"Pink Moon" Hike
2019-04-19 20:00 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
Enjoy a moonlit, guided hike up to Great Hollow’s waterfall with our naturalist, John Foley, and learn what this month’s “Pink Moon” and spring flowers have in common. We’ll also look and listen for owls and other creatures of the night while taking in the beauty of a forest that’s bathed in moonlight. Please wear sturdy footwear and bring a flashlight or headlamp (please make sure the batteries work beforehand!). The hike is weather-dependent and reservations are appreciated. Appropriate for children ages 8 and up. Please, no dogs. Free for members; a suggested donation of $5/person for non members is greatly appreciated. Sign up by emailing John at jfoley@greathollow.org. We’ll meet at 8pm in the visitor’s parking area by Great Hollow’s main entrance.

Guided Paddle of the Great Swamp
2019-04-20 10:00 - 12:00 | Green Chimneys, 400 Doansburg Road, Brewster, NY, 10509, United States
**CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER. PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR A NEW DATE TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON**
Celebrate Earth Day with a naturalist-guided paddle of The Great Swamp in neighboring Patterson, NY. The Great Swamp is a regionally significant wetland that is home to a wide diversity of plant and animal life, including threatened and endangered species. During our paddle, we are likely to see herons, kingfishers, painted turtles, beautiful dragonflies and perhaps a beaver or otter, among other wildlife. Check out this fantastic video produced by the Friends of the Great Swamp and narrated by James Earl Jones to learn more about this special place.
The paddle will be fairly easy and last approximately 2 hours round-trip. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own canoe or kayak if they have one. A limited number of canoes can be provided upon request. Attendees should have previous paddling experience and be comfortable operating their boats without any instruction or assistance. PFDs (life vests) are encouraged and you should bring your own if you have one. Please email John Foley to register or request additional information. Please note in your email how many people will be in your party and whether you will or will not need to borrow a canoe/kayak. Space is very limited. Open to people ages 13 and up. A suggested donation of $25/person for non-members and $15 per person for members is greatly appreciated.
We will meet at 10am in the Green Chimneys parking area on Doansburg Road in Brewster NY. Light snacks and water will be provided, but attendees are also encouraged to bring their own if they would like.

Natural History and Ecology of the Eastern Coyote
2019-04-27 13:30 - 14:30 | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
Please join us for guest speaker, Dana Goin’s talk about eastern coyotes, their natural history and ecology, and what we can do to best coexist with them. Coyotes have become exceptionally adept at living amongst humans in recent decades, even going so far as to thrive in cities such as New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. They are also very common in our area of Connecticut and neighboring New York, where their howls and “yips” are familiar sounds of the night. Join us to better understand the behavior and benefits of the eastern coyote, and how to empower our community with the tools, information, and resources needed to coexist alongside this often misunderstood and wrongfully maligned predator.
Dana Goin is the Wildlife Outreach Specialist at the Wolf Conservation Center in South Salem, NY. She holds a degree in Wildlife Conservation and has worked in various areas around the country studying large and mid-sized carnivores, including mountain lions, coyotes, and bobcats.

Spring Family Hike
2019-05-11 10:00 - 11:30 | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
Start enjoying spring by joining our naturalist for a family-friendly educational walk through Great Hollow’s meadows and hardwood forests. Along our walk, we will learn about the ecology of, and how to identify, many spring ephemeral wildflowers that are currently in bloom while we also search out invasive plants that resemble our native flora. While we’re at it, we’ll look and listen for migrating birds that are journeying back from their distant overwintering areas, so don’t forget to bring binoculars if you have them. A suggested donation of $5/person for non-members is greatly appreciated. No dogs, please. To sign up, please email John at jfoley@greathollow.org.

Kids' Nature Night: Wild Harvest
2019-05-11 18:00 - 21:00 | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
This installment in our Kids’ Nature Night series is all about foraging for edible wild plants! After we learn how to positively identify our local edibles, we’ll take to the trails to harvest ramps, chives, trout lily, garlic mustard, Japanese knotweed, and dandelions. We’ll bag our bounty up and make recipe cards for tasty treats to make at home, such as knotweed juice (that can be sipped from a knotweed straw!) and a spring greens salad. A brief info sheet on the plants harvested will be sent home with your child.
This is a drop-off program, open to children ages 5-12.
We’ll be outside for most of the evening, so please dress your children in appropriate clothing and footwear.
Includes campfire dinner which consists of hotdogs or veggie dogs with all the fixings, and juice. Please feel free to send your child with an alternative dinner from home if you prefer.
$25/child for members; $30/child for non-members.
Please email our Education Coordinator, Sena, at sena@greathollow.org for more information or to register.

