PLEASE CHECK BACK WITH US- OUR PROGRAM LIST IS UPDATED FREQUENTLY!!

ALL PROGRAMS REQUIRE PRE-REGISTRATION PRIOR TO THE DAY OF THE EVENT.

~~TO PRE-REGISTER FOR FREE PROGRAMS~~
call 973-543-6004 or email Environmental Educator Rich Santangelo: rich@schiffnaturepreserve.org

~~TO PRE-REGISTER FOR FEE PROGRAMS~~
Pay online here or send payment to 339 Pleasant Valley Road Mendham, NJ 07945.
Include participant's name, phone number and the name of the event that you are registering for.

Space will not be guaranteed until full payment is received.


Refunds or credits are provided if we are notified of your cancellation seven days or more prior to the start of the program.

2010 Events and Programs
Check regularly for additional programs.

September

Labor Day Parade
COST: FREE! (All ages)
Monday, September 6th, 9 a.m.
Schiff is once again a part of the Mendham Labor Day parade and we would love for you to join us. Sign up if you are interested in participating in this fun community event.

Natural History Hike
COST: $5 suggested donation on day of hike.
Thursday, September 9th, 9:15 am
Join us for a guided hike with Schiff's own historic artifact specialist, Rick Pressl.  Rick will share some of his most interesting finds from his surveys of the Schiff Nature Preserve including Revolutionary War artifacts and George Washington inaugural buttons.
Note: Future hikes held on 10/14, 11/18, and 12/9.

HikeMendham!- Mosle Preserve -
COST: FREE
Sunday, September 12th, 2-4 pm
Focus on history of the land.
This 2010 series of monthly hikes is sponsored by the Mendham Township Open Space Committee, Schiff Nature Preserve, and Mendham Township and Mendham Borough Environmental Commissions. Call 973-543-6004 or visit www.HikeMendham.org for more information.

Homeschooler Fall Trimester: Botany
COST/Trimester: $30 M, $50 NM, call to try out a class
Monday, September 13th, 12:45-2:30 pm: Plant Dyes and Edible Plants
Monday, October 11th, 12:45-2:30 pm: Plant Defenses
Monday, November 8th, 12:45-2:30 pm: Tree Identification
Grades K-6: Our new fall trimester brings botany into our hands, and sometimes into our mouths! The first class is a great opportunity to use local plants as people did long ago.

Walkabouts for Preschoolers
COST/class: $10 M, $15 NM (Register online here.)
Mondays, 9:45-10:45 am (ages 2-5 yrs) 9/13 and 9/20.
Our Walkabouts program engages young children with stories, songs, crafts, hikes and so much more! It’s a great way to introduce young naturalists to their world. Our first three classes focus on using our senses to experience nature.

Baby and Me Hike
COST: $1 per family
Tuesday, September 14th, 9:30 am
Bring your baby and join other moms and dads for a late summer hike around Schiff. Children must be carried in a backpack (no strollers).

Environmental Book Club
COST: FREE (Adults only)
Tuesday, September 14th, 7 pm
The Schiff Nature Preserve sponsors an environmental book group that connects adult readers who are interested in environmental literature. We will meet to discuss The Wilderness Warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America by Douglas Brinkley.

Volunteer! Preserve Work Day
Friday September 17th 9:30 am
Come and help in our native plant garden or on our invasive species control project! Bring work gloves and your enthusiasm.

Stories that Tweet, Hiss and Howl
COST: $14 per person (Register online here.)
This is a members only event (Ages 5 to adult)
Saturday, September 18th, 6:30-8:30 p.m. (Rain date, Sunday the 19th)
Take a sunset hayride to our campsite where we’ll have a campfire and listen to professional storyteller Carol Titus and folk singer Ken Galipeau share stories and songs of forest animals and their close cousins. Please bring a blanket to sit on and we’ll bring the s’mores! Space is very limited, so sign up early.

Autumn Yoga at Schiff
COST PER CLASS: $10 M, $15M (Register online here.)
(Member special – Sign up for the 4-class series--continues in October--and pay $35)
Tuesdays September 21st-October 12th
Open Sky Yoga with Athena Palumbo 9:30-11:30 am
Sunset Yoga with Grey Valenti 6-7:30 pm
Enjoy a nature-inspired yoga class and take time for yourself to breathe, strengthen, balance, stretch, relax and have fun. This one's for you-- mind, body and spirit. Please bring a flat sheet and yoga mat. In the event of rain, the class will be held indoors. 

Third Annual Farm Festival
Sunday, September 26th, 11am-4pm (Buy tickets online here.)
Spend a beautiful fall afternoon at Middle Valley Farms and have fun while supporting Schiff Natural Lands Trust and the Mendham Junior Women’s Club local charities. Get more info and buy tickets here!

