Interactive Discovery Walks

Location: Several conservation areas provide ideal exploration
Duration: 1.5 hrs
Program Fee: $200

Looking for a specific topic or theme? We enjoy building customized guided walks to meet the unique needs of your group. Please complete the comment section of the Contact page and we will be in touch to discuss details.

Autumn Wonders Discovery Walk: Engaging with the Season

Autumn’s arrival signals a transition time as the natural world pivots from a busy, productive summer to a season of rest and winter survival.

During this discovery walk we will discuss the preparations underway by wildlife and plant systems to prepare for the challenges in the months ahead. We will also explore engaging ways we can enjoy this bountiful time using fun techniques to bring the natural world inside and easy daily activities to connect with nature to awaken our senses!

Forest Bathing: The Japanese Art and Science of Shinrin-Yoku

The health and wellness benefits of spending time in nature, for people of all ages, are well-documented and becoming a fast-growing solution to the stressors of our digital lives.

In this interactive program, we will discuss the concepts and science behind forest bathing as we learn and practice the effective techniques to incorporate this beneficial practice into our daily lives. Together we explore forest walking, engaging the senses and creating ways to bring the forest indoors!

This program is designed to be offered in a variety of settings with access to a wooded or natural area, such as workplaces, schools and community centers.

Maturing Mammals: Exploring the Secrets of Our Wild Furry Friends!

Fall brings seasonal changes for us and for many young mammals ready to leave their parents to begin their next chapter as young adults!

What skills and survival strategies are they learning as they prepare to navigate the challenges of various habitats in NH and the coming winter?

• As we explore the various habitat of a selected trail, we will delve into the following:

•  The fascinating natural history of 7 mammal species often found near our homes.

•  Sensory exploration of the types and purpose of fur using animal pelts.

•  How to look for habitat clues of their presence, including calls and other “calling cards” they may leave behind.
  

May Celebrations: Nature’s Awakenings and Arrivals!

After a long NH winter, many of us are eager to embrace the sounds, sights, and fragrances showcased in May as our natural world enters the busiest month!

Join Kelly Dwyer as we meander along a selected conservation route, focusing on:

• Migrating birds, discussing their communication strategies of behavior and song, nesting preferences, and identification techniques you can use immediately!

• Insect systems and their crucial role in many habitats.

• Wetlands teeming with a variety of amphibians, providing entertaining noises and behaviors!

• Forested lands home to mammals such as foxes, squirrels, raccoons, possums, and deer. Learn about their natural history along ourjourney, as well as clues to discover their “calling cards”!

Migration Marvels: Unraveling Seasonal Mysteries

Explore the seasonal changes which prompt the migration of some of our beloved songbirds, raptors and the champion migrator, the monarch butterfly. We will discuss their natural history and the incredible strategies these species use to prepare for their journey, as well as the challenges they encounter along the way.

Nature’s Mindfulness: A Feast for the Senses!

Envision: the smell of sun-warmed pine needles, the music of early morning spring birdsong, the softness of a flower petal, the soothing colors of a cool forest. Can you feel yourself relax, becoming less stressed and calmer?

When we mindfully engage our senses with the natural world, we enjoy more serenity, focus and creativity.

Join Kelly Dwyer as we discuss and explore simple, yet powerful techniques to utilize the gifts of nature for improved concentration and a sense of well-being, including effective ways to create indoor opportunities to incorporate these concepts on a daily basis.

Nature’s Seasonal Joy: Early Winter Bird Walk

With Thanksgiving behind us and the festivities and demands of the holiday season around the corner, an invigorating and fun nature walk might be just what is needed to decompress and catch your breath!

Along the selected walk route way, we will delve into:

•  Fascinating winter adaptations birds undergo to survive our winters

•  Tips for identifying our backyard birds and the migrants wintering in NH

•  Strategies for successful winter bird feeding

Pack your binoculars and leave the holiday to-do list behind for a few hours!

