June-Packed, Affordable Family Fun at Landis Arboretum

SCHOHARIE REGION (05/12/2009)(readMedia)--

Whatever the day or season, there's always a reason to visit the Landis Arboretum. The month of June provides a case in point:

June 13, Saturday, 2 - 3:30 PM

WOODLAND TREE WALK

Enjoy a walk along the woodland trails of the Arboretum and learn how to identify our common trees. Donation, $5 per person.

Leader: George Steele, Science Educator. George Steele is a seasoned and award-winning environmental education consultant and a popular guide at Landis, the Capital Region's Arboretum. Since 1992 he was worked with a wide range of programs for children's summer camps, museums, nature centers, outdoor education centers, state agencies, libraries, and schools throughout the Northeast.

June 13, Saturday, 10 AM - 1 PM

EYE ON: NATURE THROUGH THE CAMERA'S LENS

A photography class for all levels of proficiency.

The 548-acres Arboretum becomes a photographer's paradise in this dynamic three-part exploration of nature as seen though the camera's lens.

Led by nature photographer Bill Combs, Jr. and members of the Schoharie County Photographers Club, the informal three sessions are designed to engender excitement and a deeper appreciation of technique, patience and experience when nature is the dynamic subject of pursuit.

  • June: Look down! Explore the hidden wonders of the forest floor at the Capital Region's Arboretum
  • July: Look out and all around! Celebrate the abundance of Wildlife that makes the Arboretum a boundless source of inspiration and satisfaction for your mid-day photographic adventure.

Each 3-hour segment includes:

  • 90 minutes with camera in hand, exploring the natural splendors of the Arboretum.
  • 90 minutes of shared time as you display your images in a group setting, learn from shared suggestions and recommendations for improving technique, engaging nature, and expanding creative options. Held at the Arboretum's Harkness Library, which doubles as a classroom, art studio, workshop area.

Requirements: Enthusiasm; a digital camera, appropriate clothing (depending on season), and sensible shoes for the natural terrain of Landis. Bring a brown-bag lunch and a non-alcoholic beverage. Segments can be taken individually although participation in all three sessions will yield maximum satisfaction and learning. Cost: $25/session for members; $35/non-members.

Your Guides: Cobleskill resident Bill Combs Jr's interest in photography began in high school. What began as a hobby developed into a privilege, taking him to places he never would have visited otherwise-from countless hours exploring the wildlife of the exotic Everglades National Park in Florida to photographing the buffalo round-up in South Dakota and elk and bighorn sheep in the Rockies. Bill and his family often can be seen exploring the trails and rich natural resources of the Arboretum.

For more than a decade, the Schoharie Photo Club has provided common ground for regional photographers -- both amateur and professional. Members discuss their art, share techniques, display their images, and discuss their body of work. Members' work is displayed at the Cobleskill Fair each August as well as in group showings at the TriCounty Arts Council Gallery in Cobleskill. The Club hosts presentations by guest speakers and knowledgeable members on various topics.

June 13, Saturday, 10 PM

PUBLIC STAR PARTY

THE ALBANY AREA AMATEUR ASTRONOMERS (AAAA) meet regularly by the Landis Arboretum under the leadership of Alan French. The public is invited and attendance and parking are free. Experience this event for yourself!

  • June 13 (Sat) at 10:00 PM
  • July 17 & 18 (Fri/Sat) at 10:00 PM
  • August 18 (Tues) at 7:30 PM
  • August 21 & 22 (Fri/Sat) at 9:30 PM : Club meeting (Meeting House) and star party
  • September 11 & 12 (Fri/Sat) at 8:30 PM
  • October 16 & 17 (Fri/Sat) at 8:00 PM
  • November 13 & 14 (Fri/Sat) at 8:00 PM

Alan French and his wife, Susan, have been sharing the night sky with people at star parties in the Capital District for close to 40 years. French is a telescope maker, but also enjoys naked-eye astronomy. He is Vice President of Dudley Observatory's Board of Trustees and the Albany Area Amateur Astronomers.

The AAAA 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. Programs such as The Walk Among the Stars include constellation tours, the myths, and stories associated with the constellations, and hints on enjoying the night sky.

Visitors to the Arboretum event should bring something to sit on, and dress according to the season. A sweater is always a good idea for late evenings at Landis. Programs are cancelled if the sky is cloudy. Participants are encouraged to register by calling 518-374-8460 so that they can be notified if cloudy skies force a cancellation. Those who do not pre-register can call to check about two hours before the start time.

Check if a particular star party is happening? Call 518-374-8460.

June 20, Saturday, 9 AM - noon (Rain date: June 21, Sunday, 9 AM - noon)

ALL ABOUT ROSES

Location: Rosman Gardens, 1136 Enid Road, Summit, NY 12175

This comprehensive three-hour course is packed with information, techniques, and tips that are designed to help insure successful rose culture in our cold North Country gardens. The setting for this educational experience is sure to please the senses as well. Participants will be surrounded by the sights and scents of over 200 roses within the two-acre perennial gardens. Rose varieties observed and discussed will range from the latest modern cold-hardy hybrids and English roses to the ancient and historic old garden roses and notable species varieties. A guided and narrated tour of the perennial gardens is included with the program. Complimentary beverage and light snack will be provided. The gardens have been featured in Woman's Day and American Rose magazines.

