Upcoming Events

Instructor: Chris Earley, Arboretum Interpretive Biologist Mondays and Wednesdays, March 17, 19, 24, 26, 31, April 2, 7 and 9, 2025 Fee: $70.00 + H.S.T. Into birding but the songs have you stumped?  Whether you are new to learning bird sounds or you want a good refresher, this course is for you. Join Chris Earley, Arboretum Interpretive Biologist and author of 5 bird field guides, for a series of eight virtual noon-hour lectures that cover over 150 bird species!  We will focus on songs and some common, distinctive calls and will apply different...

Instructor: Robert Pavlis Fee: $10 (plus HST) per person Vermicomposting is a way of using earth worms to compost organic material. One benefit of this method is that it can be done in the home using special bins that require a very small space. The course will introduce you to the equipment needed including some inexpensive DIY options. It will help you select the right kind of worms and show you how to maintain them to keep them healthy. We’ll review ways of harvesting the vermicasts – the worm poop – and explain how it should be treated for best...

Instructor: Joseph Langlois Dates: Thursday OR Friday, April 3 OR 4, 2025 Time: 7:30 to 8:30 PM Fee: $12 (plus HST) per person A breathtaking ascent to the skies, a graceful fall to the ground, and a mesmerizing, yet quirky, call… PEENT. The sky dance of the American Woodcock is a truly incredible spectacle, and we at The Arboretum invite you to join us in a search for this captivating display! Our Woodcock Walk begins at the Nature Centre, where we’ll unveil some of the mystery behind these aerial acrobats before heading into the field...

Instructor: Christa Wise Dates: Saturday, May 3, 2025 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM OR Saturday, June 7, 2025 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM OR Saturday, July 5, 2025, 12:00 NOON - 2:00 PM OR Saturday, August 9, 2025, 12:00 NOON - 2:00 PM Fee: $12 (plus HST) per person  Get curious about nature and practice your observational skills with our nature journaling hikes! Great for those looking to get started, we will focus on the fundamentals so you can create your own nature journal. No artistic skill needed,...

Instructor: Christa Wise Fee:  $98 (plus HST) per person if you register by the early bird deadline of April 26, 2025. After April 26 the fee is $108 plus HST. Spring has arrived and the flowers are beginning to bloom! Join us to explore the wonderous world of spring wildflowers. In-classroom learning will focus on foundational botany and an introduction to the plant families we might encounter during the springtime. Visiting Arboretum sites like Victoria Woods, Wild Goose Woods, and the close to the public Nature Reserve, participants will be able to test...

Instructor: Candice Leyland Date: Saturday, May 24, 2025 (rain date: May 25) Fee: $65 (plus HST) per person if you register before the early bird deadline of May 16, 2025. After that date the fee is $75 (plus HST) per person. Registrants must be age 14+. Join Artist Candice Leyland for an inspiring and immersive plein air watercolour class, where The Arboretum becomes your studio! Whether you're a seasoned artist or a curious beginner, this class offers a unique opportunity to capture the beauty of the outdoors with vibrant watercolours...

Instructor: Christa Wise Date: Saturday, July 5, 2025, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM OR Saturday, August 9, 2025, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM Fee: $12 (plus HST) per person Have a kid that is curious about nature and loves to draw? Join Arboretum Naturalist Christa Wise for a family nature journaling hike! We will teach the fundamentals of how to create and keep a nature journal with activities tailored to kids. Each hike will cover a different theme, so repeat hikers are always welcome. All you need for these hikes is a sketchbook and...

Instructor: Sean Fox Fee:  $90.00 (plus HST) per person if you register by the early bird deadline of September 3. If you register after September 3 the fee is $100 (plus HST). Note: If we don't have enough registrations by the early bird deadline, the course may be cancelled. Neither great trees nor a carpet of bloom, the often overlooked but ecologically important shrubs and vines in our landscape will be our focus. Fresh specimens and an easy to use key for shrubs will be used. We will be outdoors for half of the day discovering...