Nature’s Spring Celebration Stroll

Singing birds, emerging leaves and flowers, and the sun’s warmth are a balm for our senses after a long NH winter and the mud season of early Spring!

This season is brimming with opportunities to enjoy the natural world as many of our favorite animals, plants, and birds are active and focused on spring activities.

Kelly Dwyer will guide us as we stroll a selected conservation area/your group’s location and explore the following:

• Migrating birds recently arriving from warmer climates ready to nest.

• Wetland areas, with an elevated boardwalk, searching for frogs, birds, and plants embracing spring’s arrival!

• Deciduous and conifer forests and how these habitats provide a bounty for a variety of animals.

• Wildflower meadows and the importance of these plants for pollinators.

Come mid to late summer, our natural world is brimming with beautiful colors, enchanting noises, and entertaining movement as many plants and animals are at the peak of activity with warmer days and ample food availability.

Join Kelly Dwyer as we stroll through a selected conservation area and explore the following highlights:

• Wildflower fields, home to the iconic monarch butterfly, and several native plant and butterfly species.

• Early successional shrubland providing essential habitat for numerous birds and mammals.

• Mature deciduous trees which beckon deep forest birds such as thrush and scarlet tanagers.

Be sure to pack your binoculars, camera, water and most importantly, your senses as this time of year offers a feast for our eyes, ears and noses!

After a busy spring and summer, our natural world is beginning the necessary transition from a season of growth and dispersal to preparations for the challenges of the coming winter.

Autumn is also a lovely time of year for us to explore and embrace new techniques to incorporate connections to our natural world for an increased sense of wellbeing!

Join Kelly Dwyer as we stroll along a conservation area/location of your group’s choice and discuss:

• Migration and hibernation as seasonal survival strategies: preparation, timing, and potential hazards.

• Animal adaptations for those species who remain active and brave the cold, snowy months.

• Tree transitions: fall’s brilliance to leaf litter and the role this process plays in ecological health.

• Easy and fun techniques for daily connections with our natural world for our own wellness.

Spring Birding Extravaganza!

Welcome the returning migrants as they arrive from warmer climates, ready for a busy breeding season! In the field we will explore bird behavior, communication tactics and meaning, species identification techniques as we demystify what is occurring in our avian realm.

What’s All the Buzz About?!

Meadows and other open spaces are ablaze with a riot of color, attracting a host of insects, performing the vital function of pollinating hundreds of plants, including many food items we enjoy!

Selected conservation areas provide ideal habitat to explore, using sweep nets and collection jars, as we delve into the following topics:

•  Relationships between insects and host plants and how this impacts us!

•  Insect life cycles- examples of dragonfly nymphs and exoskeletons will be available to examine.

•  Seeds and the role in various ecosystems-what will an abundance of seeds mean for animals this fall?

•  Gardening strategies to enhance pollinator health in your own yard!

  
  
  

Winter Wonders: Using Nature to Increase Seasonal Wellbeing

With the holidays now a distant memory and the promising energy of spring months away, many of us may be feeling the mid-winter blahs. What should be a season of rest has become a time of restlessness!

Using the natural world as our classroom, we will explore fun techniques and ideas to increase our joy and sense of well-being. Throughout our program, we will also discover the unique survival strategies of birds, mammals and trees and search for evidence of active wildlife in this challenging season.

Adult Learners & Group Offerings

Location: Your facility or via Zoom
Duration: 1.5 hrs
Program Fee: $200

Autumn Wonders: Engaging with the Seasons

Autumn’s arrival signals a transition time as the natural world pivots from a busy, productive summer to a season of rest and winter survival. In this presentation, we will discuss the preparations underway by wildlife and plant systems and explore engaging ways we can enjoy this bountiful time such as:

•  Fall gardening strategies to create and observe critical wildlife habitat

•  Fun techniques to bring the natural world inside through terrariums and autumn art

•  Easy daily activities to connect with nature and awaken your senses!

Birds All Around Us: Identifying Your Avian Visitors!

