Community Science Fair
Saturday, May 14 / 10 AM – 5 PM
Included with General Admission

Ever wonder what it’s like to be a Field Scientist and take an active role in conserving the environment? Join VINS for our very first Community Science Fair! VINS will be conducting a BioBlitz throughout the day in an attempt to catalog as many species as possible that call our campus home. Go on a nature hike, hunt for bugs in the meadow, pick up a net to find aquatic invertebrates in the river, join for an evening on the canopy walk to find moths and more!

Each activity will highlight a Community Science Project you can do right in your own backyard!

Schedule:

All Day Events, Saturday, May 14 / 10 AM – 5 PM

• Community Science Information Station – Learn about the many Community Science Projects you can do right in your own backyard!
• Bug Safari: Go on a bug hunt. Educators will be with you to help you identify the critters you find. How many bugs will you catch?
• VINS Game Camera – Our game cameras have been hard at work taking videos of the animals that call VINS home. Come see some of the amazing footage, which animals can you recognize?
• Dragonflies with the Black River Action Team (BRAT) – Learn how you can be a Dragonfly Detective!

7:30 AM – 9:00 AM
Birding with eBird – Join us for an early morning walk to identify as many birds on campus as possible while learning how to contribute to eBird. Pre-registration required.

10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
iNaturalist and the VT Atlas of Life – Come learn about how to use iNaturalist with The Vermont Center for Ecostudies and how you can contribute to The Vermont Atlas of Life.

10:30am, 11:30am, 1:30pm
Lady Bug Hunts – The Vermont Center for Ecostudies is on the hunt for Lady Beetles as part of their Vermont Lady Beetle Atlas, grab a net and see what you can find!

11:00 AM -11:30 AM
Raptors Up Close – Join us as we explore the natural world through the eyes of raptors.

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Guided Tree Hike – Ever wonder how to identify the different trees that surround you? Join us on this guided hike to identify the many species you see on the way.

2:00 PM  – 2:30 PM
Reptile Encounter – Discover the amazing abilities of our scaly friends: the reptiles.

1:00 PM, 3:00 PM
Macro Invertebrate Adventure – Grab a net and help us find and identify the macro invertebrates that call the Ottauquechee home.

3:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Raptors Up Close – Join us as we explore the natural world through the eyes of raptors.

8:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Mothing on the Canopy Walk – Folks of all ages are invited to join us for a late-night exploring the incredible world of moths and other night time flies. Pre-registration required.