White Memorial Conservation Center

Owl Prowl with Fran Zygmont
2025-11-08 04:00 - 06:00 (America/New_York)
November 8, 2025
The early bird gets the….er….OWL! Venture out into the silent early hours in search of our native owls with expert Fran Zygmont. We’ll be listening for the calls of Barred Owls, Screech Owls, Saw-Whet Owls, and Great Horned Owls. Dress for the weather! A briefing on what you can expect to see or hear will precede the prowl. Coffee and comestibles will be served beforehand to keep you awake or as a bribe to show up. Optional breakfast at Patty’s après program. Limited to 15 participants. 4:00 a.m., A. B. Ceder Room,
You must pre-register: Owl Prowl Registration
FREE….Donations will be accepted to help defray the Conservation Center’s programming expenses.

Nature's Nursery Series, Fall 2025 - SOLD OUT
2025-11-06 16:00 - 17:00 | White Memorial – A.B. Ceder Room
October 2, November 6, December 4
Ages 3-6 years
Nature’s Nursery Series
4:00pm
Join us on the first Thursday of each month from October – December for an engaging program designed just for your young nature lovers. Every session will last 45 minutes – 1 hour and include a story, an encounter with a live animal, and an activity or craft. Some of our activities might be outside, so dress for the weather and wear good walking shoes. Advanced registration is required. To register, visit whitememorialcc.org or call 860-567-0857. Space is limited. Meet in the A.B. Ceder Room. We require that one parent/caretaker stay for the duration of the program, but our room cannot accommodate more than one adult per child. Please inquire about financial aid as needed. Members: $9/child per session or $24/whole series, Non-Members: $13/child per session or $36/whole series
THIS PROGRAM IS SOLD OUT.

Fresh Start Hiking Club
2025-11-04 07:30 - 09:00, 2025-10-07 07:30 - 09:00
Tuesdays, January 6, February 3, March 3, 2026
Hop out of bed and head to White Memorial on the first Tuesday of each month for a one-hour hike! It’s the perfect way to engage with Nature, spend time with old friends and meet new friends! With over 40 miles of trails from which to choose, you never know where Gerri will take you! 7:45 a.m. – 9:00 a.m., Meet in the A. B. Ceder Room. FREE…but you must pre-register online: Fresh Start Hiking Club Registration Donations will be accepted to help defray the Conservation Center’s programming expenses.

Macabre Curiosities of Nature with Colleen Harrak
2025-11-01 14:00 - 15:30
Saturday, November 1, 2025
Dare to discover the darker side of the natural world. From blood-drinking bats to fungi that turn insects into zombies, nature is full of real-life nightmares—and they’re stranger (and cooler) than anything imagined. In Macabre Curiosities of Nature, we open the Cabinet of the Wild and Weird to explore & meet nature with creepy powers, sinister survival strategies, and haunting habits. Bring your courage—and your questions. Ages 8 & up, 2:00 p.m., A. B. Ceder Room, Members: $5.00, Non-Members: $10.00, Pre-registration is required. Register online: Macabre Curiosities Registration

Forest Management Walk with WMF Forest Manager, Mike Berry
2025-11-01 10:00 - 12:00
Saturday, November 1, 2025
Learn all about forest management at Five Ponds with White Memorial Foundation Forest Manager, Mike Berry. Mike will lead you through a recent timber harvest and answer questions like:Why do we need to cut down trees? How do you choose a tree to harvest? What do you hope will be the outcome of a timber harvest? Mike will have all of these answers and more. 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Meet at the Trailhead Routes 61/63, Wear sturdy shoes and bring water. FREE…Donations will be accepted to help defray the Conservation Center’s programming expenses.
To register or make a donation: Forest Management Registration

Llama Walk with Debbie Labbe, Country Quilt Llama Farm
2025-11-01 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-10-18 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-10-05 12:30 - 13:30
From November 2025 through March 2026!
Llama Walks are back!! Walk your own llama on the Cranberry Pond Trail, 87 Webster Road. Minimum 4 walkers. $55.00 per person ages 8 and up, $35.00 ages 4 – 7. Cash or Venmo on the day of the walk. Call Debbie to reserve your llama at 860-248-0355. A portion of the fee will be donated to White Memorial.