Art Show
2019-05-17 18:30 - 2019-05-19 18:30 | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
The Great Hollow Photographers Club is hosting its second annual Juried Painting and Photography Show from 10am-4pm on May 18 and 19 at Great Hollow, and all are welcome to come down and enjoy the fantastic pieces of nature art that will be on display. There will be dozens of selected photographs and paintings featured, by professional and amateur artists from all over Connecticut and New York. All works will be for sale, with 25% of all proceeds benefiting Great Hollow. There will also be an Artist Reception from 6:30 – 8:30 pm on Friday, May 17, which is open to the public.
The juror for photography is Mary Ann Glass and the juror for paintings is Adele Moros.
Mary Ann Glass’s photographs have been described as spiritual and sensual, serious and elegant. She creates her work using a wide range of medium from digital to infrared, manipulated Polaroids, solarized etching plates, encaustics, cyanotypes, other mixed media and iPhoneography. Her work has been in shows at galleries in Manhattan and throughout the Hudson Valley and Connecticut. In addition, she has taught photography and has led workshops in Italy and Australia plus photo tours of the Hudson Valley. She is also one of the founders of RiverWinds Gallery in Beacon, NY.
Adele Moros is a multi media artist with a background in fashion and advertising. Winner of numerous area awards she has been teaching fine art for the past 30 years. She is a Fellow with the International Guild of Miniature Artisans. She has also created life sized pieces for Cow Parade. Her large outdoor works have been seen in NYC, Tokyo, Boston, Stamford and many other cities. Her work is in the Toy and Miniature of Kentucky and slides of her Tiffany Cow are shown during Tiffany lectures at the MET.
Please email artshow@greathollow.org for more information. Artists, please click here for information about how to submit your work.
(Painting above by Adele Moros)

Full Moon Family Hike
2019-05-18 19:00 - 21:00 | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
Join us for an evening hike under the full moon! We’ll start off the evening by engaging in games and activities that demonstrate the amazing adaptions of local nocturnal and crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk) animals. Once the sun sets, we’ll hit the trail and discover the fun and mystery of the woods at night.
Please bring a flashlight or headlamp. If your light doesn’t have a red setting, you will be provided with red cellophane to put over it so that our night vision won’t be hindered on the trail.
Suitable for children ages 4 and up. Please note that our trails are not suitable for strollers.
Free for members; suggested donation of $10 per family for non-members.
Contact Sena at sena@greathollow.org with any questions or to register. Space is limited.

Nature Photography Walk
2019-05-19 08:00 - 09:00 | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
Join professional photographer, Justin Goodhart for a leisurely walk around Great Hollow with camera in hand (phone cameras are great too!) as we “look for the photo.” When presented with a large and diverse landscape, how do we find a subject to make a powerful and interesting photograph? Justin will walk and talk with the group about how he approaches the scene and looks for photographic compositions. This will not be a technical photo workshop, but technical questions are more than welcome! We’ll meet in the visitor’s parking lot at Great Hollow and please wear good boots/shoes for walking on wet and muddy ground. Free for members and non-members. And don’t forget to check out our second annual Juried Painting & Photography Show afterwards!

Kids' Treasure Hunt!
2019-05-25 13:00 - 15:00 | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
There’s treasure hidden at Great Hollow and you’ll have to use a map and compass, along with your riddle-solving skills, to find it! We’ll spend the first part of the program learning map and compass basics, and then we’ll break into teams to track down the hidden puzzle pieces that will lead us to our prize that we get to keep!
Compasses will be provided for use during the class or children may bring their own. This is a drop-off program, open to children ages 8-12. Please Contact Sena at sena@greathollow.org with any questions or to register your child.
$10/child for members; $15/child for non-members.
Contact Sena at sena@greathollow.org with any questions or to register. Space is limited.

