The Sky's the Limit at the Landis Arboretum

ESPERANCE, NY (04/04/2011)(readMedia)-- What is the best way to enjoy the spring skies and landscape at the Landis Arboretum? Come to Esperance in April and discover three of the many unique events that Landis sponsors to enhance your enjoyment of nature's gifts in the new season.

Spring Migration Hawk Watch and Hawk Identification Workshop: Saturday, April 23. Spend all or part of the day from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the Arboretum with George Steele, Science Educator, looking for the magnificent hawks that are traveling through the Schoharie Valley. A natural corridor for birds in migration flight, the valley is easily viewed from a number of vantage points at Landis. From 2 - 3:30 p.m., George will conduct a workshop to help you develop or fine-tune your hawk watching skills. Bring the family for an interesting look at these birds of prey that often share our neighborhoods unnoticed. Arboretum members: $5/person, $15/family. Non-members: $10/person, $25/family.

Spring Workfest at Landis: Saturday, April 23, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. The Arboretum welcomes you and your friends or family, for all or some of the day, to help get Landis ready for spring and its many visitors. We will even provide a light lunch, and encourage you to top off the meal by bringing your favorite dessert to share with others. This is a fun day to be outdoors, meet some interesting folks, and check out everything that's awakening at Landis, while helping the Arboretum look its best in the days ahead. It's also a great way to introduce a child or visitor to one of the Capital Region's finest natural resources, the George Landis Arboretum.

Bring a pair of work gloves and meet at the Arboretum's Welcome Center, where you can drop off your dessert and scan the Van Loveland Perennial Gardens for the latest burst of spring cheer and color. Questions? Contact Volunteer Coordinator Susan Sagendorf at (518) 234-8970 or ssagendorf@yahoo.com.

Public Star Parties: Friday, April 29 and Saturday, April 30, 9:30 p.m. No need to dress up for these parties – the stars are in the sky, not Hollywood! Join Alan French and the Albany Area Amateur Astronomers who will bring their telescopes to treat you to an evening of stargazing under the Arboretum's prized dark skies. You will begin with an informative introduction by Alan in the Meeting House and then see for yourself the wonders of the evening sky – star clusters, nebulae, galaxies, planets, and more. Admission and parking are free, but donations to aid the Arboretum are always welcome. If skies are mostly cloudy, Star Parties are cancelled. You can reach Alan at (518) 374- 8460 for more information or to check on that evening's program.

Landis Arboretum

www.landisarboretum.org ** (518) 875-6935 ** info@landisarboretum.org