Annual Events & Programs

Patricia Bertsch, DIRECTOR
Phone: 908-789-3670
452 New Providence Road, Mountainside 07092

2011 Program Schedule for Trailside Nature and Science Center

Winter 2011 – Children, Family, Adult Workshops & Special Events

Summer 2011 at Trailside

JANUARY

1/1/11 Closed for New Year’s Day

Gentle Yoga Series for Adults ages 18 & older – Tuesday Evenings

January 18, 25

7:15 – 8:30 PM

Use nature’s healing powers to help relieve stress and its symptoms. Relax with a meditative gentle yoga class. Yoga techniques can awaken poise and centered awareness in the midst of everyday life. This is an opportunity to learn and experience Raja yoga techniques for integrating body and mind. Claire M. Bay, yoga instructor certified by the Chopra Center in New York City, will teach and guide you in this new pathway of meditation. Soothing music will enhance the experience. Bring: a yoga mat or pillow if you have one. Fee for each session: $15 per person for residents of Union County,$20 per person for non-county residents.

FEBRUARY

February begins the winter workshop series for children & families. This includes:

Toddler Time
Two of Us
Small Fry Days
Afterschool Explorations
Trailside Explorers
Outdoor Adventure Saturday programs – no pre registration required
Mad Science Afterschool Workshops

Gentle Yoga Series for Adults ages 18 & older – Tuesday Evenings

February 1, 8, 15, 22

7:15 – 8:30 PM

“Homemade Pasta with 7 Great Sauces”-Cooking for Adults ages 18 & older February 7- Monday Evening

7:00 – 10:00 PM

Enjoy an evening with Chef David Martone of Classic Thyme Cooking School in Westfield as he guides you through the techniques of making delicious pasta and wonderful sauces. Bring with you your appetite as well as your favorite bottle of wine as you learn how to prepare:

· Pasta with fresh garden tomatoes, oil, garlic and basil
· Fresh cooked cherry tomato sauce
· Gnocchi with Basilico Sauce
· Spinach ravioli with sage butter and walnut sauce
· Light orange lemon cream sauce with pink peppercorns
· Spicy pink sauce with green olives, ground pork and pepperoncini
· Sugo all’Amatriciana

Meet: Classic Thyme School, 710 South Avenue, Westfield. Off street parking is limited. Call Trailside for directions.

Fee: $40 per person for Union County residents

$45 per person for non-county residents

Saturday Outdoor Adventures: Families with children of all ages are invited to take part in theme hikes/nature related talks. Pre-registration is not required. Dress appropriately for the program and the weather. For scout programs, please see our group brochure. Admission is a donation. Programs begin at 10 a.m. at the Visitor Center and last approximately 45 minutes unless otherwise noted.

Feb. 5 Winter Seasonal – Explore the Watchung Reservation in winter. Learn how to identify trees without their leaves and hike the nursery trails to search for deer paths, rabbit tracks and other animal signs. 10 a.m.

Feb. 26 Tracking 101 – Learn to identify the tracks of the common animals that inhabit the Watchung Reserevation. Discover the best places to look for tracks and take a walk to find out who has been “hiking” around Trailside. 10 a.m.

February 12-25, 2011 – Summer Camp Lottery Drawing for Residents of Union County – A lottery system will be used for the 2011 camp registration. Union County residents are invited to stop by the Trailside Visitor Center between February 12-25 from 12-5 PM daily, or until numbers run out, to draw a number which will indicate the position on line for summer camp registration on March 5, 2011. Proof of residency will be required. Call 908-789-3670 for details.

February Festivities – February 17 – 22 – Special programs for adults, families and children during the President’s holiday vacation days. Call Trailside at 908-789-3670 for more information. Pre-registration required for all workshops. Workshops are recommended for families with children ages 5 and older.

Feb. 17 Lecture: All About Owls 7-8 p.m.

Join Lauren Butcher, Education Director of the Raptor Trust in Millington, for an in-depth look at the lives of these mysterious and sometimes misunderstood nocturnal birds of prey. Learn about the special adaptations that make owls such effective nighttime hunters and get to know the eight species of owls that can be found right here in New Jersey. Meet one of the center’s non- releasable avian ambassador owls.

Fee: $8/person for Union County residents, $10/person for non-county residents.

Feb. 19 Snakes & Turtles of NJ 10-11 a.m.

Investigate the similarities and differences of reptiles. Hold turtle shells and feel a shed skin from a snake. Learn the difference between a land tortoise and a water turtle. Then meet live snakes and turtles from Trailside’s collection.