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.
June
|
|
Learn
to
identify
native
and
introduced
herbs,
ferns,
shrubs,
and
trees
as
they
appear
in
summer,
and
get
to
know
plants
that
may
be
found
in
fields,
on
roadsides,
and
in
woodlands
and
wetlands.
Learn
about
basic
plant
structure
and
more...
|
234BOT334BL
|
06/08
|
Th
|
6:00pm-8:00pm
|
Holmes
|
BLENDED
|
|
|
The
tri-state
area
contains
many
distinct
ecosystems,
including
woodlands,
salt
marshes,
meadows,
and
fresh
water
wetlands.
Study
the
unique
characteristics
of
local
habitats
and
the
species
they
support,
paying
close
attention
to
interspecies
relationships.
We'll
spend
time
on
Garden
grounds
more...
|
234NAT337BL
|
06/11
|
Su
|
10:00am-12:00pm
|
Pehek
|
BLENDED
|
|
|
Join
ecologist
Michael
Gaige
as
he
demonstrates
how
to
identify
old
and
ancient
trees,
both
in
Eastern
woodlands
and
across
the
globe.
He
will
discuss
the
factors
that
allow
them
to
grow
for
centuries
and
illustrate
how
the
advanced
age,
more...
|
234NAT353O
|
06/14
|
We
|
6:00pm-8:00pm
|
Gaige
|
ONLINE
|
|
|
Delve
into
the
fascinating
world
of
the
creatures
that
make
up
84%
of
the
Animal
Kingdom—what
renowned
biologist
E.O.
Wilson
once
called
"the
little
things
that
run
the
world."
We'll
discuss
the
roles
that
insects
play—both
in
maintaining
healthy
ecosystems
more...
|
234NAT322BL
|
06/15
|
Th
|
10:00am-12:00pm
|
Chaya
|
BLENDED
|
July
|
|
Learn
to
measure
and
monitor
the
ecological
diversity
observed
and
celebrated
in
and
around
New
York
City
environs.
Practice
using
field
techniques
for
recording
observations
in
nature
while
walking
along
trails
in
the
Garden.
Explore
the
biodiversity
within
your
chosen
more...
|
241NAT323
|
07/05
|
We
|
9:00am-12:00pm
|
Slowik
|
NYBG
|
|
|
Discover how trees communicate via chemical signals in the air (to warn of insect attacks) and transfer nutrients to one another through complex underground fungal networks (sometimes to assist sick trees).
|
241BOT385O
|
07/12
|
We
|
6:00pm-8:00pm
|
Kutos
|
ONLINE
|
|
|
NYBG's
lush
grounds
and
various
habitats
provide
a
remarkable
opportunity
to
observe
and
study
butterflies.
Join
naturalist
Ken
Chaya
in
search
of
a
wide
variety
of
colorful
butterflies
known
to
feast
on
summer
flowers
in
ourarea.
You'll
learn
how
field
more...
|
241NAT328
|
07/22
|
Sa
|
10:00am-1:00pm
|
Chaya
|
NYBG
|
|
|
Learn how to identify this unique order of insects as they take to the skies in early summer. Study their biology, behavior, habitat associations, and conservation efforts currently underway.
|
241NAT311O
|
07/24
|
Mo
|
6:00pm-8:00pm
|
Wells
|
ONLINE
|
|
|
Celebrate
National
Moth
Week
with
its
co-founder
Elena
Tartaglia!
She'll
detail
the
essential
roles
that
moths
play
in
ecosystems
as
pollinators,
links
in
food
webs,
and
decomposers.
Discover
how
to
attract
moths
for
close
observation
and
learn
how
they
are
more...
|
241NAT348O
|
07/27
|
Th
|
6:30pm-7:30pm
|
Tartaglia
|
ONLINE
|
|
|
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.
|
241BOT308BO
|
07/31
|
Mo
|
5:30pm-7:30pm
|
Holmes
|
ONLINE
|
August
|
|
Explore
these
two
beautiful
and
intriguing
groups
of
herbaceous
plants.
NYBG's
Director
of
the
William
and
Lynda
Steere
Herbarium
Dr.
Emily
Sessa
will
take
you
through
the
basic
aspects
of
ferns
and
lycophytes.
Gain
an
understanding
of
their
form
and
more...
|
241BOT360
|
08/10
|
Th
|
10:00am-1:00pm
|
Sessa
|
NYBG
|
|
|
Chanterelles, Milk Caps, Black Trumpets, Boletes of all kinds, and many other choice edibles make their appearance in the steamy summer months. Learn how to sort through this abundance with hands-on techniques and observations.
|
241BOT356
|
08/17
|
Th
|
10:00am-1:00pm
|
Sadowski
|
NYBG
|
|
|
Study the crucial role birds, insects, and bats play in local ecosystems. Expert naturalist Alan Wells discusses the many different types of pollination, as well as how the roles played by a plant's flower structure, nectar production, and fragrance.
|
241NAT325O
|
08/17
|
Th
|
6:00pm-8:00pm
|
Wells
|
ONLINE
|
September
|
|
In
NYC,
fall
is
the
best
time
to
hunt
for
edible
fungi.
Paul
Sadowski,
25-year
veteran
of
the
NY
Mycological
Society,
will
lead
a
mushroom
hunt,
and
show
you
how
to
identify
many
species
and
their
look-alikes,
where
to
find
more...
|
241BOT368
|
09/13
|
We
|
10:00am-1:00pm
|
Sadowski
|
NYBG
|
|
|
Fascinating
adaptations,
galls
are
highly
modified
tissues
in
plants
caused
by
arthropods,
fungi,
viruses,
or
bacteria.
Surprisingly
little
is
known
about
the
biology
and
ecology
of
galls,
making
them
a
prime
topic
for
naturalists
to
study.
This
class
will
focus
more...
|
241NAT213BL
|
09/13
|
We
|
6:30pm-8:30pm
|
Butler
|
BLENDED
|
|
|
In autumn our native Northeast flora can be spectacular, but difficult to identify. With a 10X power hand lens and a plant key, you'll learn to identify these wildflowers, shrubs, and trees on the Garden grounds.
|
241BOT331A
|
09/14
|
Th
|
10:00am-1:00pm
|
Slowik
|
NYBG
|
241BOT331B
|
09/16
|
Sa
|
10:00am-1:00pm
|
Slowik
|
NYBG
|
|
|
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...
|
241BOT315BO
|
09/20
|
We
|
6:00pm-9:00pm
|
Kutos
|
ONLINE
|
|
|
With
its
wide
variety
of
habitats
and
its
position
on
the
Atlantic
Flyway,
NYC
is
a
bird-lover's
paradise.
Over
300
distinct
resident
or
migratory
species
live
here
or
pass
through,
including
many
nesting
species
such
as
Peregrine
Falcons,
Red-tailed
Hawks,
more...
|
241NAT321BL
|
09/26
|
Tu
|
10:00am-12:00pm
|
Chaya
|
BLENDED
|