Press & Media

The VINS Nature Center offers an unforgettable family experience in nature. Situated on 47-acres in Quechee, VT, the Nature Center serves as the center of VINS' organizational operations, a resource for Vermont and New Hampshire residents, and a destination for tourists to the region. 

The Nature Center's self-guided nature trails wind visitors through a floodplain forest, along the Ottauquechee River and through an upland meadow with established native wildflower species. The VINS Forest Canopy Walk, an ADA-accessible boardwalk, offers visitors of all abilities a new perspective and way to experience the beauty of the landscape, at times 40-100 feet above the forest floor! The Nature Center also has an Adventure Playscape, a natural playground for children with creative elements that are fun for all ages.

Visitors to the Nature Center can also experience daily live animal programs, interactive exhibits, a Nature Store, private experiences with animals or rental spaces for private events.

The VINS Forest Canopy Walk complements VINS’ mission and enhances its world-class environmental education for visitors. Designed so people of all levels of ability can enjoy it, this new feature offers every generation a new perspective and way to experience the beauty of the landscape.

The landscape of VINS’ 47-acre property is perfectly suited to allow people to gain elevation without the need for stairs or steep ramps. Because the land drops in elevation as it slopes toward the backwater of the Ottauquechee River, we've built a boardwalk that remains relatively level while the land drops away beneath. At the highest points, visitors are an amazing 65 feet above the forest floor getting eye-to-eye with tiny warblers, woodpeckers and squirrels!

View Articles on the Opening of the Canopy Walk:
Woodstock Magazine Fall

VINS Gives a Tour of the Treetops with New Canopy Boardwalk
https://www.vnews.com/VINS-unveils-forest-canopy-boardwalk-28808116
Source: Valley News / David Corriveau / September 28, 2019

VINS Animal Outreaches deliver place-based education programs, combining environmental science concepts with hands-on exploration to build empathy and empower individuals to care for local natural ecosystems.

VINS School Programs enhance the STEM, science inquiry and place-based education in schools across the Upper Valley and beyond through embedded teacher professional development and direct student instruction.

VINS Field Trips are designed to work with and enhance classroom curriculum, making every visit to VINS a valuable experience for students and teachers. All VINS Field Trips are aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards and can be customized to fit seamlessly into your curriculum.

VINS Teacher Professional Development immerses teachers in the best practices in science instruction, focusing on implementing science content and Next Generation Science Standards in the classroom. This is done by using Science and Engineering Practices, Disciplinary Core Ideas, and Crosscutting Concepts.

VINS Center for Wild Bird Rehabilitation and Ambassador Care is responsible for providing excellent care to injured avian wildlife. We are the largest avian rehabilitation center in Vermont. VINS' highly trained staff treat over 1,000 injured, orphaned, and ill birds from throughout Vermont and New Hampshire each year and care for all resident raptors, songbirds, and reptiles at the Nature Center.