Barn open Tuesday – Saturday 10am-4pm, Sunday 1-4pm 

 Unless otherwise noted (*) programs are Free to Members
and included with regular KNC admission to Non-members.
**Location: All programs begin in the Interpretive Center,
 unless otherwise noted (**)
Programs are 1 hour in length, unless other noted.

Insects in the Garden
Sunday, June 1 at 2 pm
**Meet: DeLano Homestead, 555 W. E Ave.
Outdoor program for families and adults
Take a journey through the herb garden at DeLano. Along the way learn about the insects, beneficial and unwanted, that call the garden home. 

Story Corner at the Barn
Saturdays, June 7, 14, 21, and 28 at 10:30 am
**Meet: Barnyard, upper level
For children who enjoy stories and their families
Meet in the Barnyard for fun and interactive nature stories and, of course, a visit with the animals. Each week will be filled with new adventures and stories!

Stroller Stroll
Tuesday, June 3 at 10 am
**Meet: Interpretive Center Parking Lot by the Sundial
Interactive, Parent to Child (3 and under) learning w/a naturalist guide
Bring your little one to explore the wonders of nature in a safe, hands-on environment. Great time to meet and talk with other parents, too!

Kirtland’s Warbler Road Trip
Friday, June 6 (3pm) – Saturday, June 7 (6pm)
*Fee: Members $150, Non-members $180 (double occupancy); Members $195, Non-members $225 (single occupancy); Non-members receive a one year membership to KNC
Registration and payment required by Wednesday, June 4: (269) 381-1574 ext. 0
**Meet: Interpretive Center Parking Lot
Adults (14+) interested in bird watching
Explore the Jack Pine forests of Northern Michigan in search of the Kirtland’s Warbler. Enjoy a trip with other birders and let KNC naturalists take care of the driving and all the details. We’ll spend Friday evening birding as a group, take the USFWS tour Saturday morning, and make a stop at Hartwick Pines on our journey home. Price includes transportation, meals (except dinner Friday night), lodging, and expert naturalists every step of the way. 
Leaders: Kara and Josh Haas

Frog Fun
Sunday, June 8 at 2 pm
Outdoor program for all ages
Jump into the world of frogs through hands-on activities and games along the trail.

Small Wonders: Hopping Frogs
Tuesday, April 10, 9:30-11:30 am
*Fee: $2/child (in addition to regular admission, if applicable)
Parent-led activities for ages 0-5
Explore nature with your child! Interactive nature stations are set up to encourage learning with your child, including time outdoors (weather permitting). No registration is required; just drop in! Children must be age 5 or  under accompanied by an adult.

Connecting Women & Nature:
Learn about One’s Nature through Nature…
Camping and Hiking South Manitou Island
Friday, June 13 (5:30 am)- Sunday, June 15 (10 pm)
*Fee: Members $130, Non-members $165 (includes membership)
Registration and payment required by Friday, May 30: (269) 381-1574 ext. 0
**Meet: Interpretive Center Parking Lot
Women (18+)
Join Sarah Reding, Naturalist and Connecting Nature and Women Guide, and Pam Poley, ACSW Women’s group leader, as they guide you through a weekend of self expression and nature exploration on South Manitou Island. Arrive by ferry to the island, backpack to your site, and sleep under the stars. Explore the learning available to us through the natural world, our connections to it, and how we can benefit from its wonders and teachings. Sarah and Pam both have experience in group facilitation, backpacking, hiking, and connecting women with nature in fun, creative exploration.Fee includes transportation to Leland, ferry travel, gear instruction, and guides.

Learning to Live with the Massasauga Rattlesnake Workshop
Saturday, June 14, 1-3 pm 
*Space is limited, please Registration by Wednesday, June 11: (269) 381-1574 ext. 0
All ages
Snakes are fascinating creatures that are often misunderstood and Michigan’s only native venomous snake, the Eastern Massasauga, is no exception.  During the workshop, participants will have the opportunity to see a LIVE Massasauga and learn about where they live, why they are an important part of our ecosystem, and what we can do to help encourage their dwindling population.  Snake enthusiasts and skeptics are all welcome!
Presenter: Rebecca Christoffel, a wildlife ecologist who currently works with D. J. Case and Associates, a natural resource educational consulting firm, in Indiana. Rebecca has been a key team member on the Massasauga education project, sponsored by Michigan Natural Features Inventory in southern Michigan. Rebecca has conducted educational workshops on timber rattlesnakes in Wisconsin and Minnesota, and has had extensive experience conducting education and outreach on amphibians and reptiles and other environmental or natural resource issues.

