⚠️ ❄️ The Nature center will be closed January 31st due to winter storm warnings. Stay safe everyone! Join us at the Nature Center to learn about the winter wildlife found across the Highlands Plateau. Our Education Specialists will be ready to welcome folks back with engaging conversations, interesting facts about our local flora and fauna, and a self-guided “specimen search” through our botanical gardens. January 16th & 17th | 30th & 31st FREE | Drop-In, from 10 am - 3:30 pm Program provided by:

⚠️ ❄️ The Nature center will be closed January 31st due to winter storm warnings. Stay safe everyone! Do you think you can identify an animal by its fur? Drop in for a few minutes, or stay and pair the ‘Who’s Out There?’ activities with this hands-on opportunity to see and feel a variety of animal skins! January 16th & 17th | 30th & 31st FREE | Drop-In, from 10 am - 3:30 pm Program provided by:

Join us at the Nature Center to celebrate your love for the outdoors! We will be crafting nature-themed Valentines to share and spend some time getting to know others within our community. Supplies will be provided, but feel free to bring materials you would like to share. February 13th & 14th FREE | Drop-In, from 10 am - 3:30 pm Program provided by:

Join us at the Nature Center to celebrate your love for the outdoors! We will be crafting nature-themed Valentines to share and spend some time getting to know others within our community. Supplies will be provided, but feel free to bring materials you would like to share. February 13th & 14th FREE | Drop-in from 10 am - 3:30 pm Program provided by:

Have you ever heard of The Kindness Rocks Project? This weekend at the Nature Center, we will gather to create a garden of kindness through art and community. Supplies will be provided. “Take one when you need one, share one with a friend who needs some inspiration, or leave one for another. One message at the just right moment can change your whole day, outlook, or life.” February 27th & 28th FREE | Drop-in from 10 am - 3:30 pm Program provided by:

Have you ever heard of The Kindness Rocks Project? This weekend at the Nature Center, we will gather to create a garden of kindness through art and community. Supplies will be provided. “Take one when you need one, share one with a friend who needs some inspiration, or leave one for another. One message at the just right moment can change your whole day, outlook, or life.” February 27th & 28th FREE | Drop-in from 10 am - 3:30 pm Program provided by:

Spring is right around the corner, and we’re already seeing some fresh pops of green! We will kick off the ecoEXPLORE Botany Field Season with a plant scavenger hunt along the Botanical Garden trails and the Boardwalk. Participants will work to complete a plant identification challenge while gaining a deeper understanding of the natural world around them. ecoEXPLORE is a community science program created by the North Carolina Arboretum, where children of all ages can learn to identify wildlife around them, help scientists track wildlife activity, and earn fun badges and prizes all at once! To learn more, please visit https://www,ecoexplore.net/. March 13-14 & 27-28 FREE | Drop-in from 10 am - 3:30 pm Program provided by:

Join us at the Nature Center to make your very own Bark Book! Enjoy a stroll through the forest to create unique texture impressions of different tree bark patterns, and learn some tips and tricks to help you identify your findings. Making your own Bark Book is a great way to explore nature, learn about trees, and create art! March 13-14 & 27-28 FREE | Drop-in from 10 am - 3:30 pm Program provided by:

Spring is right around the corner, and we’re already seeing some fresh pops of green! We will kick off the ecoEXPLORE Botany Field Season with a plant scavenger hunt along the Botanical Garden trails and the Boardwalk. Participants will work to complete a plant identification challenge while gaining a deeper understanding of the natural world around them. ecoEXPLORE is a community science program created by the North Carolina Arboretum, where children of all ages can learn to identify wildlife around them, help scientists track wildlife activity, and earn fun badges and prizes all at once! To learn more, please visit https://www,ecoexplore.net/. March 13-14 & 27-28 FREE | Drop-in from 10 am - 3:30 pm Program provided by:

Join us at the Nature Center to make your very own Bark Book! Enjoy a stroll through the forest to create unique texture impressions of different tree bark patterns, and learn some tips and tricks to help you identify your findings. Making your own Bark Book is a great way to explore nature, learn about trees, and create art! March 13-14 & 27-28 FREE | Drop-in from 10 am - 3:30 pm Program provided by: