A note about our programs
We hold most programs rain, snow, or shine, unless we notify you otherwise. If you cancel your registration seven days or more prior to the program date, we’ll refund your fee in full. If you cancel within seven days of the program date, we are unable to refund your fee. If the Foundation of the State Arboretum cancels a program for any reason, we will refund your fee in full. Advance registration is required for all programs. Space is limited.
Nature Journaling with Eleanor Harris of the Clifton Institute!
1:00-3:30 PM | Sunday, March 19th
Nature journaling is a great way to document your discoveries in nature, connect to the landscape around you, and even contribute to science! Plus it’s really fun! In this program, Eleanor Harris, Managing Director of the Clifton Institute and passionate nature journaler, will introduce you to the practice of nature journaling and give tips and tricks for making it accessible and successful for everyone. After a brief presentation, Eleanor will lead the group on a short walk to nature journal on Blandy's grounds. We recommend bringing a sketchbook / notebook and writing utensil. Eleanor will have a small number of journals for sale for $20 and pens and colored pencils to borrow.
What to expect: An introduction to nature journaling in the library, then an outdoor journaling walk.
Who can come: Adults and children accompanied by an adult.
What to bring: Wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather. Bring a sketchbook / notebook and writing utensil. Eleanor will have a small number of journals for sale for $20 and pens and colored pencils to borrow.
Where to meet: Meet at the library in the Quarters building.
Registration required.
One FOSA Member/UVA Alumni $10; One Non Member $15
FOSA Family/UVA Alumni $20; Non-Member Family $35
Photo credit: Kathryn Decker
Sold out! Conifers for Pre-K
9:00-10:00 AM | Wednesday, March 29th
Join us for a short lesson in the library followed by a walk around the arboretum to find and identify common conifers. We will explore each tree’s needles and cones. Children age 4 and under accompanied by a caregiver are welcome.
What to expect: A kid-friendly nature program with indoor and outdoor components.
Who can come: This program is designed for children age 4 and under accompanied by a caregiver. No more than 3 children per adult, please.
What to bring: Wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather.
Where to meet: Meet in the library at the Quarters building.
Registration required.
FOSA Member/UVA Alumni Family $8
Nonmember $10
SOLD OUT! Early Migrants Bird Walk
8:00-10:00 AM | Friday, March 31st
Join Blandy Director and birding enthusiast Dr. Dave Carr to hunt for tree swallows, eastern phoebes, migrating waterfowl, and more!
What to expect: We will walk about a mile over gently rolling terrain.
Who can come: Adults and children aged 12 and up.
What to bring: Wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather. Bring your own binoculars or borrow a pair from Blandy.
Where to meet: Meet at the flagpole at the front parking lot close to the “Arboretum Information” kiosk.
Registration required
One FOSA Member/UVA Alumni $20.00
Two FOSA Members/UVA Alumni $35.00
Full Moon Walk
7:45- 8:45 PM | Thursday, April 6th
Explore the arboretum at night on a guided nature walk. Who knows what we’ll discover?
What to expect: We will walk about a mile over gently rolling terrain in variable light conditions.
Who can come: This program is designed for adults and children aged 5 and up.
What to bring: Wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather. Bring a flashlight if you wish.
Where to meet: Meet at the flagpole at the front parking lot close to the “Arboretum Information” kiosk.
Registration required.
One FOSA Member/UVA Alumni $10; One Non Member $15
FOSA Family/UVA Alumni $20; Non-Member Family $35
Native Beekeeping
6:30-8:00 PM | Tuesday, April 11th
Join Blandy bee scientist T'ai Roulston to learn practical tips to create better habitat for native bees in your own backyard.
What to expect: A lecture-style talk in the library.
Who can come: This program is designed for adults.
What to bring: If you wish, bring materials to take notes.
Where to meet: Meet in the library.
Registration required.
One FOSA Member/UVA Alumni $10; One Non Member $15
FOSA Family/UVA Alumni $20; Non-Member Family $35
Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project – Updates on a Changing World
2:00-4:00 PM | Sunday, April 16th
We know it’s happening, carbon pollution from fossil fuels is warming our planet and throwing natural systems out of balance.