Father’s Day at the Homestead
Sunday, June 15, 1-4 pm
**Meet: DeLano Homestead, 555 W. E Ave.
Outdoor, hands-on activities for families and adults
Celebrate Father’s Day with a trip back in time to a 19th century homestead. Try your hand at using old-time tools and toys. Chat with hard-working blacksmiths as they hammer out useful iron items. Visit our log cabin and make a wooden peg just like the ones that Pa and Laura used to build The Little House in the Big Woods. Explore the historic farmhouse and test your knowledge of antique tools and kitchenware. Then show the rest of the family how to walk on stilts.

Kanoe the Kazoo
Tuesday, June 17, 6-8 pm
*Fee: $25/canoe (2 people/canoe)
Registration and payment required by Wednesday, June 11: www.kingmanmuseum.org
**Meet: Verburg Park, 669 Gull Street, Kalamazoo
Canoe trip, all skill levels welcome
Join KNC naturalists for a summer float down a lovely stretch of the Kalamazoo River. We will spend time looking for turtles, Great Blue Herons, Cedar Waxwings, and more. Fee covers canoe rental, naturalist guide, and transportation back to your vehicle.  Kanoe the Kazoo is a community-wide event – Please visit www.kingmanmuseum.org/kanoethekazoo for more information.

*Barn Program every Wednesday this Summer!  Programs are for children ages 2-8 and anyone with a love for animals!

Wednesday Morning at the Barn:  Chicken or the Egg?
Wednesday, June 18,  10 -11:30 am
*Fee: $2/participating child (in addition to regular admission, if applicable)
**Meet: Barnyard, upper level
Indoor/outdoor, hands-on, and exploratory activities for children w/an adult
An egg is a shelter for a baby chick for just 21 days. How does the hard-working hen take care of her eggs? Do some egg experiments, make an egg to take home, play games, and meet our bantam hen and rooster.

June 21: Celebrate the Summer Solstice with the season opening of the Native Butterfly House.

Green Living Series: Tips on Native Gardening
Sunday, June 22 at 2 pm
Indoor/Outdoor lecture
Speaker: Suzie Knoll, Native Connections (www.nativeconnections.net)
Get the low down on gardening with native plants!  Discover the advantages of planting native, see examples of native gardens for sunny, shady or wetland areas and get species specific information.  At the end of the program, tour our Hummingbird/Butterfly Garden where we are currently adding more native species to improve the quality of habitat within this formal space.  All levels of gardeners welcome! 

Boomers and Beyond: Back in Time
Tuesday, June 24, 11 am - 1 pm
**Meet: DeLano Homestead, 555 W. E Ave.
Adults (ages 55+), interactive, outdoor, social
Step back in time at the DeLano Homestead. Built in 1858, this home is filled with treasures from the past. We’ll make new memories while recalling stories from the past. Bring your lunch and a friend!

Willow Furniture Making Workshop
Tuesday, June 24, 5-9 pm
*Fee: Dependent upon project, see below
Registration and payment required by Wednesday, June 18: (269) 381-1574 ext. 0
**Meet: Interpretive Center Parking Lot
Adults
Want to create something unique for home or garden? Bim Willow, local furniture maker, will bring all the supplies and his expertise. Visit www.naturecenter.org for a link to pictures of each project. Fee includes instruction and all supplies. At end of evening, you will have a finished piece of furniture to take home!
*Fee (Member/Non-Member)
Bent Willow Chair ($220/$240)
Bent Willow Loveseat ($310/$330)
Garden Bench ($90/$110)
Ladder Back Chair ($120/$140)
3-piece Arbor ($250/$270)
2-shelf Baker’s Rack ($235/$255)
End Table ($55/$75)
Plant Stand ($55/$75)
1 Trellis AND 1 Sweet Pea Tripod Trellis ($60/$80)

http://www.gardenartists.cc/Bimwillow/bimwillow.htm

Wednesday Morning at the Barn: Goofy Goats
Wednesday, June 25,  10 -11:30 am
*Fee: $2/participating child in addition to regular admission, if applicable
**Meet: Barnyard, upper level
Indoor/outdoor, hands-on, and exploratory activities for children w/an adult
Goats have lots of personality and can be very useful on a farm or they can cause a lot of trouble.  Come to the barn to visit with our goofy goats and learn more about them.  Join us to make a craft, participate in activities and listen to stories!

