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.


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