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Ansonia Nature & Recreation
Center
Calendar of Events
Winter 2011
To register for events call (203) 736-1053 |
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2011 Theme—Sustainable Communities
Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center Mission Statement
The mission of the Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center is to foster an ethic of environmental stewardship that will connect our communities to the natural world of the Lower Naugatuck River Valley, and balance the demand for recreation with the need for conservation.
Garden Tip: Save your leaves to spread on top of your garden this fall (don't send them away). If possible, chop them up first with a shredder or a lawn mower; the earthworms will love you for it! When you rake the leaves away in the spring, your garden soil will be healthier and all ready for your plants to thrive! AWESOME!
Winter 2011 Calendar of Events
DECEMBER
REDWING POND HOUSE OPEN HOUSE – Sat. Dec. 3, 9 to 11 am and Wed. Dec. 7, 4 to 5 pm
Scheduled to open its doors in January, the Friends' new Nature-Based Preschool is currently accepting applications for enrollment in a three- and four-year-old morning program. Come and see this beautiful space and meet Jackie Lema, our new director. Call 203-734-7974 for more information.
NATURE'S CHILD: Feeding Winter Wildlife –Thurs. Dec. 8, 10:30 am
Help to make life easier for our native wild animals who live in your own back yard and in our nature preserve too. Ranger Wendy will provide all you need. For 3- to 5-year olds with an adult. TUITION: Ansonia residents and current family-level FANCI members, $4 per child; others, $6 per child. Adults come for free. Please register in advance.
WINTER TREE IDENTIFICATION with Ali – Sat. Dec. 10, 10 am
Take a crash course in winter botany with "twigenometry." Guaranteed to be fun and educational, this program is suitable for adults and school-aged kids, and scouts too. Registration is required. FREE.
COLD FULL MOON HIKE – Sat. Dec. 10, 6 pm
As the sun sets, the full moon rises to reveal our woodland trails and fields in a cold winter light. Identify trees by their shapes in the moonlight. Listen for Great Horned Owls hooting in the frosty air. Wear warm clothes and sturdy footgear. Enjoy a marshmallow roast over a warm fire. Rangers Wendy and Martin will lead. Limited to 30; individuals and families only. Dangerous walking conditions will cancel. FREE, but please register.
PARK TOTS: Gifts for Nature – Fri. Dec. 16, 10:30 am
Join Ranger Stefanie for this morning of making gifts for our park's wild creatures, then walk to decorate the "nature giving tree." Please call to register in advance. TUITION: $4 for Ansonia residents and family-level FANCI members, $6 for others.
CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT – Sat. Dec. 17, 12 noon
Be part of a 112-year-old tradition which started right here in New Haven, and help us find the many birds spending their winter in our area. There's no need to be a hard core birder to join the pros from the New Haven Bird Club, who will be counting and identifying everything with feathers all day long. They'll arrive in our park in time to eat lunch, then hit the trail, fields and forests. Call if you'd like to help. FREE.
WINTER SOLSTICE DRUMMING CIRCLE – Sat. Dec. 17, 6 pm
As we begin our journey of long, cold nights and short days, let's make music together by the fire. Dress for outdoors. Adults and children over 12 are welcome. Bring a canned food donation for the homeless shelter, and call to register with Ranger Dawn.
SURVIVAL HIKE – Sun. Dec. 18, 1 pm
How to behave in emergency situations and staying alive if you get lost is our topic. Join Justin Pegnataro of Two Coyotes and Ranger Martin for this afternoon survival skills session. Please call to register. FREE.
HOLIDAY NATURE DAYS: Unplugged! – Tues. to Fri., Dec. 27 through 30, 10 am to 1 and 3 pm
Sign up for four days of fun and games minus the batteries and wires. Wild animal senses will be our focus. Survival and "how to make a living" strategies will be incorporated in our daily sessions. Bring a healthy snack or lunch and plan to spend time outdoors during our winter adventure. Registration BEGINS NOW for priority students (Ansonia residents and current family-level FANCI members), Dec. 12 for all others. TUITION: 4- and 5-year-olds meet from 10 am to 1 pm; $65 ($50 priority students). Six- to 10-year-olds meet from 10 am to 3 pm; $120 ($95 priority students). Register in person. Checks payable to Ansonia Nature Center.
JANUARY
HAPPY NEW YEAR HIKE – Sun. Jan. 1, 2012, 10 am
Ranger Marty will be up early to lead this brisk hike through our park's frosty landscape. Start
the year off on the right foot this morning, and resolve to spend more time outdoors this year—even in the winter. FREE. Please call to register.
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL AT REDWING POND HOUSE – Tues. Jan. 3
Call us to make an appointment to visit this wonderful nature-based preschool facility and to meet the Friends' new school director, Jacqueline Lema.
REAL FOOD FOR REAL LIFE – Sat. Jan. 7, 2 pm
Tara Cook-Littman, a former New York City Prosecutor and now holistic health counselor, will
provide her audience with sound advice about choosing and preparing healthy snacks and meals. She will also introduce us to the "Stoplight Method," a color-coded guide for youngsters that helps them eat healthier. This system was developed by Dr. David Katz, a famous and local health columnist. FREE, but please call to register in advance.
