ProgramSchedule

March2016

Winter Building Hours (January - April):open Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 10am-5pmGroups by appointment

32750 Eagle River RoadEagle River, AK 99577(907) 694-2108 www.ernc.org

Friday, March 4, 11amGuided Walk for Families with PreschoolersLITTLE EXPLORERSJoin us for a short (<1 mile) walk to explore nature at the pace of a preschooler. Bring a snack or sack lunch to eat with new friends after the walk. No registration is needed.

Friday, March 4, 7pmAstronomy SeriesJUPITER’S MOONSPresented by Scott Girard.The Astronomy series meets during the winter months on the first

Friday evening, and will resume in October. A speaker presents a special topic and answers your questions. If skies are clear, be ready to go outside to view the night sky. You may bring your own binoculars or telescope, or share the ones set up by the astronomers.

Saturday, March 5, 2pmJr. Naturalist Program (K-6th)“GROSS” ANATOMY (Registration required)Have you ever dissected an owl pellet? Here’s your chance to reassemble the skeleton of the rodent or whatever the owl had for dinner – it’s gross fun! Limited to 12 children registered at 694-2108.

Saturday, March 5, 7-9pmAll Ages Guided Walk (Registration req’d)FAMILY-FRIENDLY EVENING OWL WALK Join volunteer Liza Sanden on a 2-3 mile walk along the Albert Loop to listen for owls and learn about their nesting habits. Please note that this is a silent hike in the dark. Children need to be able to remain quiet so we can listen for owls calling. Use of flashlight is limited to preserve night vision. Limited to the first 20 people registered at 694-2108.

Sunday, March 6, 2pmAll Ages ProgramHOT ON THE TRAILCrime scene tracking specialists Jim Wolfe and Chris Beheim (both retired from the Alaska State Crime Lab) present how they preserve tracks left in dirt and snow. From moose to vole, raven to human, every track left in the woods tells a story! Indoor program with hands-on demonstration of cast-making.

Friday, March 11, 11amGuided Walk for Families with PreschoolersLITTLE EXPLORERS See March 4 for description.

Friday, March 11, 6:30-9pmEVENING OWL TALK AND WALK(Registration required for guided walk only)Aaron Bowman of the Anchorage Audubon Society will present an informative slide show about Alaskan owls, followed by a 2-3 mile walk. Please note: Dress in outdoor clothes that are not too “noisy”. Use of flashlight will be limited to preserve night vision. Not intended for children (see March 5th). Note: The guided walk is limited to the first 20 people registered at 694-2108.

Saturday, March 12, 2pmJr. Naturalist Program (K-6th)“GROSS” ANATOMY (Registration required)See March 5 for description.

Sunday, March 13, 2pmArmchair Travel Series: GREENLANDJoin us for an arctic adventure on Greenland, the world’s largest island. Michael “Gus” Gustafson, Sean Wagner and Laura Kruger explored the natural beauty and endless ice that makes Greenland an amazing travel destination.

Saturday, March 12, 9am-5pmSpecial Workshop ($95 fee; Registration req’d)WINTER LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY Learn more about your digital camera and outdoor photography in this all-day intensive workshop. After a brief classroom introduction, you will head out on the trails to sharpen your skills with Artist-in-Residence, Colin Tyler Bogucki (www.colintyler.com) who has been photographing for publications for nearly 20 years. Attendees must provide their own camera gear (digital SLR only, not a smartphone) and be prepared to hike up to 5 miles throughout the day. Cost is $95; limited to 10 people registered at 694-2108.

Friday, March 18, 11amGuided Walk for Families with PreschoolersLITTLE EXPLORERS See March 4 for description.

