Programs, Workshops & Walks

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. Programs open to children/youth require an adult to attend with them and the adult is responsible for their supervision for the duration of the program. Advance registration is required for all programs. Space is limited.

Wildflower Walk at the G. R. Thompson Wildlife Management Area (Linden, VA)

1:00-3:00 PM Tuesday, April 29th

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: Adults and children aged 12 and up. No pets, please!

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.

Peak of Spring Migration Bird Walk

8:00-10:00 AM Friday, May 2nd

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.

Blandy Field Notes: Flowering Trees

5:30-6:30 PM Thursday, May 8th

Blandy Field Notes is a new monthly program series (second Thursday of the month) where you can join the arboretum’s curators in the field for a deep dive into fascinating plants and ecological phenomena. Each session will involve close observations of specific plants or animals, guided by experts in botany and ecology. This program is aimed at naturalists of all skill levels and will take place in an informal, outdoor setting in which discussion is encouraged. Join us as we follow our curiosity about the natural world – we’ll see you in the field!

For May’s session, we’ll be diving into the biology of flowering trees. We’ll be taking a very close look at different flowers and discussing how they evolved to attract different types of pollinators.

What to expect: An informal outdoor program with a talk and an activity.

Who can come: This program is designed for adults and children aged 12 and older, but all are welcome. No pets, please!

What to bring: Wear comfortable walking shoes, dress for the weather, and bring a full water bottle.

Where to meet: Meet at the flagpole at the front parking lot close to the “Arboretum Information” kiosk.

Registration required.

Canceled due to weather

Bonus Walk: Peak of Spring Migration Bird Walk

8:00-10:00 AM Friday, May 9th

Birding in May is pretty great around here, so we’re offering this program twice! 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.

Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor): What 20 years of Shenandoah Audubon/Blandy Trail Technician Data (A Citizen Science Project) Can Tell Us About Climate Change

6:00-7:30 PM Thursday, May 15th

During time meandering Blandy grounds, you've undoubtedly encountered many of the 132 bird houses erected for the purpose of providing habitat for our native, cavity-nesting birds. For the past 20 years, trained and highly dedicated volunteers have monitored the nestboxes and collected consistent nesting data for Bluebirds, Tree Swallows, House Wrens and Carolina Chickadees. Data suggests the migrating Tree Swallows are arriving earlier and earlier each spring.

Join us for a special program co-hosted by The Northern Shenandoah Valley Audubon Society and Blandy Experimental Farm to learn how climate change may be impacting Tree Swallow migration and breeding behaviors with Dr. David Carr (Blandy Director).

What to expect: A talk followed by a short walk. After the program, we will venture outdoors for an up-close look at active Tree Swallow nest boxes. We will walk about a half 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.

Where to meet: Meet at the Blandy library at the Quarters building.

Free program, but registration required.

How Ecologists Use Wildlife Cameras to Monitor Mammal Communities

Coyotes and cougars and bears, oh my!

7:00-8:00 PM Tuesday, June 10th

How can we monitor mammal populations across large areas to support wildlife conservation? While armies of citizen science volunteers keep tabs on birds with national monitoring programs like eBird, the mammal community lacks an effective system, as all monitoring of mammals is either local or state-wide. The Smithsonian is building a system of community volunteers that are presently deployed across all 50 states through a program called Snapshot USA. We will discuss the benefits and short-falls of basing a survey on wildlife cameras, how the network is being built, and the results of our current effort.

Speaker: Bill McShea is a wildlife ecologist at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI).

What to expect: A science talk in the library.

Who can come: This program is designed for adults and children aged 12 and older, but all are welcome No pets, please!

Where to meet: Meet in the library at the Quarters building.

Registration link coming soon.

Blandy field notes monarch on milkweed leaf

Blandy Field Notes: Milkweed

5:30-6:30 PM Thursday, June 12th

June is peak milkweed season at Blandy, and so this month’s field session will be all about milkweeds! Participants will get plenty of hands on time with milkweed plants as we learn all about these fascinating plants and the unique invertebrate communities they support.

What to expect: An informal outdoor program with a talk and an activity.

Who can come: This program is designed for adults and children aged 12 and older, but all are welcome No pets, please!

What to bring: Wear comfortable walking shoes, dress for the weather, and bring a full water bottle.

Where to meet: Meet at the flagpole at the front parking lot close to the “Arboretum Information” kiosk.

Registration link coming soon.

American Kestrels

6:00 - 8:00 PM Friday, June 13th

Join us to learn about conservation efforts to provide nesting habitat for American Kestrels across the Virginia Piedmont and Shenandoah Valley. October Greenfield, Wildlife Habitat Program Manager for The Piedmont Environmental Council, will present on American Kestrel ecology and conservation challenges, followed by a field walk to learn about monitoring nest boxes.

What to expect: A lecture-style talk in the library, followed by a walk to kestrel monitoring nest boxes.

Who can come: This program is designed for adults, but children accompanied by adults are welcome.

What to bring: Please be sure to wear appropriate footwear and clothing for longer grass and uneven terrain (sunscreen and bug spray recommended).

Where to meet: Meet in the library (located in the Quarters building)

Firefly Walk

8:00-9:30 PM Thursday, June 26th

Everyone loves fireflies, but how do they make their light, and why? Enjoy the light show while learning about these fascinating insects.

What to expect: An outdoor nature walk. We will walk about a mile over gently rolling terrain.

Who can come: This program is suitable for all ages.

What to bring: Wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather. Bring a flashlight if you wish. Bug spray recommended.

Where to meet: Meet at the flagpole at the front parking lot close to the “Arboretum Information” kiosk.

Firefly Festival

8:00-9:30 PM Monday, June 30th

Rain Date: Same time Tuesday, July 1st

Explore the fascinating world of fireflies with outdoor crafts, activities, games, and a short nature talk. As dusk falls, we'll catch and release fireflies and watch them in action.

What to expect: A family-friendly program with crafts, activities, and firefly programming.

Who can come: This program is suitable for all ages.

What to bring: Firefly/bug-inspired attire encouraged! Wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather. Bring a flashlight if you wish. Bug spray recommended.

Where to meet: The courtyard at the Quarters building.