"National Trails Day" Hike
2019-06-01 10:00 - 13:00 | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
Celebrate National Trails Day with Great Hollow’s naturalist, John Foley, and the Candlewood Valley Regional Land Trust’s director, Bill McCann, as we “Hike the Hollow” and the neighboring Michael Ciaiola Conservation Area. Learn about the history of “the Hollow” and why it has become one of the most ecologically significant areas in both Fairfield County, CT and Putnam County, NY. We will enjoy a scenic vista overlooking northern New Fairfield, trek over a rocky ridgeline, make our way down into a hemlock ravine, break for a snack at the Tuckers Run waterfall, and finally return back to the Merritt House at Great Hollow. The hike will be challenging in some areas and feature steep uphill and downhill terrain, so wear sturdy footwear. Bring a light snack/lunch and water. We will meet in Great Hollow’s visitor’s parking area at 10am and carpool over to the Michael Ciaiola Conservation Area trailhead off of Old Stage Coach Rd. The hike should take between 2 to 3 hours. Free for members and non-members. To register, email John at jfoley@greathollow.org.

Kids' Nature Night: The Amazing Superpowers of Bats!
2019-06-08 18:00 - 21:00 | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
Did you know that bats have “superpowers” that can rival any super hero? These powers are the adaptations that enable certain bat species to do amazing things, such as flying up to 60 miles per hour, eating their entire weight in insects each night, or being immune to some types of venom. We’ll learn about the adaptions of a few of our native bats and how important these often misunderstood creatures are to people and our environment. Once the sun starts to set, we’ll go on a hike and use our bat detector to eavesdrop on the cool echolocation calls of Great Hollow’s bats.
This is a drop-off program, open to children ages 5-12.
Includes campfire dinner which consists of hotdogs or veggie dogs with all the fixings, and juice. Please feel free to send your child with an alternative dinner from home if you prefer.
$25/child for members; $30/child for non-members.
Please email our Education Coordinator, Sena, at sena@greathollow.org for more information or to register.

Invasive Plant Walk & Talk
2019-06-30 10:00 - 11:30 | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
Non-native invasive plants are one of the biggest threats to biodiversity and a major challenge in conservation. They negatively affect property values, agricultural productivity, public utilities, fisheries, tourism, outdoor recreation, and ecosystem function, and are estimated to cost the U.S. $120 billion in economic damages and control each year. There are now more than 100 non-native species of plants that have become established in Connecticut! Can you identify them all? Come to Great Hollow on Sunday, June 30th to learn how to identify many of these plants, hear about how and when they were introduced to our region, and find out what you can do to be a responsible property owner. Free for members; a suggested donation of $5/person for non-members is greatly appreciated. Please sign up by emailing John Foley at jfoley@greathollow.org.

Plein Air Art Day
2019-07-14 09:00 - 12:00 | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
Join accomplished artist and teacher, Sharon Nakazato, from Friends of the Great Swamp for a plein air art day at Great Hollow Nature Preserve! Great Hollow provides a diverse array of subjects for artists, including beautiful wetlands, a babbling brook, forested trails, and historic barns and homes. Artists of all media and abilities are invited (including photographers) for a morning of inspiration and art. Free for members and non-members. *Attendees are responsible for bringing all of their own supplies/equipment. Please contact Sharon at sharon_nakazato@comcast.net or (845) 612-1046 with questions or to sign up.

Building a Pollinator Garden
2019-07-27 10:00 - 12:00 | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
Pollinators need our help! Habitat loss and pesticide use have caused steep population declines in many ecologically and economically important species of pollinators, such as butterflies and bees. Despite the vital roles that they play in ecosystem function and agriculture, the importance and plight of these insects often goes largely unnoticed by the general public. Join the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge and celebrate pollinators with us on Saturday, July 27th by helping to plant Great Hollow’s new educational pollinator garden! Comprised entirely of native pollinator-friendly plants, the garden will be a new tool for us to use in our environmental education programs and provide much-needed habitat for pollinators at the preserve. While we all plant the garden, we’ll talk about the “ecosystem services” provided by pollinators, the species of plants we are planting and why they were selected, and how you can help pollinators on your own property. Children will get to play a game that will show them the pollination process in action and then make a solitary bee hotel to take home with them.
This event is supported by a generous grant from the Environmental Professionals’ Organization of Connecticut.

Mushroom Walk
2019-09-14 10:00 - 12:00 | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
Join us as we explore the beautiful and mysterious world of fungi with Western Connecticut State University’s mycologist, Dr. Hannah Reynolds. We’ll look for mushrooms and other fungi along Great Hollow’s trails while learning about their ecology and role in the forest ecosystem. With any luck, we’ll find fungi like giant puffballs, violet corals, chicken of the woods, polypores, shelf fungus, and more. We’ll even learn which ones are edible.
Please sign up by emailing info@greathollow.org. Free for members; a suggested donation of $5 per person for non-members is greatly appreciated. Please wear proper footwear for hiking and bring water. No dogs, please. We’ll meet by the kiosk at the start of the Red Trail, next to the Merritt House. Click here for a campus map.

