This course will focus on drawing botanicals in colored pencil and is designed for artists new to botanical drawing and those wishing to refresh their skills. The course will cover the basic techniques that form the foundation of colored pencil art including pencil strokes, pencil pressure, layering, blending and burnishing. During the three-day program, students will work on two projects featuring plants native to southeastern savannas. Instructor will provide group instruction and individual feedback of student progress. All levels are welcome.

The longleaf pine ecosystem is considered a fire dependent ecosystem. Regular, low-intensity fires are important for maintaining the habitat conditions critical to the survival of related species in longleaf pine forests. Join fire experts from The Nature Conservancy to learn more about why fire is important to longleaf pine and how crews burn to improve longleaf habitat.

Do you know the difference between a frog and a toad? How is an amphibian different from a reptile? Find out as we explore the Garden for frogs, toads, and salamanders and learn about where they live, their magical life cycles, and incredible survival skills. We will meet some amphibians up close and practice our identification skills by sight and sound. Designed for young nature enthusiasts, this day camp offers a perfect blend of outdoor exploration, wildlife discovery, and creative indoor activities.

Join instructors from the New Hope Audubon Society for an introductory course in bird identification, classification, physiology, behavior, and more.

This hybrid course is aimed at bird watchers of all skill levels. Whether you're not sure if that bird at your feeder is a chickadee or a nuthatch or whether you know how to tell ruby-crowned from golden-crowned kinglets, this class will have something for you.

Learn about the strength of the grassroots tribal program, Waccamaw Siouan STEM Studio and its impact to the local tribal community; reestablishing Hooheh (long leaf pine) that impacts our environment and inspiring fire back to the landscape.

Come learn common wild herbs that you can use for food and medicine daily. April Punsalan, Founder of Wild Herb Academy, will show you how to connect with common wild herbs to improve your vitality and health. In this workshop, she will cover up to 10 common wild herbs of the longleaf pine and other coastal ecosystems and discuss how she incorporates these herbs into her daily life to improve wellbeing.

Spring has sprung! What’s blooming? Who’s singing? Let’s explore the garden for all things springtime – frogs, flowers, new leaves, nesting birds – and enjoy stories and a craft, too.

We're celebrating the amazing longleaf pine habitat this spring! Join us for a special program with author and illustrator Anne Marshall Runyon. Anne will read excerpts from her wonderful picture book, Longneedle, about the 300-year life of a single longleaf pine tree in the North Carolina Coastal Plain – how it survived fire and hurricanes and its connections with other plants and animals. See original illustrations and learn about the inspiration behind the book, too. Following the reading, families will have the unique opportunity to craft paper sculptures of the two charming squirrels featured in Longneedle – the fox squirrel and the southern flying squirrel.