You don’t have to look far to see the results. Hotter temperatures, stronger storms, rising seas, massive and more intense hurricanes, all threatening the health of our families and the future we pass on to generations to come.
But what’s going on and why? And what can we do?
This talk will present current, updated information originally developed by former Vice-President Al Gore in 2006 and highlighted in the film, An Inconvenient Truth. Two Climate Reality Leaders, certified by Mr. Gore, will cover our immediate situation and its urgency.
There will be an update on progress made as well as actions we can take to alleviate the Climate Crisis.
What to expect: An indoor talk in the Blandy library. Masks are optional.
Who can come: This presentation is intended for audiences over 15 years of age
What to bring: Note-taking materials, if desired
Where: Meet in the Blandy library.
Registration required.
One FOSA Member/UVA Alumni $10; One Non Member $15
FOSA Family/UVA Alumni $20; Non-Member Family $35
NEOTROPICAL MIGRANTS BIRD WALK
8:00-10:00 AM | Friday, April 21st
Spring (migration) has sprung! Join Blandy Director and birding enthusiast Dr. Dave Carr in search of early breeding warblers (e.g., Pine, Yellow, Palm, and Yellow-rumped) and other neotropical migrants.
What to expect: We will walk about a mile over gently rolling terrain.
Who can come: This program is designed for adults and children aged 12 and up.
What to bring: Wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather. Bring your own binoculars or borrow a pair from Blandy.
Where to meet: Meet at the flagpole at the front parking lot close to the “Arboretum Information” kiosk.
Registration required.
One FOSA Member/UVA Alumni $20.00
Two FOSA Members/UVA Alumni $35.00
WILDFLOWER ID WALK AT BLANDY
Same program offered twice.
2:00-3:30 PM | Thursday, April 20th
2:00-3:30 PM | Friday, April 21st
Discover Virginia’s spring wildflowers! Tour the woodland section of the Native Plant Trail, then practice identifying wildflowers with interactive instruction on how to use the citizen science app iNaturalist. Prefer a low-tech option? Bring or borrow a favorite field guide.
What to expect: We will walk about a mile over gently rolling terrain.
Who can come: This program is designed for adults and children aged 12 and up.
What to bring: Wear comfortable walking shoes, dress for the weather, and bring a full water bottle. Please download iNaturalist before the program.
Where to meet: Meet at the flagpole at the front parking lot close to the “Arboretum Information” kiosk.
Registration required.
FOSA members/UVa Alumni, $10, nonmembers $15
Member/UVa family $20, nonmember family $25
April Wildflowers for Pre-K
9:00-10:00 | Wednesday, April 26th
Join us for a short lesson in the library followed by a walk around the arboretum to find wildflowers! Children age 4 and under accompanied by a caregiver are welcome.
What to expect: A kid-friendly nature program with indoor and outdoor components.
Who can come: This program is designed for children age 4 and under accompanied by a caregiver. No more than 3 children per adult, please.
What to bring: Wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather.
Where to meet: Meet in the library at the Quarters building.
Registration required.
FOSA Member/UVA Alumni Family $8
Nonmember $10
How to Manage Your (Private) Land Sustainably
7:00-8:30 PM | Thursday, April 27th
This workshop will be led by Marie Norwood, Land Management Outreach Associate for the Clifton Institute, with assistance from Blandy staff and FOSA volunteers.
Managing private land (whether it’s 1, 5, 20, or 100 acres) in a sustainable manner can be a significant challenge. This exciting “hands-on” workshop will help you manage your private property for native plants and animals, control invasive species, make decisions about sustainable agricultural practices, provide resources for finding local nurseries and seed companies that specialize in native plants, and more. The emphasis will be on "early-successional" habitats (lawn, grasslands, fields, meadows, shrublands, etc.).
Participants will be invited to bring maps, aerial photographs, and descriptions of current land management practices to share ideas and learn about sustainable land management. No previous experience in sustainable land management practice is required.
