Arboretum: April Flowers Bring More than Flowers;

Array of Edutainment Offerings Highlight Natural Splendor, Expertise

SCHOHARIE COUNTY, NY (03/18/2008)(readMedia)-- There’s more than gardening in the days ahead. The Landis Arboretum offers an array of April programs for busy hands and heads – and the wonder of it all!

April 4, Friday, 8:30 pm PUBLIC STAR PARTY Alan French and the ALBANY AREA Amateur ASTRONOMERS (AAAA) meet regularly by the Landis Arboretum Meetinghouse, drawn by the Arboretum vast, dark sky and good horizons. Visitors are welcome to join the club’s activities. On warmer evenings, come early and enjoy a tailgate picnic supper on the Landis grounds before the program. For more information about AAAA, visit www.timesunion.com/communities/astronomy. To check if a particular star party is happening, due to cloudy skies, call 518-374-8460. Programs are free. A wonderful family outing.

The AAAA fosters public interest and enjoyment of astronomy. This group of more than 125 enthusiasts, from beginner to expert, meets on the third Tuesday of the month at 7:30 pm at the Schenectady Museum, with the exception of the August meeting, which is held at the Landis Arboretum in Esperance, NY. Meeting programs include speakers, films, slide shows, and planetarium demonstrations. Some club members write a daily astronomical telephone message for Dudley Observatory. Phone 382-7584 after 5 PM or on weekends to hear this free recording. The AAA owns an 18 inch telescope, and members bring a variety of other telescopes to these gatherings, and are happy to share the views of deep sky wonders or offer help to those new to the hobby.

April 12, Saturday, 7–9 pm BOTANICAL THRILL SEEKING IN OAXACA, MEXICO The ultimate guided field trip! We traveled a wide range of habitats and elevations, from desert, dry tropical deciduous forest, tropical deciduous forest, thorn forest and tropical rain forest. There were some spectacular (and grueling) hikes. My fellow participants were a varied lot in their interests, personalities, and backgrounds, but all had an interest in plants, (although some rather narrow). Group dynamics can be very entertaining! Orchids, cycads, cactus and succulents; costumes and culture; and roadside mescal stills. Come for a sample. Presenter: Anne Donnelly. Location: Landis Library. Suggested donation: $5.

April 19, Saturday, 9 am–3 pm SPRING WORKFEST Bring your friends and your work gloves to Landis to prep the Arboretum for the season ahead. Come for part of the day or the full day. Light lunch. Heighten the experience and bring a favorite dessert to share. Just do it—and have some fun, lots of laughs, and free exercise among like-minded and environmentally conscious spirits like yourself. Can we count on you? 518-875-6935.

April 22, Tuesday, 11 am OLD GROWTH FOREST TOUR AT THE LANDIS ARBORETUM MARKS EARTH DAY 2008 Fred Breglia is Director of Horticulture and Operations for the Landis Arboretum, a 548-acre public garden in nearby Esperance, NY. He also is co-founder and president of the New York Old Growth Forrest Association, active with the New York State Big Tree Register in which he serves on both the New York State Big Tree Advisory Committee as well as the Capital District ReLEAF Committee. He has nominated more than 15 state champion trees for New York State and several national champion trees registered with American Forest in Washington DC. Join Mr Breglia for an insightful walking tour of the Arboretum’s ancient forests in a proactive and invigorating Earth Day celebration. Brown-bag it! Free.

April 26, Saturday, 9:30 am–2:30 pm PROJECT WILD Project WILD (Wildlife in Learning Design), is an interdisciplinary conservation and environmental education program emphasizing wildlife. The goal of this curriculum is to assist students of any age in developing awareness, knowledge, skills, and commitment to result in informed decisions, responsible behavior and constructive actions concerning wildlife and the environment. Aquatic WILD is an extension of the original Project WILD that addresses aquatic wildlife and serves as an invitation to explore and understand the fascinating world of water and the aquatic habitats it supports. Two curriculum guides are provided at no charge to participants: WILD, containing more than 120 activities in 525 pages and Aquatic WILD, containing 50 activities in 260 pages. Materials are funded by Return a Gift to Wildlife in New York State. This workshop is appropriate for formal and non-formal educators of grades K–12. $20 per participant. To register, call the Wildlife Learning Company, 607-293-6043

April 26, Saturday, 10 am – 4 pm SPRING MIGRATION HAWK WATCH with a HAWK IDENTIFICATION WORKSHOP (2–3:30 pm. Join us for a day on the look out for hawks in migration. The Arboretum offers a great view out over the Schoharie Valley, a natural corridor for hawks on the move. You can be part of the watch for as long as you want. There will be a Hawk Identification Workshop at 2 pm to help you hone your hawk watching skills. Leader: George Steele, Science Educator. Suggested donation, $5.

April 29, Tuesday, 6–8 pm SOIL FERTILITY & TRACE ELEMENTS Get the most from the least. Minerals are the foundation of soil fertility. We pay attention to major and organic minerals, but are still learning about the key roles of trace elements and micro-organisms to create enzymes, hormones, DNA, and bio-regulator molecules. Evidence is emerging—plants and animals need, not 32, but all 90 elements, many at parts per trillion. Learn to get the most from the least for your soil, your plants—and your health. Instructor: David Yarrow. $35 members, $45 non-members. To register, call the Arboretum.

Easy Access to and from Everyplace The Landis Arboretum is located 1.5. miles off Scenic US Route 20 in historic Esperance, NY.

Landis is an easy, beautiful ride from Albany and Cooperstown and central to NYS Wine and Spa Trails. The Capital Region’s Arboretum is in close proximity historic Sharon Springs, the Old Stone Fort Museums Complex, Howe Caverns and the Cave House, the Iroquois Indian Museum, the refurbished Cave House, SUNY Cobleskill, JD Winslow’s Equestrian Entertainment, and the reputed farms of Schoharie County.

Within under two miles travel distance from scenically designated Route 20 and the route I-88 corridor that links Albany with Cooperstown, Finger Lakes Regions and beyond, the Landis Arboretum is an accessible, national treasure and living museum and public garden within easy reach of anyplace in New York State’s Capital Region.

The Arboretum’s abundance of assets continues to find new admirers, supporters, and advocates each year:

  • New York State’s Most Compete Collection of Native Trees and Shrubs
  • One of only three arboreta in eastern North America with old-growth forests. Landis has TWO!
  • Charter Participant in APGA’s PlantCollections™: information-sharing with the world’s premier public gardens
  • 8-plus miles of hiking/walking trails; year-round programs – for kids of all ages
  • The beautiful Van Loveland Gardens;
  • Designated destination on NYS Route 20 Bluebird Trail.
  • Home of the Annual Arboretum Spring Plant/Book/Bake Sale and Artisans' Sunday. May 17 - 18.

www.landisarboretum.org; info@landisarboretum.org