After-School Adventures, Grades 4-6 - October 2025
2025-10-29 16:00 - 17:15, 2025-10-22 15:45 - 17:00, 2025-10-15 15:45 - 17:00, 2025-10-08 16:00 - 17:15 | White Memorial – A.B. Ceder Room
Grades 4-6: Wednesdays in October (except the 1st)
After-School Adventures
4:00-5:15pm
Bring your kids out to White Memorial for programs designed to awaken curiosity and foster an appreciation for the natural world. Every session brings a new adventure, whether it’s exploring a new part of White Memorial property, meeting a live animal, or taking part in an outdoor activity. Children should be dressed for the weather with appropriate footwear. Adults are welcome to stay, but it is not necessary. Transportation must be provided to and from White Memorial. Meet in the A.B. Ceder Room. Advanced registration and payment are required. Visit whitememorialcc.org or call 860-567-0857 to register. Space is limited. Please inquire about financial aid as needed. Members: $9/child per session or $32/whole series, Non-Members: $13/child per session or $48/whole series
REGISTER HERE: https://pci.jotform.com/242345945614157/prefill/66cf50056533373db7474bb3d439

After-School Adventures, Grades 1-3 - October 2025
2025-10-28 16:00 - 17:15, 2025-10-21 16:00 - 17:15, 2025-10-14 16:00 - 17:15, 2025-10-07 16:00 - 17:15 | White Memorial – A.B. Ceder Room
Grades 1-3: Tuesdays in October
Grades 4-6: Wednesdays in October (except the 1st)
After-School Adventures
4:00-5:15pm
Bring your kids out to White Memorial for programs designed to awaken curiosity and foster an appreciation for the natural world. Every session brings a new adventure, whether it’s exploring a new part of White Memorial property, meeting a live animal, or taking part in an outdoor activity. Children should be dressed for the weather with appropriate footwear. Adults are welcome to stay, but it is not necessary. Transportation must be provided to and from White Memorial. Meet in the A.B. Ceder Room. Advanced registration and payment are required. Visit whitememorialcc.org or call 860-567-0857 to register. Space is limited. Please inquire about financial aid as needed. Members: $9/child per session or $32/whole series, Non-Members: $13/child per session or $48/whole series
REGISTER HERE: https://pci.jotform.com/242448833397165/prefill/66d52b32636165a8106322aeb285

Museum Children Free Week
2025-10-26 09:00 - 2025-11-01 17:00
October 26 – November 1, 2025
In Memory of Ron Hummel from His Family and Friends. Free admission to children ages twelve and under when accompanied by an adult.

It's My Fault! Living with Earthquakes
2025-10-25 15:00 - 16:30
Saturday, October 25, 2025
October is Earthquake Awareness Month! Today our favorite physicist, Tom Alena along with some international guests, discuss what it’s like living with earthquakes.
Tom Alena lives about 35 air miles from California’s most notorious fault, the San Andreas. This is a transform or slip fault in which two plates slide along each other. Remarkable geologic features, as well as deadly destruction, have resulted from this motion. In Pinnacles National Park two halves of an ancient volcanic field are separated by 195 miles, representing over 20 million years of motion. Smaller time intervals are evident in dry creeks that have been displaced. The notorious San Francisco earthquake of 1906 caused destruction that almost destroyed the city. Tom will take you on a virtual field trip through some of the most amazing aspects of this fault zone.
The primary tectonic plate associated with Chile is the South American Plate. However, Chile’s location at the edge of this plate makes it a region of intense tectonic activity. Specifically, the Nazca Plate is subducting (sliding beneath) the South American Plate along the Peru-Chile Trench, creating a subduction zone. This ongoing process is responsible for the Andes Mountains, frequent earthquakes, and volcanic activity in Chile. Vanessa Fuentes Gandolfi resides in Chile’s capitol, Santiago. She’ll share some of her experiences.
Iceland is called The Land of Fire and Ice for its immense volcanic activity and numerous glaciers. Where there are volcanoes, there are tectonic plates. The precursor to every volcanic eruption is a series of hundreds and in some cases thousands of earthquakes of various magnitudes. Jón Baldur Hlíðberg knows a thing or two about this. His entire life has been spent living on The Rift. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge diagonally slices Iceland in half. Experience what life is like on the North American Tectonic Plate and the Eurasian Tectonic Plate.
3:00 p.m., Microsoft Teams, Members: FREE Non-Members: $10.00 Pre-registration and pre-payment are required. A link to the presentation will be included with your receipt.
Register here: It’s My Fault Registration

