Wildlife Ambassador Photo Contest
MAY 18 – JUNE 12 – Calling all wildlife photographers! Showcase your stunning Ambassador Animal photos in our annual Wildlife Ambassador Photo Contest. Your winning image could be featured in the VINS Ambassador Adopt Calendar and help inspire conservation efforts across our community. Selected photographers will receive a FREE calendar featuring their work, while retaining copyright to their images. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to share your wildlife photography passion!
Lens on the Wild: Photography Workshop
MAY 18 – Designed for the beginner to intermediate level photographer, Photojournalist Rob Strong will be on hand to review camera functions and settings and assist participants in applying techniques to get the most out of their camera, maximizing results and improving wildlife photography skills. NEW this year – submit your best workshop photo to our Wildlife Ambassador Photo Contest!
Dinosaur Discoveries
MAY 24 – Join a VINS educator as we explore dinosaur discoveries! Meet some of T. Rex’s great great grandchildren, and get a chance to touch a living fossil in a program featuring VINS live animal ambassadors. Next brush up on your paleontology skills and join a scavenger hunt for dinosaur bones.
Introduction to Birding – Beginner Bird Walk
MAY 31 – Join VINS for a birding adventure through the varied habitats at the VINS Nature Center, culminating in the treetops on the Forest Canopy Walk. During this workshop, VINS staff will open your eyes and ears to the avian life around you and help you build the skills to start birding wherever you go.
Remarkable Reptile Day
JUNE 7 – Join us for a day celebrating all things reptiles! From turtle shells to snake smells, you will discover the amazing world of reptile adaptations. Enjoy close encounters, hands-on activities, crafts and more!
Birding Meetups
JUNE 14 – Meet at the VINS Nature Center for these informal gatherings with fellow birders. The Meet-up may take place at VINS or travel as a group to nearby locations such as Dewey’s Pond or the Quechee Gorge to visit the varied habitats of our area.
Drawing from Nature Class 1: Feathers and Nests A Workshop with Watercolor and Ink
JUNE 14 – In this year’s first Drawing from Nature class, get up close and personal with feathers and nests to appreciate their wonderful textures and intricate details. We will use this class to practice capturing those textures and details using VINS’ collection of artifacts. Learn tips and tricks for drawing as well as for creating vivid pages that depict personal natural history experiences. Drawing, sketching, and watercolor, experience not necessary, all skill levels welcome.
Mayflies and French Fries
JUNE 28 – Take a deep dive into the waters of the Ottauquechee River in search of hidden giants! Thanks to the efforts of our founders 51 years ago, the Ottauquechee River now teems with life in the most unexpected places. Join a VINS educator in a benthic macroinvertebrate survey of our river, as we search for all things creepy and crawly, slimy and scaly, and fascinating and fun! Practice different sampling and identification techniques and learn what these animals have to say about the health of their local ecosystem.
Yoga in the Canopy
JUNE 29 – Welcome to a yoga class like you’ve never experienced before. Ascend into the treetops on VINS’ Forest Canopy Walk and immerse yourself in the beauty of the summer foliage. Expect a slow-flow class that will incorporate sun salutations, standing poses, balance poses, and brief meditation. All levels of experience are welcome.