Instructor: Joanne Rosman. . For additional course information and easy directions, phone 518-287-1701 or e-mail rosmans@midtel.net. Register by calling the Arboretum (518-875-6935) by June 14. $40/members; $45/non-members

June 20, Saturday, 4:30 - 8:30 PM

GARDEN PARTY

Twilight dinner. Live entertainment. Silent Auction. Cash bar. All under the Great Tent among the rolling hills of the sweeping Schoharie Valley countryside. $40/pp prepaid; $45 pp after June 10. To purchase tickets, call 518-875-6935. To donate to the silent auction, please call Donna Vincent at 518-469-1491. Always a night to celebrate and remember - especially with a table of friends!

June 20, Saturday, 9 AM - noon

PRUNING: THE BASICS . . . AND BEYOND

Join Landis' Director of Horticulture and Operations Fred Breglia as he delves into the when, why, and how to prune trees and shrubs. Work and learn with an ISA certified arborist. All levels welcomed.

If possible, participants should bring their own pruning tools and gloves since there will be a hands-on component to the program. Some of the Arboretum's pruning equipment will be available for use during the program. The Acorn Gift Shop at Landis has quality pruning tools for sale.

Register by June 25. Members $35, non-members $50.

June 27, Saturday, 2 - 3:30 PM

HERPETOLOGY HIKE

Enjoy a walk about the Arboretum's fields, forests and ponds in search of amphibians and reptiles. We hope to see several salamanders, frogs, snakes and turtles as we learn about their habits and habitats. Donation, $5 per person.

Leader: George Steele, Science Educator. George Steele is a seasoned and award-winning environmental education consultant and a popular guide at Landis, the Capital Region's Arboretum. Since 1992 he was worked with a wide range of programs for children's summer camps, museums, nature centers, outdoor education centers, state agencies, libraries, and schools throughout the Northeast.

June 28, Sunday, 10:30 AM - 1:30 PM

NATIVE PLANTS AND BIODIVERSITY: A FIELD TRIP WITH ED AND ANNE

Bring a bag lunch and walk the Native Plant Trail with Ed Miller, curator, and Anne Donnelly, retired biology professor and Arboretum President. We'll talk about native plants and how to key them out - and about biodiversity, evolution, and how native plants sustain wildlife in our gardens. Bring your field guides and we'll help you use them, or use ours. Members $10, non-members $15.

Although formally trained to be an engineer, Ed Miller has always had an interest in nature. Following retirement nearly 25 years ago, he studied plants seriously with Ruth Schottman, Jerry Jenkins, Nan and Sue Williams, and others. He has twice served as the chair of the Northeastern section of the Botanical Society of America. Today, Mr. Miller ranks at the top of the Volunteers Who Know list at the Arboretum: he serves as curator to the Native Plant Collection, which he started at the Landis Arboretum in 1999.

Calling Children of All Ages

The Arboretum offers classes, workshops, guided and self-guided nature study. Workshop subjects include hawks, moths, birds, amphibians and reptiles, and arthropods. Horticultural interests are the focus of classes in pruning, tree identification, daylilies, roses, trillium, and plant propagation. Ancillary workshops have focused on photography, botanical illustration, and landscape painting.

The Arboretum is an ideal outdoor classroom for children. With more than 1,000 labeled species of trees, shrubs, and herbaceous perennials from around the world and two old growth forests with diverse wildlife habitats, children love the Arboretum and are eager to learn in this environment.

A 2008 partnership with the Wildlife Learning Company (Oneonta) has heightened interest and participation in Arboretum events. A full-service environmental education company offering services and products to schools, libraries, environmental organizations and members of the general public, the Wildlife Learning Company/Arboretum partnership promotes conservation through education and strives to connect people to nature by providing programs and products that foster an appreciation of the natural environment, impart an understanding of how natural systems function, and create a desire for people to explore the natural world further and take personal responsibility for its protection and care. Wildlife Learning Company provided programs to more than 6,000 participants last year.

The Landis Arboretum includes a nationally recognized collection of oaks and is registered with the North American Plant Collections Consortium (NAPCC). The Arboretum also is included in the New York State Route 20 Bluebird Trail, bringing even more birdwatchers to the site. The Arboretum's vast dark sky and wide horizons attract area astronomers to its meeting house and parking field for sky-watching events

The Arboretum is central to the New York State Wine and Spa Trails and in close proximity to historic Sharon Springs. And, it is a natural stop for those traveling to the high-volume tourist attractions between the Albany, Cooperstown, and Finger Lakes Regions. The Landis Arboretum is located 1.5 miles off scenic Route 20 in historic Esperance, NY. There, with decades of history and the riveting beauty inherent in the Arboretum's world-class, global collections, generations of extraordinary plantings continue to impart their secrets to its visitors.

The Landis Arboretum is located 1.5 miles off Scenic designated Route 20 in Esperance, NY, a beautiful and easy drive from within the Capital Region. For more information, call 518-875-6935; http://landisarboretum.org. Directions: http://landisarboretum.org/map.html