Jazz Night on the Patio
2019-09-20 19:30 - 21:30 | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
Enjoy an intimate night at Great Hollow with live jazz performed by the BnB Jazz Trio, along with complimentary wine and cheese, and s’mores roasted over the fire. The BnB Jazz Trio is a modern working jazz group based out of the Hudson Valley that covers standards by many greats, such as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, and Thelonious Monk.
Tickets are a donation of $25 per person. All proceeds go towards furthering Great Hollow’s mission to protect land and wildlife, conduct conservation-driven scientific research, and provide outdoor educational and recreational opportunities for our local communities. Scroll down to purchase your tickets online. Please purchase tickets in advance of the event, as a very limited number will be available at the door the day of. Maximum attendance is only 60 guests.

Herrick Trail Hike
2019-09-28 10:00 - 12:00 | Herrick Trail Preserve, Sherman, CT, 06784, United States
Join us to discover one of Sherman’s best-kept secrets – the Herrick Trail. Managed by the Naromi Land Trust, the Herrick Trail begins from one of the northernmost points of Sherman and connects with the Appalachian Trail in Kent. We will learn about the interesting history of this area, admire large rock outcrops sprouting with mountain laurel and high-bush blueberry, and look for signs of wildlife while we trek our way through shady hemlock and oak stands. This beautiful spot provides not one, but two of the finest unspoiled vistas in our entire area. Amy’s Overlook and the Housatonic Overlook, as they are known, are nestled on top of forested rock outcrops and provide expansive views of the rolling Housatonic Valley hills and the Housatonic River below.
This one-way return hike is moderately difficult and sturdy hiking shoes are a must. Please bring plenty of water. Dogs are permitted but must be leashed at all times. We will meet directly at the trailhead. Directions: From the Sherman center, follow Rt 39 North to the intersection of Rt 55 and turn left. Then turn right on Evans Hill Road and look for the trail kiosk on your left. Parking is located along the road. Please register with John at jfoley@greathollow.org. Free for members and non-members.
Photo courtesy of Rob McWilliams

Kid's Nature Night - Absurd Adaptations
2019-09-28 18:00 - 21:00 | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
*REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT*
Nature Night is back for a whole new season! Join our Education Coordinator, Sena, for this first program in the series that is all about the amazingly weird and seemingly absurd adaptations that some plants and animals have to survive. We’ll start our evening off by cooking dinner over a campfire, and then dive into the awesome world of exploding ants, disgusting disguises, masters of camouflage, zombie fungi, killer plants, and gulping eyeballs! We’ll take a short hike, play animal adaptation games, complete some fun activities, and see some amazing adaptations in action by feeding our resident snake.
This is a drop-off program, open to children ages 5-12. We will be outside at least half of the evening, so please dress your child(ren) accordingly. Dinner consists of hotdogs or veggie dogs with all the fixings, juice, and s’mores for dessert. Please feel free to send your child with an alternate dinner and/or dessert from home if you would prefer. $25/child for non-members; $20/child for members.
(Can you spot the camouflaged bird on the tree?)

Fall Foliage Hike
2019-10-13 11:00 - 12:30 | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
Enjoy the fall foliage with us and our friends from FrOGS (Friends of the Great Swamp) as we hike to the northern portions of Great Hollow and the scenic overlook in the neighboring Michael Ciaiola Conservation Area. Our hike will begin at the trail-head for Great Hollow’s purple trail off of Hardscrabble Road and traverse through second-growth forest and thickets of mountain laurel. We’ll then finish at an overlook that provides beautiful views of Great Hollow in fall foliage.
We’ll meet at Great Hollow’s visitor parking area at 11am and then carpool up to Hardscrabble Road. The hike will last about an hour and a half and will be moderately difficult in some sections. Leashed dogs are permitted. Please register by emailing John at jfoley@greathollow.org. Free to the public.
Photo by Justin Goodhart.

