Author: campus

April is showering the KPNC will a month full of fun events!

April 11

Family Discovery Hike, 3:30pm

Join us for a free hike through our trails to learn more about the Web of Life!

April 14

Nourish Blooms Flower Workshop, 11am-1pm.

Join Katie Wolter, owner and founder of Nourish Blooms, for this engaging flower workshop featuring fresh-cut flowers from the bloom gardens. The workshop includes flowers, a vase, and clippers, along with expert instruction in flower care and arranging. The cost is $35, with proceeds going to the Nourish Foundation, which provides meals and healthcare to families in need in our local community. Register here.

April 15

Forest Friends and Tree Tots Reunion, 10am-12pm

We welcome any and all of our past forest friends and tree tots to join us for this fun event celebrating the many years of this amazing program. This free event will feature crafts, a hike, snacks, and lots of pictures down memory lane.

April 29

Auburn CityFest at Kiesel Park, 9am-4pm

April 1, 11 am – 1 pm, Admission-free

Join us for Sensory in the Forest, an inclusive event for the entire community to celebrate the senses! We welcome everyone to the Kreher Preserve & Nature Center’s Sensory Forest for a day of fun sensory-engaging activities provided by local businesses and nonprofits.  Experts from the sensory therapy community will be available to offer advice and instruction. 

The KPNC Sensory Forest has a series of experiences along an accessible trail that are designed to engage all 7 senses and immerse us in a multi-sensory journey.This event is free and open to everyone!  With food vendors and lots of fun activities for the whole family, come and spend the day with us!!

Sunshine Pediatrics is our 2023 Premier Sponsor!  In addition to providing fun and engaging sensory activities, they will have experts at Sensory in the Forest to offer advice and guidance on how sensory therapy in the great outdoors can enhance your lives.  Thank you Sunshine Pediatrics!!

Tickets are available through our Marketplace. We hope to see you there! Email natureeducation@auburn.edu for any questions.

Join us Saturday for the dessert version of our campfire cooking class!

Please consider supporting our playground renovation project this Tiger Giving Day!

Watch our video HERE which explains more about this project.

We invite you to join us this spring for our incredible programs, Forest Friends, Tree Tots, and Nature Explorers. Forest Friends and Tree Tots are both a part of our Nurtured in Nature series which appeal to our youngest explorers aged 1-5 years old. These caregiver and child classes will focus on New Beginnings in the Woods. Classes meet for 6 weeks beginning in mid-April. Our Nature Explorers classes are geared for homeschool families in the community and focus on different natural elements each session. Classes meet on the 2nd/4th Monday from March-May from 10:00-11:30am at the KPNC and include a hike. Register for classes HERE. Email us at natureeducation@auburn.edu with any questions.

February brings a lot of fun events and programs to the Kreher Preserve and Nature Center! We would love for you to come join us for one or all of these offerings! Tickets for each can be purchased on our Marketplace

Saturday, Feb 18 at 10:00am Science on Saturday’s BEARS with Dr. Todd Steury.

The black bear is the Alabama State mammal. And yet, the most recent estimates suggest that we may only have as many as 300 of these animals in the state. In this talk, Associate Professor of Wildlife Ecology Todd Steury will describe the almost 10 years of research his lab at Auburn University has done to understand why we don’t have more individuals of the species in the state. The presentation will include information on the techniques they have used to study bears, their research findings so far, and their plans for future research. 

Monday, Feb 20th from 1:00-3:00 Family Art Fun: Drawing

We will be practicing our drawing skills and learning techniques through nature and natural elements. There will be guided instruction and then you will be given an opportunity to practice the skills we have learned with feedback. The class will include a 30-minute hike for inspiration.

Saturday, Feb 25th from 2:00-4:00pm Campfire Cooking: Desserts

Join this fun, casual cooking class that explores tips, tricks, and recipes for cooking over an open fire.  Cyndi Czerkawski (In The Garden instructor) takes a farm-to-table approach to campfire cooking using fresh, local ingredients.  Whether you are experienced or you are new to open fire techniques, you are bound to get something new out of this class, not to mention the great food!

In our second workshop, we will explore the sweeter side of campfire cooking with a concentration on desserts.

Saturday, February 4th (Soups and Snacks) and Saturday, February 25 (Desserts)

Join our resident chef, Cyndi Czerkawski, as she gives tips and tricks to how to cook a superb meal over the campfire. Both programs will be from 2:00-4:00pm, February 4th will focus on soups and snacks and February 25th will be desserts! Tickets are $20 per person and are available on our Marketplace. Meet at the main pavilion! More information here

January 28, 2023 with Dr. Jonathon Valente

Protecting biodiversity while sustaining agricultural production for a growing human population is one of the greatest challenges society faces. Navigating this clash of priorities is particularly difficult in tropical regions that tend to support a rich pool of native species but also high rates of human poverty. On January 28, Dr. Jonathon Valente, a federal scientist with the USGS and assistant professor at Auburn University, will discuss his research on the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in northern Colombia, one of the most biodiverse corners of the planet, but also home to millions of coffee farmers and their families. In collaboration with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Dr. Valente is studying how tropical birds use forests and coffee farms in the region. Through this work, he is helping to improve the Smithsonian’s Bird-Friendly Coffee certification program which promotes biodiversity and economic stability by rewarding farmers for using wildlife-friendly farming practices. 

Tickets are $5 ($4 for members) https://secure.touchnet.net/C20021_ustores/web/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=5070

Spring Break Camp (1st – 6th graders)

Summer Ecology Camp (rising 1st – 7th graders)

Woodland Wonders Camps (preschool – kindergarten)

Adventure Camp (rising 6th – 8th graders)