October

Autumn Yoga at Schiff
COST PER CLASS: $10 M, $15M (Register online here.)
Tuesdays September 21st-October 12th
Open Sky Yoga with Athena Palumbo 9:30-11:30 am
Sunset Yoga with Grey Valenti 6-7:30 pm
Enjoy a nature-inspired yoga class and take time for yourself to breathe, strengthen, balance, stretch, relax and have fun. This one's for you-- mind, body and spirit. Please bring a flat sheet and yoga mat. In the event of rain, the class will be held indoors. 

Fall Walkabouts for Preschoolers
COST/class: $10 M, $15 NM (Register online here.)
Mondays, 9:45-10:45 am (ages 2-5 yrs) 10/4 and 10/18
Our Walkabouts program engages young children with stories, songs, crafts, hikes and so much more!

Homeschooler Fall Trimester: Botany
COST/Trimester: $30 M, $50 NM, call to try out a class (Register online here.)
Monday, October 11th, 12:45-2:30 pm: Plant Defenses
Monday, November 8th, 12:45-2:30 pm: Tree Identification
Grades K-6: Plants have some amazing, clever defenses to keep animals, and sometimes other plants, from coming too close. We’ll learn about how some of the common and less common plants stay safe.

Natural History Hike
COST: $5 suggested donation on day of hike.
Thursday, October 14th, 9:15 am
Join Schiff staff for a hike around the preserve to enjoy our beautiful fall foliage. 
Note: Future hikes held on 11/18 and 12/9.

HikeMendham!- Tempe Wick -
COST: FREE
Saturday, October 16th 2-4 pm
Focus on Ephemeral ponds and bat and bluebird management.
This 2010 series of monthly hikes is sponsored by the Mendham Township Open Space Committee, Schiff Nature Preserve, and Mendham Township and Mendham Borough Environmental Commissions. Call 973-543-6004 or visit www.HikeMendham.org for more information.

Birding for Families
COST: $10 per family (Ages 7 & up) (Register online here.)
Sunday, October 17th 10 – 11:30 am
Did you know that over 400 species of birds can be found in the Garden State? Learn why birding is one of the fastest growing hobbies in America. Kids and their families will practice identification basics while searching the Schiff Nature Preserve for birdlife. Binoculars are available to borrow and we'll offer special pricing on field guides on the day of the program. Limited to 15 families.

Music in the Woods
Saturday, October 23rd, 6:30pm
Cost: $8M; $10 NM (Children under 10 free) (Register online here.)
Join Tom Rice and Terry Hemmer for an evening of acoustic music in the Schiff Woodland Amphitheater as they perform an eclectic mix of blues, soul and rock and roll. Bring the kids, bring your friends.

Volunteer! Invasive Plant Strike Team
Tuesday October 26th 9:30 am
Come and work with our staff to remove some invasive plants! Bring work gloves and your enthusiasm.

Environmental Book Club
COST: FREE (Adults only)
Tuesday, October 26th, 7 pm
The Schiff Nature Preserve sponsors an environmental book group that connects adult readers who are interested in environmental literature. We will meet to discuss The Year of the Flood a novel by Margaret Atwood.

November

Baby and Me Hike
COST: $1 per family
Tuesday, November 2nd, 9:30 am
Bundle your baby and join other moms and dads for an autumn hike around Schiff. Children must be carried in a backpack (no strollers).

Late Fall Walkabouts for Preschoolers
COST/class: $10 M, $15 NM (Register online here.)
Mondays, 9:45-10:45 am (ages 2-5) 11/1 and 11/15
Walkabouts brings young children and nature together with stories, crafts, games and hikes. Each week focuses on itsown seasonal topic; come join us!

Children’s Vacation Program: Which Way Do We Go?
COST: $15 M, $20 NM (ages 6-12)
Thursday, November 4th, 9:30-12:30 pm OR 1-4 pm
We’ll practice using maps, compasses and more to find out where we are and how to navigate through the wilderness. Come for the morning or afternoon. Bring a snack and a water bottle.

Children’s Vacation Program: Predators
COST: $15 M, $20 NM (ages 6-12)
Friday, November 5th, 9:30-12:30 pm OR 1-4 pm
Join us for a second day of activities and games as we learn about predators at Schiff. We’ll get some hands-on discussion of local predators and head outside to play related fun and educational games. Bring a snack and water bottle and join us for the morning or afternoon.