Talkin' Turkey: The Natural History and Ecology of the Wild Turkey
2019-11-16 16:00 - 17:00 | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
Get ready for Thanksgiving by joining our naturalist, John Foley, for a talk about the iconic bird that was almost selected to be America’s national symbol – the wild turkey. He’ll talk about the ecology of the wild turkey, its brush with extinction in the early 1900s and subsequent recovery, and even the history of its role in our celebration of Thanksgiving. He’ll also talk about some fun-filled folklore surrounding this sometimes misunderstood species.
Free for members; a suggested donation of $5 per person for non-members is greatly appreciated. Please park in the visitors’ parking area and follow signs to the Lecture Room in the rear of the Merritt House. A campus map can be viewed here.

Kids' Wild Winter Series, Part 1: Hibernation Hike
2019-11-23 13:00 - 15:30 | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
Join us for this first part of our kids’ Wild Winter series that’s all about the fascinating ecology of the New England winter. It may be hard to believe, but the natural world is up to amazing things during the winter. Our Wild Winter series is a continuous program designed to encourage outdoor learning and scientific exploration of the natural world during the chilly winter months ahead.
In our first program, Hibernation Hike, we will venture into the woods and investigate how animals like black bears, chipmunks, snakes, and bugs prepare for the coming winter. We will search for tracks, crack open acorns to look for creepy crawly weevils, and explore different wintertime animal behaviors through fun games and activities. At the end, we will use the observations that we made to engineer our very own winter-ready shelters in the woods!
This is a drop-off program open to children ages 5 to 10. Registration is $10/child for members and $15/child for non-members. For more information and to register, please email our Education Coordinator, Maggie, at mcozens@greathollow.org.

"Open Screen" Day for Local Photographers
2019-11-23 14:00 - 15:30 | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
Do you have five minutes’ worth of great photos to project onto the Big Screen to share with your friends and neighbors? Or would you simply like to come enjoy a series of presentations by local photographers of their favorite photos? Each photographer will have five minutes to show his or her photos on the big screen, talk about them, and answer questions from the audience. They could be from a trip, could be your favorite nature photos, could be anything – as long as it’s family friendly! If you would like to be a presenter, please email John@TeamVGI.com no later than November 15 to request a slot (first come, first served). Hosted by the Great Hollow Photographers Club. Free for members and non-members.

Kids' Nature Night: Eyes on the Skies
2019-12-07 17:00 - 20:00 | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
In this next installment of our Kids’ Nature Night series, we’ll take advantage of the clear winter skies to uncover the infinite mysteries of outer space! After we learn the basics of celestial navigation and astronomy, we will use a telescope to find important navigational stars, constellations, and any visible planets. While we stargaze, we will play games, learn how to orient ourselves using just the night sky, and make our very own “astrolabes.” Afterwards, we will warm up with hot coco and discuss everything from astrophysics to the fascinating stories behind the constellations.
This is a drop-off program open to children ages 5 to 10. Parents, it will be chilly and we will be outside for long periods, so please be sure to send your child with warm clothing and footwear, and gloves. We will provide a campfire dinner of hot dogs and veggie dogs with all the fixings, and juice. Please feel free to send your child with an alternate dinner from home if you would prefer. Registration is $20/child for members and $25 per child for non-members. To register, please email our Education Coordinator, Maggie, at mcozens@greathollow.org. Space is limited.

"Cold Moon" Hike
2019-12-13 18:30 - 20:30 | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
**THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO RAIN**

Come enjoy the last full moon of the year with our naturalist, John Foley, as we take a casual hike through Great Hollow’s moon-lit woods and look and listen for creatures of the night. We’ll find out why this month’s moon is known on the lunar calendar as the “Cold Moon” or “Long Night Moon.” Afterwards, we will warm up by a fire and make s’mores. Please wear sturdy footwear, dress appropriately for the weather, and don’t forget to bring a flashlight or headlamp (please make sure the batteries work beforehand!). The hike is weather-dependent. Appropriate for children ages 8 and up. Please, no dogs. Free for members; a suggested donation of $5/person for non-members is greatly appreciated. Please sign up in advance by emailing John at jfoley@greathollow.org.

Kids' Wild Winter series, Part 2: Living Lichens
2019-12-14 13:00 - 15:30 | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
**THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO RAIN**
Have you ever wondered what those funny-looking things are that grow on the sides of trees? They’re lichens! Lichens are actually two different organisms – a fungus and either an alga or cyanobacterium – living and functioning together in a symbiotic relationship. Lichens help keep our air clean and healthy, even in the winter! In this second part of our Wild Winter series for kids, we’ll head out into the woods in search of these hardy organisms, learn how to identify them, and gather some data for a national citizen science project. We will also observe mosses, look for winter edibles, and collect other natural materials. Then, we will head indoors and create our own take-home tiny terrariums filled with the treasures found on our adventure!
This is a drop-off program for children ages 8 to 12. Parents, please dress you child(ren) appropriately to be outdoors. Registration is $10/child for members and $15/child for non-members. Please register by emailing our Education Coordinator, Maggie, at mcozens@greathollow.org. Space is limited.

