North Park Village Nature Center's 2006 Fall Calendar

The North Park Village Nature Center, 5801 N. Pulaski, is offering up a bountiful helping of nature-inspired programs and events in 2006. Since opening in 1980, the North Park Village Nature Center has offered a variety of programs geared toward educating children and adults about nature and the environment. Some of the nature center’s current offerings include teacher training programs, school outreach programs, summer camps and festivals.

Admission to the North Park Village Nature Center is free and everyone is encouraged to attend events and programs throughout the year. North Park Village Nature Center is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Some programs charge a fee and many programs require registration. Call the nature center at 312-744-5472 to register for fall classes starting Sunday, Oct. 1, at 9 a.m.

Check out what’s on tap for fall 2006:

All Ages Festivals

Harvest Festival

Celebrate autumn at our 15th Annual Harvest Festival. Activities include a scarecrow building contest, storytelling, live music, farmer’s market, tours, and seasonal food and refreshments for sale. All are invited to this free festival. No registration required.

Winter Solstice Festival

All Ages Programs

THEATRE-HIKES

Combine a great theatre experience with a healthy hike though the preserve. The action takes place along a guided walk. The actors might use nature for a backdrop, prop, or dramatic ambush to deliver an exciting nature-inspired story. Tickets are $6 for children up to age 12 and $10 for those 13 and older.

Rascal

Sterling North’s Rascal is a classic and award winning children's story, adapted as a theatre-hike, which offers a memorable portrait of a friendship between a boy and a raccoon and its effect on his family and town in 1918 Wisconsin. This year is the Centennial of Sterling North’s birth in nearby Edgerton, Wis., the setting for this timeless yet nostalgic American tale.

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus

It seems that not many people know the author of The Wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum, wrote "The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus." Theatre-Hikes' Artistic Director Frank Farrell has adapted this delightful and moving account of the world's greatest giver of gifts. This world-premiere theatre-hike, suitable for all ages, could be performed entirely or partially outdoors depending on the weather. Either way, hiking audiences will experience an incredible journey and an epic tale. Raised by forest wood-nymphs, Claus' first encounter with other humans, as a young man, sets him on his unique course and destiny to become the kindest man in the world.

CAMPFIRE

Join us for the last campfire of the season! Enjoy the crisp autumn night air, warm your hands over the fire, and get in the seasonal mood with some scary stories. We will have marshmallows for roasting.

PARENT & CHILD TOGETHER IN THE WILD: FALL

All About Turtles

Would you like to learn all about different kinds of turtles? Bring your turtles, your questions, or just your curiosity to the Turtle Club of the Chicago Herpetological Society’s monthly get-together. If you are lucky, you might see some live turtles! No registration necessary.

Autumn Strolls

Holiday Paper-Making for Parent & Child

Make your own holiday card and gifts out of recycled materials. This workshop will cover basic paper-making, pulp painting, embossing with textures and adding holiday sparkle and pine needles to your paper. Adults & families with children 6 years and older. Fee: $10 per person. Please phone in registration and send in fee in advance. Make checks payable to instructor: Phyllis Nelson.

Autumn Nature Quest

Discover what kind of treasure abounds in the preserve this fall as you complete a simple quest. You’ll brush up on basic orienteering skills, use some clever thinking, and delve a little deeper into the wonders of this place as you follow clues deciphered through riddles and rhymes. For families with children 6 years and older.

Essentials of Firestarting

Firestarting is an important skill, whether for roasting marshmallows or surviving in the outdoors. Learn different methods of starting fires, with a focus on safety and technique. Adults & families with children 12 years and older.

UFOs: Unidentified Fun Objects!

Here is your mission, should you choose to accept it. We will pretend to be alien explorers from a distant planet exploring the nature of Earth and attempt to make contact with the creatures we find. There’s only one problem, we’ll be just three inches tall! Beam up for an out-of-this-world class.

Tellabration 2006

Join the Nature Center Storytelling Guild for the 8th Annual Tellabration Celebration. All across the world storytellers will be gathering to keep this age-old tradition alive. Funny, thought-provoking stories for all ages. Please note that some of the adult stories may not be appropriate for young children. Suggested donation: $3 kids, $5 adults. All proceeds go to a local charity.

Saturday by the Fireplace

The air is getting colder so bring your family to our fireplace to warm your hands and hearts. We’ll read story-books that are fun for all ages to keep winter at bay, at least for one day.

Recy-Clay-ing

Don’t throw out that laundry lint, coffee grounds, sawdust or eggshells. We’ll turn that junk into com-post modern artwork! Stop in and learn how to make clay, dough, chalk and even hidden treasure rocks. The recipe is simple: one part trash, one part water and two gallons of your imagination.

Pre-School Programs

Please note our pre-school program registration policy: Due to high demand for pre-school programs, each family may only register for a total of three pre-school programs in October, November & December. Please select your programs carefully; we will not accept more than three reservations per family. Each individual program is repeated four times, so please only register for one session of each topic. Registration begins on Sunday, October 1st at 9am. Each class can accommodate a maximum of 15 children. Parents are required to stay with their children throughout the class. Pre-school classes are recommended for children ages 3-6.

Snug as a Bug in a… Goldenrod?

Did that goldenrod plant try to swallow a gumball? Why do some prairie plants have strange bulges and growths? We’ll find out by living the life of some of the nature center’s resident gall builders. See how some insects survive winter by tricking plants into building them a perfect home.

The Important Job of a Log

They’re lying around all over the preserve, so why don’t we get them outta here and clean this place up? We’ll delve a little deeper into those decaying logs and learn about this important part in the life-cycle of a tree. Discover who’s living in these funky homes and create some rotten artwork to bring home.