What to expect: An indoor talk and discussion.
Who can come: This program is designed for adults.
What to bring: Participants are invited to bring maps, aerial photographs, and descriptions of current land management practices to share ideas and learn about sustainable land management.
Where to meet: Meet in the library at the Quarters building.
Registration required.
FOSA members/UVA Alumni: $10 per person
Non-members: $20 per person
FOSA Family/UVA Alumni Family: $15 per family
Non-member Family: $35 per family
WILDFLOWER WALK AT THE THOMPSON WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA
1:00-3:00 PM | Thursday, May 4th
Learn to recognize our spring wildflowers in their native habitat. Scout for trilliums, orchids, and other spring wildflowers alongside Blandy’s Assistant Curator for the Native Plant Trail Jack Monsted.
What to expect: We will walk ~1.5 on hiking trails with occasional steep uphill and downhill sections,
stopping frequently to observe flowers.
Who can come: This program is designed for adults and children aged 12 and up.
What to bring: Wear comfortable walking shoes, dress for the weather, and bring a full water bottle. If you’d like, bring materials to take notes and a favorite wildflower field guide or smartphone identification app (e.g., iNaturalist).
Where to meet: Meet at the Thompson Wildlife Management Area Trillium Parking Lot (directions provided following registration).
Registration required.
FOSA members/UVa Alumni, $10, nonmembers $15
Member/UVa family $20, nonmember family $25
Sold out! Full Moon Walk
8:00-9:00 PM | Friday, May 5th
Explore the arboretum at night on a guided nature walk. Who knows what we’ll discover?
What to expect: We will walk about a mile over gently rolling terrain in variable light conditions.
Who can come: Adults and children aged 5 and up.
What to bring: Wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather. Bring a flashlight if you wish.
Where to meet: Meet at the flagpole at the front parking lot close to the “Arboretum Information” kiosk.
Registration required.
One FOSA Member/UVA Alumni $10; One Non Member $15
FOSA Family/UVA Alumni $20; Non-Member Family $35
SOLD OUT! PEAK OF SPRING MIGRATION BIRD WALK
8:00-10:00 AM | Friday, May 12th
We’re close to the peak of spring migration! Join Blandy Director and birding enthusiast Dr. Dave Carr to spy on neotropical migrants. We hope to see vireos, wrens, gnatcatchers, orioles, buntings, grosbeaks, and more!
What to expect: We will walk about a mile over gently rolling terrain.
Who can come: This program is designed for adults and children aged 12 and up.
What to bring: Wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather. Bring your own binoculars or borrow a pair from Blandy.
Where to meet: Meet at the flagpole at the front parking lot close to the “Arboretum Information” kiosk.
Registration required.
One FOSA Member/UVA Alumni $20.00
Two FOSA Members/UVA Alumni $35.00
2023 Tree of the Year!
10:00-11:00 AM | Thursday, May 18th
On Arbor Day each year, the State Arboretum of Virginia honors one extraordinary tree species as the “Tree of the Year.” Get a behind-the-scenes look the selection process and learn all about this year’s lucky winner. After a short talk in the library, we'll venture out to meet the 2023 "celebri-tree" on the grounds of the arboretum.
What to expect: An indoor talk and a nature walk. We will walk up to a mile over gently rolling terrain.
Who can come: This program is designed for adults and children aged 8 and up.
What to bring: Wear comfortable walking shoes, dress for the weather, and bring a full water bottle.
Where to meet: Meet in the library at the Quarters building.
Free, but registration required.
Sold out! Insect ID for Pre-K
9:00-10:00 | Wednesday, May 31st
Join us for a short lesson in the library followed by a walk around the arboretum to find and identify common backyard insects! Children age 4 and under accompanied by a caregiver are welcome.
What to expect: A kid-friendly nature program with indoor and outdoor components.
Who can come: This program is designed for children age 4 and under accompanied by a caregiver. No more than 3 children per adult, please.
What to bring: Wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather.
Where to meet: TBD.
Registration required.
FOSA Member/UVA Alumni Family $8
Nonmember $10