Homeschooler Fall Trimester: Botany
COST/Trimester: $30 M, $50 NM, call to try out a class
Monday, November 8th, 12:45-2:30 pm: Tree Identification
Grades K-6: This last class of the fall trimester will focus on tree identification. As leaves fall, it’s a great time to identify them. It’s also a great time to study the other clues to properly identify them…detectives at work!

HikeMendham!- Burnett Brook -
COST: FREE
Tuesday, November 9th, 9:30-11:30 am
Focus on Wetlands and Invasive Plants.
This 2010 series of monthly hikes is sponsored by the Mendham Township Open Space Committee, Schiff Nature Preserve, and Mendham Township and Mendham Borough Environmental Commissions. Call 973-543-6004 or visit www.HikeMendham.org for more information.

Confessions of a Wildlife Photographer- Photography Workshop
COST: $20 Members, $30 Non members (ages 15 to adult)
Wednesday, November 10th, 7:00 pm
How do wildlife photographers get images of animals that are rarely ever seen in the wild – like the wolverine or short tailed shrew? All will be revealed by Blaine Rothauser, professional wildlife photographer and biologist, during this one hour lecture and one hour field workshop. The use of photography blinds, infrared slaves, setup tanks and specialty field equipment will be discussed. This program is indeed a confessional intended to make you say, “No kidding – so that’s how they do it”. Class size is limited to 12 and participants must provide and be familiar with their own camera equipment.

Wilderness First Aid
Cost: $130 Schiff Members, $150 Nonmembers (ages 16 to adult)
November 13th & 14th 9 am-5 pm
This two-day, 16 hour class is designed for scouts, camp counselors, and outdoor enthusiasts who travel where ambulances can't. WFA presents wilderness topics in detail, provides time for skills practice, and includes role-playing and wilderness accident scenarios. The Emergency Care and Safety Institute accredits this course and it is the choice of many professional trip leaders and guides.Includes textbook, handouts, certification upon successful completion, light breakfast and 15% discount coupon to Base Camp Adventure Outfitters in Basking Ridge.

Hiking Basics Clinic & Hike
COST: $10 per person
Thursday November 18th 9:15-11:15 am
Join Schiff and Base Camp Adventure Outfitters staff to learn some hiking basics. Topics such as proper clothing choices, what to pack and basic map skills will be covered. This clinic will consist of an hour long lecture and an hour long hike. 

December

Walkabouts for Preschoolers
COST/class: $10 M, $15 NM
Mondays, 9:45-10:45 am (ages 2-5 yrs) 12/6 and 12/13
Our Walkabouts program engages young children with seasonal stories, songs, crafts, hikes and so much more! December’s classes are all about giving—gifts for birds and special people.

Homeschooler Winter Trimester: Natural Art History
COST/Trimester: $30 M, $50 NM, call to try out a class
Monday, December 13th, 12:45-2:30 pm: Native American Storytelling
Monday, January 10th, 12:45-2:30 pm: Clay Sculpture
Monday, February 14th, 12:45-2:30 pm: Organic Painting
Grades K-6 : Our new winter trimester is unlike any other in our 4 year curriculum! This trimester uses our natural surroundings as a way to express our creativity. We’ll get started with Native American Storytelling, and an opportunity to create our own stories using similar principles.

Winter Ecology Hike
COST: $5 per person
Thursday, December 9th, 9:15-11:15 am
Bundle up and join Schiff staff for a hike to learn some basic winter ecology; how to identify trees in winter, how resident wildlife and plants survive the harsh conditions and what makes this time of year so interesting for a hike.

Baby and Me Hike
COST: $1 per family
Tuesday, December 21st, 9:30 am
Bundle your baby and join other moms and dads for an early winter hike around Schiff. Children must be carried in a backpack (no strollers).

Schiff Environmental Book Club
COST: FREE (Adults only)
Tuesday, December 14th, 7 pm
The Schiff Nature Preserve sponsors an environmental book group that connects adult readers who are interested in environmental literature. We will meet to discuss The Wild Trees: A Story of Passion and Daring by Richard Preston.

Holiday Break Hikers
COST per hike: $10 M, $15 NM (ages 6-12)
Tuesday, December 28th, 10 am-12 pm OR 1-3 pm
Wednesday, December 29th, 10 am-12 pm OR 1-3 pm
Your child will gladly blow off some holiday steam and discover nature’s winter delights. We’ll head out on the trails to explore the Preserve and play some our favorite nature trail games like “wolf pack, camouflage, and ‘possum”. Kids can attend one or both days and space is limited in each session. Bring snack and a water bottle.

**All programs meet at the Schiff Nature Center at the Marge Davidson Building unless otherwise noted**



Schiff Nature Preserve  •  973.543.6004  •  339 Pleasant Valley Road, Mendham, NJ 07945  •