"Alumni" Hike Up Bear Mountain
2025-10-25 09:30 - 15:30 | White Memorial – A.B. Ceder Room
Saturday, October 25
For Grades 9-12
“Alumni” Hike up Bear Mountain
9:30am-3:30pm
High schoolers, do you miss the fun you had at White Memorial’s summer camp or other nature programs? Let’s meet up again for the “ultimate” climb in CT – Bear Mountain in Salisbury! If you are in 9th-12th grade and have attended summer camp or any other kids-only program at White Memorial, here’s your chance to reunite with old friends and scale CT’s tallest peak together. Education Director Carrie Szwed will be your leader. Please be advised that portions of this hike are steep and difficult to climb. Wear your best hiking shoes and bring a snack, lunch, and water. 9:30am-3:30pm. Transportation will be provided by White Memorial to and from the site. Meet in the A.B. Ceder Room promptly at 9:30am. Pre-registration and pre-payment are required. To register, visit whitememorialcc.org to call 860-567-0857. Space is limited! Please inquire about financial aid as needed. Members: $30/person, Non-Members: $45/person
REGISTER HERE: https://pci.jotform.com/252296536740159/prefill/68a383e4623735fd413eadb896f8

SOLD OUT! Tower to Tower: A Road Trip to Mohawk State Forest in Cornwall / Goshen
2025-10-18 10:00 - 13:00
THIS HIKE IS FULL!
Saturday, October 18, 2025
1683 foot Mohawk Mountain was used by the Tunxis and Paugussett tribes for smoke signals in order to warn others of impending attacks by the Mohawk tribe. Today you will hike along the Mohawk Trail in beautiful Mohawk State Forest to Cunningham Tower and Mohawk Tower. Along the way you’ll learn more about the history of this beautiful property and the important role Alain and May White played in the creation of one of Connecticut’s most beloved State Parks. Bring water, a snack, a hiking pole, and wear sturdy hiking boots. The hike will be about two miles total ascending and descending Mohawk Mountain.

Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples Day
2025-10-13 07:00 - 17:00
Monday, October 13, 2025
Offices Closed

Museum Children Free Week
2025-10-12 09:00 - 2025-10-18 17:00
October 12 – 18, 2025
In Memory of Tish Samponaro from Her Husband, Philip G. Samponaro. Free admission to children ages twelve and under when accompanied by an adult.

An Autumn Hike through Slab Meadow with Gerri Griswold
2025-10-11 10:00 - 12:00
Saturday, October 11, 2025
Enjoy the peak of autumn as we wander the two loops of this lovely trail; one of the greatest secrets of the White Memorial Foundation! Slab Meadow is a wonderful mix of conifers and deciduous trees, wetlands and forest. The hike is capped off by a visit to the stunning overlook. Keep your eyes open for Great Blue Herons, signs of Black Bears, and more! 10:00 a. m. Meet in the Museum. We’ll caravan over to the trailhead in Morris. Please pre-register: Slab Meadow Hike Registration
FREE….Donations will be accepted to help defray the Conservation Center’s programming expenses.

Tiny Trekking: On the Water Edition!
2025-10-10 10:00 - 11:00
Friday, October 10, 2025
Join Kelly Orr to experience the Bantam River at a child’s pace! Bring your own boat and snacks! This will be a family friendly paddle, but all are welcome to join. We will hit the water hoping to see beavers, herons, turtles and more! Life jackets will be required, and must be worn for the duration of the paddle. Kayaks or canoes will work! 10:00 a.m., Meet at the Boat Launch off Whites Woods Rd. Rainy weather will cancel, cancellation will be confirmed by an email the day before.
The program is FREE! $5 donation per family suggested to help defray the Conservation Center’s programming expenses: Please register here: Tiny Trekking on the Water Registration
Don’t have a boat? Call Litchfield Paddle at (860) 567-8820 to rent one!

Happy Hour Hiking Club with Gerri Griswold
2025-10-09 16:00 - 17:00
Make a monthly resolution to keep your body moving! Skip that Happy Hour cocktail and calorie-laden appetizer, and take a walk with Gerri! It may be rainy…snowy…or just plain hot or cold…but you can do it! Each one-hour walk will cover a different trail on the property. At the end of each hike, you’ll receive a recipe for a healthful, tasty meal to keep you on track. Dress for the weather. 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. Meet in the Museum. Please pre-register here: Happy Hour Hiking Registration FREE…Donations will be accepted to help defray the Conservation Center’s programming expenses.

Full Harvest Moon Hike with Kelly Orr and Gerri Griswold- POSTPONED
2025-10-07 18:00 - 20:00
POSTPONED TO THURSDAY OCTOBER 9th
While September’s full Moon is usually known as the Harvest Moon, if October’s full Moon happens to occur closer to the equinox than September’s (like it is this year), it takes on the name “Harvest Moon.” Kelly Orr and Gerri Griswold lead you on a night hike along our beautiful trails and along the Bantam River. Listen for owls and be on the lookout for our resident beavers who always make a splash during these adventures. Please bring a headlamp or flashlight. Meet in the A. B. Ceder Room at 6:00 p.m., Please pre-register and donate online: Full Moon Hike Registration
FREE…Donations will be accepted to help defray the Conservation Center’s programming expenses.