Throughout the year birds enchant us with their unique behaviors, beautiful songs and colorful feathers. In this program we will explore the fascinating world of NH’s resident and migratory birds, discussing their natural history and then focusing on tips and techniques to identify the various species you may see in your own neighborhood!

Backyard Bird Feeding: Avian Entertainment

Are you looking for hours of education and entertainment right outside your windows? Creating a backyard bird feeding station is a terrific option!

Together we will explore the birds you can expect to visit, the best feeder and seed options, as well as tips and strategies to address challenges such as squirrels, window strikes and black bears.

Caring for the Caregiver

Many of us find ourselves in caregiving roles, supporting a variety of needs for family members and friends. Caregiving involvement and commitments can quickly consume our time and energy, as well as our emotional reserves, often leading to overwhelm and burnout.

Numerous surveys and studies show people are suffering, having to make difficult choices between major life areas such as jobs and family member’s care, increasing stress levels.

In this interactive workshop, we will explore:

•  How to identify signs of caregiver overwhelm and stress.

•  Easy strategies to create and implement effective self-care routines.

•  Incorporating simple nature connections for increased wellbeing.

Connecting with Nature: Benefits and Strategies for Wellbeing

Today’s fast-paced, technology-centered world can increase our stress levels, often leading to even more feelings of being overwhelmed, anxiety, difficulty focusing, and other health challenges.

Nature offers all of us numerous benefits to improve this scenario! In this workshop, we will discuss:

•  Challenges to our wellbeing such as Seasonal Affective Disorder and Nature

• Deficit Disorder

•  Powerful benefits nature offers us for calm, focus and improved wellness

•  Easy nature connection strategies to implement on a seasonal and daily basis

Creating a Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary

Build it and they will come! Many of us are searching for strategies to enhance the wildlife value of our outdoor home spaces. In this interactive program we will explore:

• Essential habitat elements of food, water and shelter needed to create a thriving, healthy backyard haven designed to entice birds and other fascinating wildlife.

• Techniques to ensure year-round appeal for birds and protection for pollinators.

• Easy ideas to keep you engaged in every season with your new sanctuary.

Regardless of the size of your yard, small and affordable changes can transform the wildlife appeal of your property, providing critical habitat for many species- and hours of peace and enjoyment for you!

Cultivating Your Wellbeing in Garden Spaces

You have dedicated countless hours toiling to create vibrant plant areas around your home. Many of us focus our gardening efforts to attract pollinators, birds and other wildlife into these healthy ecosystems.

Now it’s YOUR turn to embrace the many benefits these habitats offer!

In this interactive workshop we will:

• Explore simple sensory techniques to be fully present in your garden areas.

• Learn easy nature-themed stretching and breathing sequences to practice among the plants to reduce stress.

• Create an Action Plan for year-round personal wellbeing in your garden and other outside spaces.

The Corvid Cousins: Clever Crows, Ravens and Jays

Have you ever tracked the call of a hawk only to discover it was actually a blue jay intent on clearing the feeders of the other birds?!

In this program, we will explore the most intelligent birds in our region, delving into their fascinating natural history, role in folklore as well as their incredible ability to problem-solve, communicate and seasonal adaptations.

Mindfulness with Nature: Making Terrariums

Are you looking for simple, yet highly effective techniques to destress, improve your focus, and increase your immunity and overall sense of well-being? Mother Nature to the rescue!

During the workshop you will:

•  Create an individual terrarium made from local natural materials such as moss, lichens and ferns.

•  Learn nature-themed deep breathing techniques and stretches for instant energy or calm.

•  Explore easy 5 minute “Nature Break” ideas to engage with the natural world-right outside your door!

Mindful “Wintering”: Strategies to Increase Your Wellbeing and Embrace the Season!

Do you dread the shorter days and colder weather, finding yourself heading into the seasonal “slump” as soon as we turn back the clocks?!

What if there was a proven method to rethink this time of year and embrace opportunities to find joy, restorative self-care, and a new outlook?

