Tamarack Nature Center will again offer two free, family-friendly program series this summer focused on nature and gardening topics. The Drop-in Discoveries series will run Saturdays from 10 am — noon and cover a variety of nature topics. Meet the Gardener programs will be offered Mondays from 10:15 – 11 am and will highlight a different gardening topic weekly.
Drop-In Discoveries programs will be led by volunteer Discovery Hosts and feature up-close visits with live animals, including Tamarack’s resident owls, snakes and salamanders. Participants will also get hands-on experience with touchable artifacts, like skulls and skins, and sample edible treats from the Discovery Hollow garden. Visitors are free to come and go from the programs as they choose, and no pre-registration is required.
The Drop-in Discoveries series and with Wanna Be a Backyard Birder?, is being held in partnership with the Urban Birding Festival of the Twin Cities. Local birders and volunteers will lead the session for novice birders of all ages. Basic bird guides, binoculars, bird call recordings and other resources will be available to help adults, kids and families discover the diversity of birds in their own neighborhoods.
Additional Drop-in Discoveries dates and topics are:
July 5: Reps & Phibs
July 12: Backyard Composting (with Ramsey County Master Gardeners)
July 19: Bones, Fur, and Feathers
July 26: Meet the Bees & Beekeepers
August 2: Worms at Work (Worm Composting)
August 9: Fall Garden Planting (with Ramsey County Master Gardeners)
August 16: Building with Buckthorn
August 23: Owls Up Close
August 30: Honey Harvest & Tasting
Meet the Gardener programs will be held weekly in Discovery Hollow Garden through August 25. Staff and volunteers will introduce participants to various species and discuss surprising ways plants grow and bloom. Participants can help plant and tend the garden and can also sample tastes of the harvest when available. Specific topics for the upcoming week will be posted to the Tamarack Nature Center Facebook page and website when available.
All programs for both series will be held at Tamarack Nature Center, located at 5287 Otter Lake Rd, White Bear Township, MN 55110. Visitors are encouraged to check with the front desk the morning of each program for specific program locations. Topics are subject to change, and changes will be posted online whenever possible.
This information was provided by Ramsey County Parks and Recreation.