First Day Hike
2020-01-01 10:30 - 12:00 | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
Kick off your new year and the brand new decade with a hike in the great outdoors! You can get outside and enjoy the winter beauty of Great Hollow with our naturalist, John Foley, while burning off some of those holiday calories. We will first pay a visit to our resident birds of prey and then trek along our Red Trail, while making our way up to Tucker’s Run waterfall. On the way, we’ll stop and learn about some of the behavioral adaptations that birds and other animals have to help them survive the winter. The hike is open to all ages and is moderately easy. Please make sure to dress for the cold and wear appropriate footwear. A suggested donation of $5 per person for non-members is greatly appreciated. Well-behaved, leashed dogs are permitted. To sign up, please email John at jfoley@greathollow.org.

DIY Weaving & Wine
2020-01-04 17:00 - 20:00 | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
**Registration for this event is currently full**

Adults, join us for a relaxing evening of good conversation and wine while completing a do-it-yourself craft project. In this program, we’ll learn how to weave bird feeders and shelters, or small baskets. There will be several different designs to choose from, and as the techniques we’ll use are surprisingly simple to learn, no prior weaving experience is necessary. On top of that, you’ll receive guidance and instruction from our education coordinator, Maggie, who actually took a whole course in basket-weaving in school!
Bring your own wine, beer, or whatever you like to enjoy while crafting. Glasses will be provided. Light refreshments, snacks, and all weaving supplies will also be provided.
Please contact Maggie at mcozens@greathollow.org with any questions or to register. $15 per person for non-members; $10 per person for members. Space is limited.

A Trip Back to the Last Ice Age
2020-01-11 13:00 - 15:30 | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
In this next installment of our kids’ Winter Ecology series, we’ll travel back in time to Connecticut’s prehistoric past and discover the incredible power of ice! During the last ice age, mighty glaciers covered all of the state, breaking down rocks and carving out the valleys that we all call home today. We’ll venture out into the icy landscape and explore the effects of ice on the natural world. We’ll start off with a hike, go on a geology scavenger hunt, and collect different rock types that hold the secrets to glacial activity thousands of years ago! Then we will head indoors to warm up while we conduct some icy experiments, play games, and decorate our rocks.
This is a drop-off program open to children ages 5-10 years old. Please email our education coordinator, Maggie, at mcozens@greathollow.org with any questions or to register. $15 per child for non-members; $10 per child for members. Advanced registration is required and space is very limited.

Winter Ecology Walk & Talk
2020-01-18 10:00 - 12:00 | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
Did you know that when animals hibernate, they don’t really “sleep” through the winter? Join our naturalist, John Foley, for a winter ecology hike through Great Hollow where we’ll learn how specially adapted plants and animals survive the winter. John will also share some tips on how to identify some of our trees and other plants when they have no leaves. If there’s snow on the ground, we’ll look for animal tracks and interpret the animal’s behavior at the time they were left. Don’t forget to bring binoculars if you have some so you can look for wintering birds along the way. Please dress warmly and wear proper footwear for hiking. Please, no dogs. Appropriate for ages 10 and up. Free for members; a suggested donation of $5/person for non-members is greatly appreciated. Please sign up in advance by emailing John at jfoley@greathollow.org.

Kids' Nature Night: Let it Glow with Bioluminescence
2020-01-25 17:00 - 20:00 | Great Hollow Nature Preserve, 225 CT-37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, United States
What do a firefly, angler fish, and mushroom all have in common? They can glow! Certain organisms are “bioluminescent,” meaning they can create their own light! In this Nature Night program, we’ll learn all about the mysterious world of organisms that can glow in the dark. Through activities and experiments, we’ll observe bioluminescence at work and understand how these creatures produce light, and why. Finally we’ll design and create our very own bioluminescent creatures with glow-in-the-dark paint and crafts to take home.
This is a drop-off program open to children ages 5 to 10. Campfire dinner of hotdogs or veggie dogs included. Please email our education coordinator, Maggie, at mcozens@greathollow.org with questions or to register. $20 per child for non-members; $15 per child for members. Advanced registration is required and space is very limited.
