2024-2025 Naturalist Series

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Join Outdoor U environmental education staff to learn about a variety of naturalist topics throughout the year.

Starting Native Plants from Seed
Saturday, Mar 22

9:00-11:00 a.m.
FREE – Outdoor U Members and CSB+SJU students
$10 – Nonmembers ($20 max per family)

Learn about the tools and techniques required to start your own native plants from seed.

Seeds Registration

Spring Wildflowers
Saturday, May 10

1:00-3:00 p.m.
FREE – Outdoor U Members and CSB+SJU students
$10 – Nonmembers ($20 max per family)

Hike in the Abbey Arboretum in search of spring and early summer wildflowers. Discuss and observe the
variety of flowers blooming in the spring. Make a day of it! Sign up for our Spring Birding Day in the morning.

wildflowers Registration

Nocturnal Neighbors
Friday, June 6

7:30-9:00 p.m.
FREE – Outdoor U Members and CSB+SJU students
$10 – Nonmembers ($20 max per family)

Learn about a variety of birds, mammals, and other nocturnal species in the Abbey Arboretum.

nocturnal neighbors Registration

Butterflies
Tuesday, July 24

4:30-6:00 p.m.
FREE – Outdoor U Members and CSB+SJU students
$10 – Nonmembers ($20 max per family)

Learn about butterflies in the Abbey Arboretum, including details about caterpillars and host plants.

butterflies Registration

This series is open to the public and family-friendly (but please leave dogs and bikes at home; they are not allowed in the Abbey Arboretum).

A large number of acorns scattered on a snow-covered ground, with trees visible in the background under sunlight.
Orange butterfly with black spots and patterns on its wings resting on red flowers. The background is a blurred green, suggesting a natural outdoor setting.
A small owl with bright eyes perched on a bare tree branch at night, surrounded by the dark, leafless branches. The background is black, highlighting the owl and the tree.

Looking for More?

Make-and-Take Workshops
Learning about and using materials from the arboretum, choose from a variety of workshops to make and bring home your own projects: paddle making, snowshoe making, bat houses, walking sticks, willow baskets, and more!