*Connecting Women & Nature
Kayaking & the Coast!
Saturday, June 28 from 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
*Fee: Members $60, Non-members $75
Registration and payment required by Wednesday, June 18: (269) 381-1574 ext. 0
**Meet:  Interpretive Center Parking Lot
Active/Outdoor program for Women 14+
Join Kara Haas and Haley Breniser celebrate summer on the Kalamazoo River and the beaches of Lake Michigan!  Learn how to kayak and practice your skills with a relaxing float down the Kalamazoo River.  From the take out we’ll drive a few minutes into Saugatuck.  We’ll spend the afternoon picnicking and exploring along the dunes.  Included in the fee: transportation, lunch, equipment and expert naturalist guides!

Portage Park Discovery Programs
Sponsored by the Kalamazoo Nature Center and the Portage Parks and Recreation Department.  Join us for a natural connection to your parks!  Call Dan Keto at (269) 381-1574, ext. 25 with questions or to register.  Adults $5 / Children $3  Pay at the program.
Pre-registration is not required.  The Private Life of Birds
June 17,2008 at 7-8:30 p.m.
Westlake Nature Preserve                                                                                                              Explore the Life of Birds with Dan Keto as we follow the lives of our feathered neighbors. Migration, life cycles and identification will be discussed as we stroll through the park.    Lost in Space
June 24, 2008 at 7-8:30 p.m. 
Lakeview Park                                                                                                                           Take a journey through time and space. We will walk through the galaxy, without leaving the parks trails. Dan Keto will boldly go to the far reaches of our solar system. So all you Trekkies, Star Wars fans even the fireflies cruising the park come dressed to impress.
 

Fontana Festival Returns to the Nature Center                                                              Beginning in June, Fontana Chamber Arts’ Summer Music Festival returns to Cooper’s Glen Auditorium at the Kalamazoo Nature Center. As part of this annual chamber music festival presented in Kalamazoo, South Haven, and Three Rivers, the Nature Center will once again host a variety of world-class musicians and chamber ensembles this summer.Plan to attend performances at the Nature Center on June 25, July 2, 9, 11, 18, and 23. Artists include the Daedalus Quartet, Dr. Lonnie Smith Trio (jazz), Peter Soave’s Tango Sensations, Pacifica Quartet, Early Music Michigan, and the Silver Medalist of the Stulberg String Competition. On select dates, enjoy catered Dinners-on-the-Deck with other audience members before the concert. And don’t forget… It wouldn’t quite be summer without Fontana’s famous Ice Cream Intermissions!KNC Members Get a Discount—Purchase tickets to any Fontana Chamber Arts Summer Festival concert at the Nature Center for the special rate of $15 per adult and $5 per student/child. Just show your membership card at the time of purchase to receive this special discount.For more information about the 2008 Summer Music Festival, contact Fontana Chamber Arts (269) 382-7774 or visit www.fontanachamberarts.org.

Jr. Audubon Club of Kalamazoo                                                                                                   Jr. Audubon Club of Kalamazoo is a partnership with Kalamazoo Nature Center, Audubon Society of Kalamazoo, and Pierce Cedar Creek Institute. We meet once a month, focusing on a different aspect of the exciting world of birds.
Fee: Yearly Dues - $15 for the first child and $10 for each additional child per year
Pre-Registration required at (269) 381-1574 ext. 0
Audience: Yearlong club geared toward families with children ages 8 – 16Club membership includes a Jr. Audubon club membership badge, binder filled with interesting bird facts, Peterson’s Bird Field Guide, Michigan bird checklist, and tons of fun bird related goodies throughout the year. So grab your family and join us for a year of feathered fun!Prairie Birds
Saturday, June 28, 9 – 11 am
Meet at Kalamazoo Nature Center, 7000 N. Westnedge Ave, Kalamazoo, MI  49009
The wide open grassland habitat of the prairie offers a whole new variety of birds than we’ve found in the past. This is the home of Eastern Meadowlarks, Red-winged Blackbirds, several kinds of sparrows, and maybe even Bobolinks. Because it is difficult to sneak up on prairie birds, we will bring along a scope or two to get close-up looks at the beauties. Be sure to have your ears tuned up because there will be lots of singing