Join us to learn all about the important what, why, how, and where of recycling. We’ll play some fun recycling games, visit the nearby North Park Recycling Center, and make crafts out of recycled materials!

Woodpeckers

Who’s that drumming in the woods? It’s the woodpeckers, drilling trees for insect filling. We’ll learn more about these amazing birds, see their handiwork, and go on a hunt in the preserve, using our ears and eyes to see these beautiful winter birds.

School-Age Programs

Tongue Waggers

Beginning storytelling class for children aged 9 and older. Kids join Storyteller Mark Kater to learn communication skills, play word games, improvisation and create their own stories to tell as part of a final project. This is a fun and creative program.

Nature Art for Kids

A child's artistic creativity usually flows much more spontaneously than as an adult, but learning techniques of materials, and developing fine motor skills takes lots of practice. We will learn fascinating facts about our subjects as artist "Beau" Enriquez guides students to sharpen observational skills, and master fun, easy step-by-step methods!

Adult Programs

Nature Writing Group

Do you write about the natural world, or have you ever wanted to? Would you enjoy sharing your work in a relaxed and supportive atmosphere? If so, consider gathering regularly with other nature writers. The group meets more or less monthly at the Nature Center. All levels of experience are welcome. For more information, call Elaine at (847) 864-3898.

Fall Migration Birdwalks

Sponsored by the Chicago Audubon Society. Meet in front of the Nature Center. Bring binoculars or check out a pair of ours. Call: 773-878-4421 for more information.

Yoga for Adults & Seniors

All About Fungi

A Visit to Kennicott's Grove

Join the Chicago Audubon Society and Dave Bills as he presents a program about "The Grove" in Glenview, a National Historical Landmark. He will talk about the important history of The Grove, settled in 1836 by Dr. John Kennicott, Horticulturist, and whose son, Robert Kennicott, became known as Illinois' first Naturalist and made many important observations and collections of the flora and fauna of our area. Also, we will see what can be found at The Grove today such as historical buildings,

important natural history collections, a diverse prairie garden, forest and wetland, and of course birds (a Red-shouldered Hawk often has nested on the property too).

Come hear why The Grove is "a place for people to find their heritage, learn and enjoy" in a place of serenity and beauty. For more information contact: casresearch@comcast.net.

Nature Art for Adults

We will learn fascinating facts about our subjects as artist "Beau" Enriquez guides students to sharpen observational skills, and master fun, easy step-by-step methods!

Wild Ones

Wild Ones is a group of natural landscaping enthusiasts who enjoy visiting natural areas and native plant gardens. We meet once per month, either to listen to a lecture or to tour a unique natural area or garden. Join us anytime and tell us what you think. Call Bob for more information: (312) 744-5472. Please Note: There will not be a meeting in December as schedules are rather full at that time of year.

A Very Sustainable House in Elmhurst, IL

Join Marcus de la fleur, design associate with Conservation Design Forum in Elmhurst, as he shares the incredible "green" improvements he made to his home in Elmhurst, IL If you went on the September tour, you’ll remember this one…it’s really special. It includes a rain garden, a roof garden, permeable paving, rain barrels and a rain cistern, a bioswale, and lots of native plants. This is the right way to landscape your yard. You won’t want to miss this one.

End of Year Potluck/Seed Exchange

Join us for our special end-of-year reflection/potluck and seed exchange. We’ll view images of the year’s activities, share a dish with everyone and trade our native plant seeds. Feel free to bring your own slides of native plants/landscapes, if pertinent, native plant seeds to trade, and a dish to share. PLEASE bring only northeastern Illinois native plant seed to exchange. In addition, please bring something fun to report.

Chicagoland Urban Permaculture Group

Sustainability through Bioregionalism

Environmental sociologist Mark D. Whitaker, from UW-Madison, will present his proposition that sustainability requires changing our democratic institutions -- adding over 60 different novel checks and balances. He wrote the 2005 book "Toward a Bioregional State: A Series of Letters about Political Theory and Formal Institutional Design in the Era of Sustainability." He will talk about potentials of growing the "bioregional democratic majority" to achieve these goals. Visit the website at: biostate.blogspot.com.

Tipping Point: Climate Change Feedback Crisis?

View and discuss the Pirate TV video recording of "Facing Bifurcation: Crossroads in Context," the keynote address by David Wasdell at the April Humanity 3000 seminar. Results from the Meridian Programme's new integrative modeling of the feedback mechanisms indicate that our future is potentially more dire than previously believed. He suggests that grassroots-oriented strategic approaches may be helpful.

An Introduction to Permaculture and the Sustainably Oriented Community of Stelle

Presented by Bill Wilson (communitarian, permaculturist and sustainability advocate/educator). His presentation includes a 25-minute video of Australian Bill Mollison (founder of permaculture), examples of practical applications for the city, suburban or rural dweller, and pictures of his recent visit to the Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute. Bill will also share a compelling overview of his 28 years in the Stelle community (located near Kankakee).

Senior Programs

Senior Nature Film

Join fellow senior, Leo Damask, to view a nature-related film. It’s sure to be both pleasing to the eye and educational!

Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer Stewardship Network Workdays

Nature Center volunteers assist with the restoration of our 46-acre Nature Preserve and native gardens. Earn service hours and a great sense of fulfillment through seeding, planting, exotic species removal and, if the conditions are right, prescribed burning. We supply all the tools and snacks. We are always happy to see new faces! Please call Bob at (312) 744-5472 for more information about how you can help.