you have any questions or need any additional information, such as pictures. Thank you!
Family Programs
Series: Naturally Wild Families
Outdoor adventures for ages 6 and up, with a parent or other adult guardian. Reservations are required for all classes. Creating outdoor experiences for families in the heart of the city. Join our naturalists for some quality time with your family learning new skills and ways to get outside and be healthier, happier, and smarter!
Instructor: Tiffany Ritter
Geocaching Basics
Saturday, September 10
1:00 – 3:00 pm
$25 member / $50 nonmember – per family
Notes: Price includes up to 4 family members; $5 per additional family member.
This is a beginner’s class for the fun hobby of geocaching. We’ll learn the basic terminology and how to use a GPS in a short introduction, and then set out to look for geocaches around the Arboretum for the remainder of the time. For those who like a challenge, we will have Garmin GPS units available for your use, but if you have a smart phone, there are several Geocaching apps you can download that are very easy to use. Recommended smartphone apps are Geocaching by Groundspeak or c:geo. It is helpful if you set up a profile on Geocaching.com before the class.
Special Events
Hawk Walk
Saturday, September 10
2:00 – 6:30 pm (shows begin at 2 pm, 3 pm, 4pm, 5 pm)
$30 member / $45 nonmember / $15 children ages 5-12
Instructor: Kevin Gaines
Take a walk on the wild side of the Arboretum at our Fall Hawk Walk! As you wander along the trail, you’ll make stops along the way to meet hawks, owls, falcons, and vultures from Sky Kings Falconry. There will be photo opportunities and question and answer time at each stop. Don’t miss this chance to experience these magnificent creatures up close and in flight in our natural surroundings. Beverages will be available to keep you hydrated!
Plants & Gardening
Native Plant Propagation
Sunday, September 18
1:00 – 5:00 pm
$40 member / $65 nonmember
Instructor: Lan Shen
Native plants are wonderful to grow in your garden, but they can be hard to find. Using the right propagation technique can help you spread the plants you already have or grow new plants from seeds and tiny fragments safely harvested from the wild. In this class, you’ll learn about the easiest native plants to grow, their value for wildlife, and about the tools and techniques you need to propagate them. You’ll then get to put your new skills to use by preparing seeds and taking cuttings from plants in the classroom and around the Arboretum. You will take home LOTS of plant material – start making room now! Note: Ages 16 and up.
Creating a Backyard Wildlife Habitat
Sunday, September 25
2:00 – 4:00 pm
$20 member / $35 nonmember
Instructor: Kelsey Low
In preparation for our Fall Plant Sale, come learn about how to turn your yard into a wildlife habitat. We’ll discuss the importance of native plants, cover, and water to attracting wildlife, and we’ll go over some of the best plant species to use. Then we’ll go on a walk around the Arboretum to see these plants in both wild and planted settings. You’ll also get a copy of the Fall Plant Sale booklet to preview. Note: Ages 16 and up.