European Starling Taxidermy with Gotham Taxidermy
2025-10-05 09:00 - 17:00
Sunday, October 5, 2025

No refunds will be issued after September 2, 2025
Participants must be 14 or older. Participants aged 14-17 years old must be accompanied by an adult for the duration of the class. Under 18 may share a specimen with their adult, or choose to complete their own. Program cost is per specimen, so please register accordingly.
Capture the iridescent beauty of a European Starling in flight or repose. In this full-day workshop, students will mount a naturalistic bird using professional-grade taxidermy methods. Led by master taxidermist Divya Anantharaman, this workshop builds on foundational skills and introduces techniques for feathers, wings, and avian anatomy.
🕊️ Ethical sourcing and expert instruction guaranteed.
📸 You’ll walk away with a stunning finished bird mount and the confidence to explore further.
9:00 a.m – 5:00 p.m., A. B. Ceder Room, Members: $395.00 Non-Members: $425.00.
REGISTRATION HERE!

Limited to 8 participants!
About Our Instructor – A unique combination of science and style, Divya Anantharaman is an award winning licensed professional preserving animals with honor and compassion for clients ranging from museums, designers, collectors, and everyday naturalists. Her specialties are birds, small mammals, and anatomic anomalies, with a select number of commissions open for pets. Her work seeks to combine the demonstrative aspect of scientific presentation with the symbolic, introspective nature of art, using taxidermy to engage diverse audiences with conservation. She has starred in the Emmy winning documentary “Rearranging Skin” and is an advocate for diversity in the field as a queer woman of color. She is passionately curious about the untapped potential of this scientific art. Her classes seek to demystify the taxidermy process, make the field more accessible, and to engage folks with wonder and connection to nature. She regularly volunteers with various ornithological organizations (such as the Audubon Society and NYC Plover Project). You can learn more at: https://www.gothamtaxidermy.com/

Anthropomorphized Mouse Taxidermy with Gotham Taxidermy
2025-10-04 10:00 - 16:00
Saturday, October 4, 2025

No refunds will be issued after September 2, 2025
Participants must be 14 or older. Participants aged 14-17 years old must be accompanied by an adult for the duration of the class. Under 18 may share a specimen with their adult, or choose to complete their own. Program cost is per specimen, so please register accordingly.
Create your own storybook-style mouse! In this hands-on workshop led by renowned artist Divya Anantharaman of Gotham Taxidermy, you’ll learn how to craft an anthropomorphized mouse in a whimsical pose of your choosing. Whether you imagine a dapper mouse in a tiny hat or a scholarly creature holding a book, this class will guide you through professional techniques to sculpt and mount your taxidermy creation. All supplies provided—just bring your imagination.
🌟 No experience necessary. Ethical, sustainably sourced specimens.
🎓 Leave with your own finished mount and newfound skills.
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
A. B. Ceder Room, Members: $285.00 Non-Members: $350.
REGISTER HERE!
Limited to 10 participants!
About Our Instructor – A unique combination of science and style, Divya Anantharaman is an award winning licensed professional preserving animals with honor and compassion for clients ranging from museums, designers, collectors, and everyday naturalists. Her specialties are birds, small mammals, and anatomic anomalies, with a select number of commissions open for pets. Her work seeks to combine the demonstrative aspect of scientific presentation with the symbolic, introspective nature of art, using taxidermy to engage diverse audiences with conservation. She has starred in the Emmy winning documentary “Rearranging Skin” and is an advocate for diversity in the field as a queer woman of color. She is passionately curious about the untapped potential of this scientific art. Her classes seek to demystify the taxidermy process, make the field more accessible, and to engage folks with wonder and connection to nature. She regularly volunteers with various ornithological organizations (such as the Audubon Society and NYC Plover Project). You can learn more at: https://www.gothamtaxidermy.com/

The Fungus Among Us with Dave Paton
2025-10-04 10:00 - 12:00
Saturday, October 4, 2025
Spend a couple of hours in the forest with Dave learning do’s and don’ts, basic identification, and stories behind all of the fungus among us! The program begins with a brief introduction in the Activity Shed to view some specimens. 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Meet in the Activity Shed. Dress for the weather! Members: $15.00, Non-members: $30.00, Pre-registration and pre-payment are required. Call 860-567-0857 or register online HERE.
Class is limited to 20 participants! Sign up early! Foraging is not allowed on Foundation property
