Urban Naturalist Classes

In this teeming metropolis we call home, nature is all around us whether we pause to carefully observe it or not. Amaranth springs through the cracks in our sidewalks; migrating warblers rest in our parks; horseshoe crabs scuttle onto our beaches to breed. As a NYBG Urban Naturalist, you will have a unique opportunity to explore these diverse habitats while discovering the keys that unlock their many secrets. Enroll in a course for fun or pursue a Certificate.

Click here for an overview of the Certificate Program.


February

Get a solid grounding in the basic plant body-from the cell to the roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruit. We'll use dissecting and compound light microscopes to observe plant anatomy, then introduce the base-level chemistry required to understand the world more...
263BOT315C 02/02 Mo 11:00am-2:00pm Zumajo
NYBG

This is the class for plant-lovers eager to up their game! Learn the terminology and basic botanical nomenclature that will help you recognize and describe key differences in common plants.
263BOT308DO 02/05 Th 5:30pm-7:30pm Holmes
ONLINE

In winter, New York City becomes a busy resort for scoters, eiders, geese, grebes, loons, owls, songbirds, and even seals that visit to wait out colder weather to the north. Explore the various seasonal behaviors of these animals—from their spectacular more...
263NAT358BL 02/05 Th 6:00pm-8:00pm Jacobs
OFS-BL

Coyotes, bears, and deer are becoming an integral part of urban life due to the extirpation of their predators and conversion of natural habitats. We will look closely at these species and discover how they have adapted to co-exist with more...
263NAT326O 02/11 We 6:00pm-8:00pm Herrera
ONLINE

Among Earth's most amazing and oldest living organisms, lichens grow on bark, rock, and barren soil. They thrive in rain forests, deserts, the arctic-even environments simulating Mars! Lichens are sensitive environmental indicators, yet scientists are only just beginning to understand more...
263BOT313 02/12 Th 10:00am-1:00pm Howland
NYBG

Urbanization is changing biodiversity, interspecies relationships, and even animal behavior, in the tri-state area and beyond. Liz Johnson, former manager of AMNH's Metropolitan Biodiversity Program, will introduce you to the particular habitats found here, as well as plants and animals more...
263NAT338BO 02/26 Th 10:00am-12:00pm Johnson
ONLINE
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