Tag Us! #natureathome #calvertnaturally #calvertnaturesociety
Ages 4-12, with adult
This fall's homeschool series covers “Outdoor Skills,” with each month focusing on something different. October’s class will cover finding direction with a compass, using a map, how to not get lost, and what to do when you DO get lost. There will be some indoor activities, but most of this class will take place outside so please come prepared to be outside (adults too).
Location: Flag Ponds Nature Park
Advanced registration required. Please register by September 29, 2023.
Program Fee
Free for Society members $8 per family for nonmembers
*Program fees are per family. Please register all your children on one entry.
Naturalist in charge: Tania Gale
Homeschool Fridays is a series of environmental education programs developed especially for homeschoolers ages 4 to 12. These classes are a great way to get hands-on science and nature lessons and network with other homeschooling families. Each two-hour program will consist of indoor and outdoor hands-on learning
There is no charge for parents since they are expected to participate as mentors and teachers. Staff will provide guidance for parents on how to assist.
Siblings younger than 4 are welcome, but must be under the care of a parent/guardian at all times and should not distract the program participants.
Older and younger students will be grouped by age to allow for age-appropriate topic exploration (parents will stay with the younger group).
COVID Policies and Procedures
The Calvert Nature Society has developed policies and procedures for public program operations based on state and CDC guidelines.
Please consider the safety, health, and well-being of all participants in our programs and stay home if the participant(s) are ill. Full refunds will be given for cancellations due to health concerns.
Prior to participation in any Society sponsored program, we will ask each individual, if under 18 a parent, to agree to the participant waiver. The waiver agreement needs to be completed for each in-person program.
Please read our full policy statement and waiver.
This fall's homeschool series covers “Outdoor Skills,” with each month focusing on something different. March’s class will cover finding direction with a compass, using a map, how to not get lost, and what to do when you DO get lost. There will be some indoor activities, but most of this class will take place outside so please come prepared to be outside (adults too).
Adults and Older Teens
Naturalist in charge: Gene Groshon
Registration Deadline: Wednesday October 4, 2023
This is a free program.
Registration is not required.
Citizens are invited to revel in Calvert County history during Lower Marlboro Freedom Day, a celebration to commemorate the freedom of those who escaped enslavement with the help of the British during the War of 1812.
The daylong celebration will be held Sat Lower Marlboro United Methodist Church, located at 6519 Lower Marlboro Lane in Owings, and Lower Marlboro Hall, located at 3911 Lower Marlboro Road in Owings. Festivities include a walking tour, speakers, entertainment, fishing, food and exhibits.
As the War of 1812 raged into the summer of 1814, British troops sailed up the Patuxent River in a bid to take Washington, D.C. While stopped at the port of Lower Marlboro – modern-day Owings – to commandeer supplies, the British offered freedom to local enslaved men and women in exchange for their service to the British war effort. Fourteen people won their freedom, an event which is now commemorated as Lower Marlboro Freedom Day.
As part of the Lower Marlboro Freedom Day commemoration, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources will host a free day of fishing at the pier! Children 16 and younger do not require a fishing license; those older than 16 should apply for their license before the event, as a valid Maryland fishing or crabbing license is required. Visit the Maryland DNR website at http://dnr.maryland.gov/Pages/service_fishing_license.aspx for fishing license information.
Fishing rods and bait will be provided by MD DNR. Get ready to cast your lines and reel in some unforgettable memories. Whether you're a seasoned angler or a first-time fisherman, this event is for everyone!
The daylong celebration includes:
Calvert County Event Page
Lower Marlboro Freedom Day is sponsored by residents of Lower Marlboro; Calvert Nature Society; Calvert County Parks & Recreation Natural Resources Division; Calvert County Planning & Zoning; All Saints Episcopal Church; Calvert County Historical Society; Calvert Library; Calvert County Historic District Commission; Maryland State Archives; Gray-Ray American Legion Post; Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture; Mt. Harmony – Lower Marlboro United Methodist Church; Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum; Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory; and Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
Contact: Karyn Molines 410-535-5327 karyn.molines@calvertcountymd.gov
Location: Lower Marlboro Hall, 3911 Lower Marlboro Road, Owings, MD
For Ages 3 to 5 years Adult participation is required
Learn about these birds of the night. We will learn about types of owls that call our area home and how they use their special features to hunt in the darkness. We will even get a chance to see our ambassador owls up close!
Location: Battle Creek Cypress Swamp
There will be portable toilets for bathrooms with no running water.
Reservations are required.
Registration Deadline: Monday, Oct 9
Program Fee: Free for members $8 per family for nonmembers
Location: Battle Creek Cypress Swamp *
For Adults
Bring a lunch you can eat along the trails on the nature parks.
This tradition officially began in 2020 as a celebration of Maryland's official state exercise- walking. Each Friday we will hike the trails of a different nature park. Wear comfortable walking shoes for natural surface trails.