Join Kelly Dwyer from Nature Education Opportunities for a dynamic and interactive workshop focused on:

• Impactful strategies to develop a positive winter mindset-for this season and life’s challenging “seasons”.

• Concrete tools to discover winter’s hidden joys and nourishing self-care rituals. Thrive this winter and greet spring feeling grounded and refreshed!

• Creating your personalized “Wintering Well” plan to welcome the change of seasons with energy, focus, and positive expectations.

Nature Journaling

Are you looking for new ways to enjoy nature AND bring more calm and focus into your daily routine? Nature journaling invites us to slow down and pay attention, helping reduce stress and overwhelm. And NO artist training is needed!!

In this experiential workshop, we will explore:

• Cognitive benefits nature journaling provides.

• Easy strategies to begin and maintain a fun routine.

• Prompts and tools to help bring those blank journal pages to life!

Protecting Our Pollinators

Do you enjoy a savory salad or a crunchy apple? Thank a pollinator! Pollinators are critical to our food supply, economic health and biological diversity.

In this program, we will explore the insect pollinators, such as honeybees and native solitary bees, and the challenges facing their survival. Learn about best gardening practices and ways to shop responsibly for plants and garden products to avoid hidden pesticides!

Romantic Behavior of Animals: The World of Animal Courtship

Early spring in NH brings a cacophony of sounds in the woods, fields and ponds as a multitude of animals begin fascinating courtship rituals. In this program, we will explore the natural history and behaviors of our avian, mammal and amphibian wildlife as they prepare for a busy breeding season. Nighttime noises and antics outside your windows will now have context!

Self-Care Essentials: The Secret to Lasting Success

As busy professionals, we tend to give an abundance of our physical and emotional energies to our families, communities, and colleagues, leaving us exhausted and stressed. Guilt-free self-care is essential to a healthy, balanced, and productive life, personal well-being, and professional satisfaction and excellence.

Many of us commit to making changes to support our wellbeing yet find lasting change very difficult to maintain! In this interactive workshop, Certified Wellness Coach, Kelly Dwyer, will explore:

• The critical components to an effective and lasting self-care program.

• Strategies to increase your personal energy and joy.

• Techniques and a planning tool to create that healthy work/life balance-starting immediately!

Serenading Songsters: Understanding and Identifying Bird Song

The variety of bird vocalizations can bring a sense of enchantment and wonder to our ears, especially after a long NH winter! In this program we will first explore the ground-breaking research which dispels many of the long-held beliefs about bird song as we focus on how and why birds use song to communicate.

Kelly Dwyer will then share proven strategies to identify which birds are singing, adding this essential skill to your outdoor enjoyment of various habitats!

Wildlife in Our Backyards: Meet Your Neighbors!

Picture your backyard and envision gray squirrels, those forest acrobats, springing between the thin treetop branches. Chipmunks scampering on the ground, vacuuming up seeds at a frenzied pace. Possums and skunks are active at night, leaving evidence of their presence with prints in the snow or mud (or dug up lawns!).

We see and hear these amazing mammals, including foxes and coyotes, throughout the year as they share outdoor spaces with us. Join Kelly Dwyer as we explore:

•  Fascinating natural histories of these animals.

•  Essential ecological roles they play in various habitats.

•  Strategies we can adopt to keep them safe and healthy and co-exist together!

Winter Woes to Winter Wonderful: Connecting with Nature for Increased Joy and Wellbeing

Are you looking for a winter season filled with simple and effective techniques to reduce stress and increase your focus and overall sense of well-being? Nature to the rescue!

Join Kelly Dwyer for this interactive workshop as we explore Mother Nature’s seasonal strategies for winter survival and learn easy strategies to connect with nature, especially inside your home space.

During the workshop we will:

• Discuss the amazing adaptations our natural world uses for winter survival.

• Learn nature-themed deep breathing techniques and stretches for instant energy or calm.

• Engage in simple exercises and activities to awaken our senses.

• Explore easy 5-minute “Nature Break” ideas to connect with the natural world. Perfect for Holiday and winter stress management!