From the December 2005 issue

Avalanche of Frosty Fun at Ed Centers

The five Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) environmental education centers are brimming with family activities as the holidays and winter approach. Whether you're an amateur naturalist, crafter or a parent looking for productive ways to fill school break time, you're sure to find something fun and interesting to do. A brief overview highlighting a small sample of upcoming activities at the ed centers follows.

Five Rivers Environmental Education Center

Bird watchers will be plenty
busy at the Five Rivers Bird Count

On December 17, prepare for the holidays with a program called Seasonal Decorations. Families and individuals are invited to come make decorations using natural material and recyclables. On December 27, at the Family Art Program, learn about nature while collecting a winter bouquet, and making the vase to hold it. Learn to identify animal signs and draw mounted animals, or use plaster to cast and decorate animal tracks. On January 1, start 2006 off right at the annual New Year's Day Bird Count. Help ring out the old and ring in the new, as you search high and low for our fine feathered friends.

Some programs require fees, supplies or reservations. See "Related Links" below for complete information on these and other programs offered throughout the winter. The fall 2005 issue of Five Rivers' newsletter, 5 Rivers Tributary contains the December schedule and Five Rivers Winter Schedule of Events covers the rest of the winter.

Quogue Wildlife Refuge

December 16, join the Quogue staff for the Family Holiday Party and have a crafty winter evening making holiday memories with the whole family. December 18, create your own tiny elf house to take home using natural and household ingredients. From December 27-30, take refuge from the winter doldrums at one of Quogue's School Break Programs. Staff will have a different wildlife and habitat topic each day.

Some programs require fees, supplies or reservations. See the DEC Region 1 Calendar of Events, 2005-2006 (Quogue Wildlife Refuge) in the "Related Links" below for complete information on these and other programs offered throughout the winter.

Dr. Victor Reinstein Woods

December 21, take a Solstice Stroll to mark the longest night of the year. Join the Reinstein staff for an evening walk in the woods and take a quiet break from the holiday madness. During the holiday school break on December 27, 29th and 31st, Family Snowshoe Walks will be held. Try out a pair of our snowshoes or bring your own and enjoy a tour of the woods in winter. December 30 go on a Star Search of the night sky for winter constellations.

Some programs require fees, supplies or reservations. See Reinstein Woods Program Schedule in the "Related Links" below for complete information on these and other programs offered throughout the winter.

Rogers Environmental Education Center

Every Saturday in December (except Christmas Eve) there's something to do at Rogers. At Natural Wreath Making, master gardener Jean Barrows will show you how to use conifer boughs and cones to make a lovely holiday wreath. Or you can create a nice, personalized gift for yourself or someone else by decorating a re-useable canvas bag using acrylic paints and rubber stamps at the Decorate a Bag program.

The sled dogs at Rogers Winter Living
Celebration are always popular

On January 7, come celebrate the unique pleasures of winter at the Winter Living Celebration. This event is jam packed with activities. Take a horse-drawn sleigh ride. Go snowshoeing, cross-country skiing or ice fishing. See sled dog mushing and ice boating demonstrations. You can warm up indoors too, where there'll be exhibits, storytelling and live music. Get the full flavor of the event by reading the article "Celebrating Winter" in the December issue of Conservationist magazine; available by subscription (see "Related Links" below).

Some programs require fees, supplies or reservations. See Rogers Fall 2005 Schedule of Events in the "Related Links" below for complete information on these and other programs offered throughout the winter.

Stony Kill Farm Environmental Education Center

The Stony Kill Manor House
is decorated for the holidays

Stony Kill Farm fills all its December Saturdays with fun. Listen to Winter Stories and enjoy a few good winter tales told and read aloud. The stories, from various native peoples around the world, helped pass the time during long winter nights. Or join beaver, turtle, bat and bee as they discuss with their friends ways of surviving the upcoming winter at the Winter Puppet Show. At Winter Greens, discover the fascinating world of evergreen plant life in the "dead of winter." Native ferns, club mosses, and other small evergreen plants, now protected species, were gathered by our ancestors for holiday decorations.

On December 29, bring the whole family for a day of old-fashioned holiday fun at the Holiday Open House, which will take place in the Manor House and Farmstead. At the barn, there will be crafts, kids activities, candle dipping, a puppet show, refreshments and tours through the livestock area. At the Manor House, there will be live music, tours, story-telling, decorations, crafts and refreshments by the Verplanck Garden Club.

Some programs require fees, supplies or reservations. See Stony Kill Farm Winter Schedule of Events in the "Related Links" below for complete information on these and other programs offered throughout the winter.