Denison Pequotsepos Nature Ctr

@dpnaturectr

Located in Mystic, DPNC offers nature programs for all at two locations. Enjoy 10+ miles of trails, natural history exhibits & live birds of prey.
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Watch out for salamanders! Spotted salamanders, one of Connecticut’s native species of mole salamanders, are on the move this month! These stunning animals are known for their black bodies and bright yellow spots, which provide excellent camouflage in the undergrowth of the forest floor. Spotted Salamanders spend most of the year underground and emerge only once a year during spring rains for breeding season. When the spring rains arrive on warm evenings like tonight, they migrate in groups to vernal pools and other wetland habitats to mate and lay their eggs. Unfortunately, our roadways are often in the migratory path for these and other amphibians, so if you’re driving on a wet spring night near known breeding sites or vernal pools, please be cautious and alert for these small, dark-colored amphibians on the road. If you are lucky enough to see them crossing, give them space to carry out their important biological mission!
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1 day ago
Friday’s Woodland Egg Hunt is sold out and we cannot accept any walk ins! 🐣 Thank you for your support, and we look forward to hosting this special spring event. 🐰
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2 days ago
April is almost here, a month filled with programs for school vacation week, Earth Week and more! Don't miss the Chickadee, with early access to DPNC progams and events and monthly Nature Notes. Sign up for April news at linktr.ee/dpnc.
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3 days ago
Red maples are budding everywhere, a welcome sign of spring! Red maples are one of the first trees to bud, flower, set seeds and leaf out—the buds start as small, reddish knobs that expand as the weather warms. The red color of the buds is from anthocyanin pigments, which also give the tree's leaves their bold autumn hues. The color also serves as a signal to pollinators that the tree is ready to produce flowers and fruits. Red maples play an important ecological role in New England's forests, providing food and shelter for a wide variety of wildlife species, thriving in both dry and boggy areas. Birds, squirrels and other animals feed on the tree's seeds, while the tree's bark and branches provide habitat for birds, insects, lichens and fungi.
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4 days ago
Fewer than 30 tickets remain for Woodland Egg Hunt this Friday, March 29, don't miss this delightful family spring tradition at the Nature Center! 🐰 Tickets available at linktr.ee/dpnc.🐥
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5 days ago
ADVENTURE DAYS! New this spring, a full-day homeschool program just for students ages 11-14 years old, starting Thursday, April 4. With the Nature Center as basecamp, each Adventure Day is spent outdoors exploring the forest, wetlands, meadows and gardens that make up our campus. Topics this spring include teamwork skills, foraging and other basics of outdoor survival and the details of our local ecosystem. Our science-based curriculum is shaped each session by individual student interests. Friendships and teamwork are emphasized as participants learn together. Register at dpnc.org/events.
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5 days ago
Summer Nature Camp at DPNC isn't just for elementary school kids! At DPNC we know many teens and tweens seek adventure, fun and meaningful activities during summer vacation, but might prefer new horizons beyond Council Rock, especially if they are long-time campers at the Nature Center. Good thing we have a collection of specialized camp programs JUST for ages 11-15! Travel camp, adventuring camp (with ziplines), advanced themes in arts and animal care and even leadership opportunities (which can double as solid extra curricular activities) are all on the menu for this summer. See full descriptions, schedules and registration links at dpnc.org/summercamp. Counselors in Training (13-15) Exploring CT Trails (13-15) Animal Care (13-15) Tree Trails (12-15) Knot Tying (11-12) Art & Nature (11-15)
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6 days ago
A warm and heart-felt thank you to our friends at the United Way of Southeastern CT and Wondr Nation for this spring's United Way Day of Caring at DPNC & Coogan Farm! Legions of volunteers joined us for essential work this week in our Animal Care department, trail and habitat maintenance and the Craig Floyd Giving Garden. We are so appreciative of their hard work and good cheer helping us to advance the work of the DPNC mission.
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6 days ago
Interested in working with like-minded friends on environmental stewardship projects while enjoying the outdoors? Come join the DPNC trail and habitat maintenance volunteers! These hardworking volunteers have tackled dozens of acres of the greenway from DPNC to Coogan Farm this month, but more helping hands are always welcome. Volunteers of all ages gather on the third Saturday of the month from April to November: trail projects are at the Nature Center, Coogan Farm and other area properties as needed. Tasks include hands-on trail construction and repair projects, brush cutting, invasive species removal and trail clean up. No prior experience needed; team leaders will teach skills in construction, plant identification and conservation. Ready to get started? Sign up at linktr.ee/dpnc! 🌿
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6 days ago
A partial solar eclipse is coming to Connecticut on Monday, April 8! Join us at DPNC for this historic event as we observe and learn about the solar eclipse. After a quick lesson about how eclipses work, we'll create an eclipse project and spend time observing the eclipse at DPNC. All participants will receive a pair of solar eclipse glasses for safety. Pre-registration is required and children must be accompanied by an adult. Sign up at linktr.ee/dpnc.
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9 days ago
Welcome spring! Spring seemed to show up in late February this year, bringing with it mild days, green sprouts and singing birds, but as of 11:06 pm on Tuesday, March 19, spring is really and truly here. And to add to the good news, sunset on March 20, the first full day of spring, will be at 7 pm. Enjoy the extra daylight with an evening walk, and let us know what signs of spring are showing up in your neighborhood! Skunk cabbage, shown here, is one of the earliest-blooming native Eastern North American flowering plants. In spring, skunk cabbage burns the energy stored in the taproot to raise the temperature within the flower structure, sometimes 20 degrees warmer than the ambient temperature. The warmth (and the characteristic fetid smell) attract pollinating flies and the earliest-emerging bees of the year.
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10 days ago
Spring has sprung and the garden season has begun! You're invited to join DPNC volunteers of all ages at Coogan Farm in the Craig Floyd Giving Garden this month, and all through the growing season.The garden is open Monday thru Thursday and Saturday from 7 am to 3 pm. Sign up to volunteer at linktr.ee/dpnc. And interested in expanding your garden knowledge? Register for one or all classes in the spring DPNC Regenerative Gardening Series with Farmer Craig Floyd. Classes are open to the public without charge through a grant from the Eastern Connecticut Community Garden Association. Register at linktr.ee/dpnc. Saturday, April 6: Seed Starting & Preparing the Garden: Saturday, April 13: Management of Invasive Plants in Spring: Saturday, May 18: Companion Planting Saturday, June 22: Maintaining the Garden
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10 days ago