We plan to hike in a light drizzle, so bring your rain gear. We will cancel if heavy rain.
Location: Kings Landing Park. Meet by Wisner Hall
Naturalist in charge: Karyn Molines
Advanced Reservations are requested.
Program Fee: Free
Seniors, Age 60 and up
Join a naturalist on a guided hike of Gatewood Preserve. While the property is fairly level, please realize the terrain is uneven in places. The group will walk for about two hours, enjoying nature and all the nature preserve has to offer.
Location: Gatewood Preserve
Naturalist in charge: Amy Werking
Advanced Reservations are required - Please register by: October 12
Free for Society members $8 per person for nonmembers
Welcome to Camp letter and packing list can be found here
For students in grades 6-8
Friday, October 20, 7:30 a.m. through Saturday, October 21, 4:00 p.m.
Mandatory pre-trip meeting for all participants and their families on Thursday, October 5 at 6:30 pm at Kings Landing Park
Assateague Island is poised between the land and the sea - recreated each day by ocean, wind, and waves. Participants will have fun exploring the coastal bay with nets, camping overnight, cooking dinner over a fire, and hiking in the park.
Fee per child: Society members pay $80 per person. Nonmembers pay $110 per person.
Please register by September 29.
Each child must be registered separately.
Location: meets at Kings Landing Park then we'll travel by van to Assateague Island National Seashore.
Includes:
Packing list can be found here and will be emailed to participants in late September.
There is no water at the park, portable toilets are available.
For children ages 6-9 with accompanying adult
You can learn a lot about an animal by what it eats. Join us as we dissect and identify the contents of Barn Owl pellets from our local nest boxes. We will learn about owl pellets and how they teach us many things, then identify the different prey items the owls ate during the nesting season.
Naturalist in charge: Kim Curren
Advanced Reservations are required - Please register by: October 18
Free for Society members
$8 per family for nonmembers
Meet outside the Visitor Center
Ages 3-5, adult participation required
Bats, Owls, Spiders, oh my! Come learn about our creepy critters and make a Halloween craft!
Advanced Reservations are required - Please register by: October 25
Naturalist in charge: Paige Stevens
.
This fall's homeschool series covers “Outdoor Skills,” with each month focusing on something different. This month's class will cover finding and making shelter in the outdoors – as well as how to pitch a tent. There will be some indoor activities, but much of this class will take place outside so please come prepared to be outside (adults too).
Advanced registration required. Please register by October 27, 2023.
Adults and older teens
Ever wondered what owls live in Maryland? We will go on a 2 mile hike through the forest to see WHOOOO we can find. We will discuss the different species and their special adaptations for living at night. Be sure to bring a headlamp or flashlight, one with a red light is best.
Fee is per person. Free for members $8 for nonmembers
Registration deadline: Wednesday, Oct 1
For students ages 12-16 years old. No parent needed.
From a one-person emergency shelter to a bigger, long-term structure - knowing how to create your own shelter could come in handy. Join friends new and old to learn about different types of shelters, what materials to use, and put then put that knowledge to practice.
Bring water, a snack, and wear warm clothes and shoes that can get dirty. We will be going outside for some of this class.
Advanced registration required. Please register by October 1, 2023.
Free for Society members.
Nonmembers pay $8 per person
Naturalist in Charge: Tania Gale
For children 18 months-5 years old with accompanying adult
Let's explore the park looking for the beautiful colors of Fall!
Location: Ward Farm Recreation and Nature Park
Advanced Reservations are required - Please register by: November 8, 2023
For ages 8 and up, with adult participation
No children under 8 years old allowed.
Bring lawn chairs and flashlights or headlamps
Most everyone knows how to make s’mores over a fire, but campfire cooking can be so much more. Come discover some new campfire cooking methods and recipes. Dress for the weather - and bring your appetite.
Location: Kings Landing Park
Fee is per family. Free for members $8 for nonmembers
Please register by: 11/3/23
Ages 18 months - 5 years with accompanying adult
There are so many fun things we can do with leaves after they fall from the trees. We will collect freshly fallen leaves and use them to create a variety of craft projects. Drop in any time between 10-12 and stay for as long as you'd like. All materials will be provided.
Advanced Reservations are required
This fall's homeschool series covers “Outdoor Skills,” with each month focusing on something different. This month come practice a variety of ways to build fires – from some of the oldest to modern ways and learn basic fire safety. We’ll end by cooking a snack in the fire we make together. There will be some indoor activities, but most of this class will take place outside so please come prepared to be outside (adults too).
Advanced registration required. Please register by November 24, 2023.
Appropriate for all ages & families
Come get cozy around the campfire and roast marshmallows while the naturalist shares some traditional animal folk stories. Bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on.
Advanced Reservations are required - Please register by: November 29
For students ages 6-9years old. No parent needed.