Saturday, March 19, 2pmJr. Naturalist Program (K-6th)BOTTLE GARDENS (Registration required)

Saturday, March 19, 7pm-12amSpecial Workshop ($75, registration required)PHOTOGRAPHING THE AURORA BOREALISNighttime photography during winter can be challenging, but also incredibly rewarding. Colin Tyler Bogucki (www.colintyler.com) will teach participants how to properly expose the night sky as well as how to stay informed on solar activity. Indoors and outdoors (attendees must provide their own camera gear (SLR only, not a smartphone), tripod, head lamp, and be prepared for hiking in cold weather). Limited to 10 people registered at 694-2108.

Spring officially begins tomorrow, but green-up is still well over a month away! Come and plant a “bottle garden” or terrarium. Bring a wide-mouthed jar (glass or clear plastic); all other materials will be provided. We’ll also go on a walk to see if there are any signs of Mother Nature waking up from her winter slumber. Limited to 10 children registered at 694-2108.

Sunday, March 20, 2pmADVENTURES FROM THE ARCTIC TO MEXICOAlaska legend Dick Griffith and Canyons of Ice author Kaylene Johnson will talk about Dick’s numerous trips and show pictures of over 10,000 miles he has trekked across Alaska, the Southwestern US, and Mexico.

Friday, March 25, 11amGuided Walk for Families with PreschoolersLITTLE EXPLORERS See March 4 for description.

Saturday, March 26, 2pmJr. Naturalist Program (K-6th)SPRING SCAVANGER HUNT Let’s look for signs of spring along the trail -- there may even be some Easter treats waiting! Bring a basket and dress for going outside.

EASTER Sunday, March 27Building CLOSED, but trails are always open.

ALASKA MASTER NATURALIST Program coming to the Nature Center

Are you interested in learning about Alaska’s rich natural history in more depth? Here is a new opportunity: Alaska has not had a naturalist certification program for a number of years, and ERNC is part of a new initiative to establish a Certified Alaska Master Naturalist program in cooperation with UAF School of Natural Resources and Extension. The Alaska Master Naturalist Program is designed for teachers, non-formal educators and anybody who is curious and enjoys learning about the natural world, sharing that knowledge with others, and supporting conservation of Alaska’s natural resources.

Teachers can earn up to 3 Continuing Education Units. Certification as Master Naturalist is optional, and involves additional volunteer time and attending an Eco-Region Workshop. The cost for the 45-hour Alaska Master Naturalist Course is $450 (Registration is through UAF Cooperative Extension; see contact info below)

Note: After March 15, registration will open for those who want to sign up for individual sessions (cost is $10 per class hour).

Tues-Wednesday, March 29-30, 6-9pmEXPLORING ALASKA’S LANDSCAPESDay 1: Geology, climate & weatherDay 2: Glaciers, soils, permafrost

Sat-Sunday, April 23-24, 10am-4pmALASKA WATER AND AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMSDay 1: Watersheds, water cycle, salmon, estuariesDay 2: Aquatic macro-invertebrates, water quality,

marine & freshwater ecosystems

Tues-Wednesday, May 10-11, 6-9pmEXPLORING ALASKA ANIMALSDay 1: Mammals Day 2: Birds, amphibians, and insects

Sat-Sunday, May 21-22, 10-4pmEXPLORING ALASKA PLANTSDay 1: Alaska’s native plants and forest ecologyDay 2: Medicinal plants & traditional use, invasives

Tues-Thursday, June 14-16, 6-9pmECO-REGIONS AND CLIMATE CHANGEDay 1: Alaska’s Eco-regionsDay 2: Alaska’s native peoples and

Traditional Ecological KnowledgeDay 3: Climate Change and Alaska

For more information, contact Kay Shoemaker, MSOEE, CMN by email: kwshoemaker@alaska.edu or phone (907) 786-6345 Registration: call Cooperative Extension at (907) 786-6333

www.ernc.orgThank You to our Sponsors:Alaska Airlines * Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. * BP * Chevron * Conoco Phillips * Eagle River Rotary * Exxon Mobil * Foraker Group * Lifetime Adventures * PRA * Perkins Cole, LLP *Rasmuson Foundation * REI Foundation * Spenard Builders Supply * TOTE *