NATURE'S CHILD: Wild Animal Tracks – Thurs. Jan. 12, 10:30 am
If we have snow, we'll look for footprints and other evidence of the park's wild critters who are
just trying to make a living this winter. Hear a story, and make a take-home craft too. TUITION: $4 for Ansonia residents and family-level FANCI members, $6 for others. Please register by Wed., Jan. 11.
FLY FISHING SAFARI with Jim Turecek – Sat. Jan. 14, 2pm
An enjoyable afternoon learning about the art and craft of fly fishing will take us to local trout streams and Long Island Sound —and to the bonefish flats of the Caribbean via Jim's slide-and-lecture presentation. Review the equipment, prey species, and the best flies to use for each. FREE; call to register.
CROSS COUNTRY SKIING – Mon. Jan. 16, 1 pm (Martin Luther King Jr. Day)
The old Farmer's Almanac is predicting another cold and snowy winter for the northeast this year.
Ranger Wendy will instruct and be your guide. You'll need to bring your own equipment. If we're snowless, we'll take a discovery hike instead. FREE, but please call to register in advance.
PARK TOTS: Winter Crafts – Fri. Jan. 20, 10:30 am
Ranger Stefanie will get creative with you and your little ones as she shares very simple winter
activities for you to do together.TUITION: family-level FANCI members and Ansonia residents,
$4; others $6. Adults come for free. Limited class size.
MAKE SOME BREAD! – Sat. Jan. 28, 2 pm
The warm and wonderful aroma of fresh bread will be evident this afternoon as we
taste a just-baked loaf. Then we'll grind whole grains, add yeast and flour, then
knead the dough and finally take some home to bake in our own ovens! All materials, ingredients, and directions provided. TUITION: $10 per person. Checks to Ansonia Nature Center. Please register in advance.
WINTER STAR PARTY – Sat. Jan. 28, 7 pm
Hear and see Andy Poniros' experiences and photos of NASA's last two space shuttles.
Presenters will head outdoors later, weather permitting, to peek at the Orion Nebula through powerful telescopes. Don't forget to ask Ranger Martin about the Nature Center's own unique telescope built from recycled materials during our recent telescope-building workshops. Dress for the cold, and please register. FREE.
FEBRUARY
SNOWSHOEING – Sat. Feb. 4, 2 to 4 pm
Join naturalist and Assistant Director Ali for a guided hike through our woodland and fields. Great exercise and fun for adults and older kids. We have a limited number of snowshoes, so please register in advance. THINK SNOW, SNOW, SNOW! FREE.
SNOW FULL MOON HIKE – Tues. Feb. 7, 6 pm
Dress for cold night temperatures for this unique hike at the Nature Center with Rangers
Wendy and Martin. Roasted marshmallows too! Weather permitting; dangerous footing on the trails will cancel. Limited to 30 participants; geared for individuals and families. FREE; registration is required.
NATURE'S CHILD: Hi-bbbuuurrr-nation – Thurs. Feb. 9, 10:30 am
Join Ranger Wendy for this class about staying alive! If groundhogs could talk, they'd ask why
we woke them up last week! Learn about their sleeping habits and why they'll doze on for
several more weeks. TUITION: $4 for Ansonia residents and family-level FANCI members, $6 for others. Please register in advance.
BACK TO BASICS: Learning the Drop Spindle – Sat. Feb. 11, 2 pm
The first of a series dedicated to fiber art handcrafts which incorporate natural fibers. Join Ranger Dawn Sotir to learn the ancient craft of the drop spindle and spin your own knitting yarn. Class will consist of a short lecture on the history of the drop spindle and how to prepare sheep's fleece for spinning, followed by hands-on spinning with a drop spindle. Each person will go home with a small skein of yarn and the knowledge needed to continue spinning yarn. For adults and older students. TUITION: $15 includes all materials and instruction. Pre-register.
PARK TOTS: Whose Footprints Are in the Snow? – Fri. Feb. 17, 10:30 am
For toddlers and infants with their adults, this program is planned for indoors and out. Take a walk with Park Ranger Stefanie to see who's out and about in the park. Enjoy the fresh air! TUITION: family-level FANCI members and Ansonia residents, $4; others $6. Adults come for free. Class size is limited.
WILDLIFE OF THE NAUGATUCK RIVER – Fri. Feb. 17, 7 pm (snow date Feb. 18)
Kevin Zak, Naugatuck River proponent and steward, will share his stories, photos, and enthusiasm for this Valley's most important natural resource. FREE, but please register in advance.
ORIENTEERING FOR BEGINNERS – Mon. Feb. 20, 2 pm (President's Day)
Park Ranger Wendy will teach this basic orienteering and map reading class. A good
program for scouts and other youth groups. Class size is limited to 12 children at least 6
years of age, each accompanied by an adult. TUITION: $6 per person. Call for information about suitable compasses.
ONGOING PROGRAMS
• Sundays: Guided Hikes, 1 pm.
• Thursdays, Yoga for Your Health, 6:30 pm
• Saturdays: Creature Features, 12 noon
THINGS TO COME (Mar., Apr., May)
Maple Festival (Mar. 3) • Earth Day (Apr. 28) • Gardening • Baby Birds • Nuisance Wildlife • CT's Large Predators • Spring Migrations • Amphibians with Attitude • Sunday Afternoon at the Movies • and much more!