What is happening in the woods right now - early winter? How are animals and plants dealing with the changes in the seasons? We will have both indoor and outdoor activities as we explore the park and these changes.
Advanced registration required. Please register by November 29, 2023.
$10 per child for Society members.
$20 per child for nonmembers
For children 12 - 18 years old
Adults not required.
Join us for a trip to Blackwater Wildlife Refuge on the eastern shore of Maryland. This park is an important wintering ground for many waterfowl species. We will get the chance to see Snow Geese, Tundra Swans, and many species of ducks. We will meet at Wisner Hall at Kings Landing Park in Huntingtown and take the county van to the refuge. Please bring a packed lunch, snacks, binoculars and a water bottle.
Location: We will meet at Wisner Hall at Kings Landing Park in Huntingtown and take the county van to the refuge.
Fee is per person. $25 for members
$40 for per teen for nonmembers
Registration Deadline: Tuesday Dec 5
Naturalist in Charge: Gene Groshon
Ages 3-5, with adult
Come learn about how animals survive the winter, read a book and enjoy a craft.
Location: Kings Landing Park at Wisner Hall
Advanced registration required. Please register by December 5, 2023.
Adults age 60 and up
Join a naturalist on a guided hike at Biscoe Gray Heritage Farm. Enjoy learning about the history of the property and how it was used by early settlers. The group will walk for about two hours on moderately hilly and somewhat uneven terrain.
Advanced Reservations are required - Please register by: December 11
3-5 years old, Adults are required
Come spend the morning outdoors with your preschooler. We will explore the weather and how it impacts the residents of the park in the winter.
Advanced Reservations are required - Please register by December 11
Fee is per family
For children ages 5 & up with accompanying adult
Children will learn some basic compass skills and use what they have learned to find candy canes hidden in the park.
Location: Biscoe Gray Heritage Farm
Advanced Reservations are required - Please register by: December 20
For children 12 - 18 years old. Adults not required.
As part of our raptor research, staff are conducting surveys of wintering hawks and falcons to better understand their survivability. Join us as we conduct roadside raptor banding surveys throughout Calvert County, to collect more data for this study. We will meet at Battle Creek Cypress Swamp and travel in the county van to various areas.
Advanced registration required. Please register each teen separately
Registration Deadline: Tuesday Dec 26
Free for members
$8 per person for nonmembers
Ring in the new year with a guided hike at Gatewood Preserve. A naturalist will share information about the site as the group enjoys being outdoors on the first day of 2024. The family friendly hike for all ages will be approximately two hours on uneven terrain Participants ages 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
Location: Gatewood Preserve, 2800 Grays Road, Prince Frederick
Program Fee: Free for Society members; $8 per family for nonmembers
Suitable for all ages
Ring in the new year with a guided hike at Flag Ponds Nature Park. A naturalist will share information about the site as the group enjoys being outdoors on the first day of 2024.
This hike will be approximately 2 miles over uneven terrain and is not stroller-friendly.
This homeschool series is centered around on animal classification. Each month we will focus on a different animal group - this month will be mammals and what makes them special. There will be both indoor activities and out - so please come prepared to be outside (adults too).
Advanced registration required. Please register by 12/29/23
In this 3-part series we will get out and explore Flag Ponds Nature Park. We will spend the class outside hiking the trails. We will learn to identify common plants and animals, build shelters, and discover whatever the season has to offer. We expect teens to attend all three sessions.
Program Fee per teen
Members: $10
Nonmembers: $20
For children in grades 3-5
Winter is a great time for outdoor adventures! During the day we will explore the woods and the beach playing games, building forts, and following our sense of adventure. After sunset, we will head out into the quiet winter woods for a night walk, followed by a campfire and s'mores. Don't worry about getting too cold - this camp will include indoor, as well as, outdoor activities and plenty of hot chocolate. Dinner, breakfast, and snacks included.
Advanced registration required. Please register by January 5, 2024.
Program fee per child
$25 for Society members $40 for nonmembers
Saturday, January 13, 9:00 a.m. overnight through Sunday, January 14, 9:00 a.m.
We will be sleeping indoors with a cozy fire in the fireplace with the campers in tents - 2 campers per tent.
Our raptor research involves surveys of wintering hawks and falcons to better estimate their populations. Join us as we conduct roadside raptor banding surveys throughout Calvert County, to collect more data for this study. We will use traps to capture hawks to band, then release them, We'll take size & weight measurements as well as document age and sex of the birds.
We will meet at Battle Creek Cypress Swamp and travel in the county van to various areas.
For more information on the research project: Winter Raptor Research
Registration Deadline: Thursday, January 11th
For children ages 1.5-5 yrs old
Learn what animals do in winter, whether they hibernate, migrate or stay active. We will go on a walk to search for animals active at the park.
Advanced Reservations are required - Please register by: January 19
