June 2019
Berkshire Summer Nature Camp
At Berkshire Nature Camp in Lenox, campers ages 3 to 16 have fun and make friends as they discover nature! Trail explorations, wildlife observation, outdoor play, hands-on activities, games, and crafts keep campers engaged throughout the summer. Camp takes place at Pleasant Valley, our 1,200-acre wildlife sanctuary with diverse forests, meadows, mountains, brooks, and beaver ponds. June through August. Register today!
Find out more »Nature Walks for Health and Happiness
A relaxing walk in the woods can be the perfect way find balance in your life. BessDillman, Sanctuary volunteer, will help you connect with the natural world while you explore the trails at Pleasant Valley. Curiosity will set the pace for these leisurely nature walks.
Find out more »Evening at the Beaver Ponds
Visit our beaver ponds with a naturalist, and search for beavers and other animals attracted to these rich wetlands. Learn about the natural history of beavers and how they continue to change the valley's landscape 85 years after their reintroduction to the area.
Find out more »Canoeing the Housatonic River
This leisurely paddle will take us through the ecologically rich Housatonic Valley Wildlife Management Area in Lenox. We'll watch for swallows, herons, kingfishers, muskrats, and signs of beavers along the scenic and meandering Housatonic River and learn about why the waterway is the natural heart of the Berkshires.
Find out more »July 2019
Moon Night Watch: Stars, Planets, Nighttime & Wildlife
Enjoy a summer evening on the top of Old Baldy. After a very short walk to the summit, we'll take in the ethereal twilight before beholding a sparkling, moonless night sky in one of the darkest corners of the Berkshires. We'll orient ourselves to the stars and planets, listen for wildlife sounds, and enjoy refreshments. At Old Baldy Wildlife Sanctuary. Registration is required.
Find out more »Housatonic Evening Paddle
Evening is the perfect time to look for wildlife. We'll leisurely explore the rich wetland of the Housatonic Valley Wildlife Management Area in the hours before dusk, find a cove to come together in, and enjoy refreshments while listening and watching for wildlife. Kingfishers, herons, muskrats, beavers, and other wildlife are all possible sightings. Registration is required.
Find out more »Hike Lenox Mountain: Taconic Range & Richmond Pond Views
Ascend Lenox Mountain with an experienced guide and enjoy several vistas including the sweeping summit view. We'll hike via Trail of the Ledges and/or Overbrook Trail on a three-mile round-trip trek through northern hardwood and hemlock forest for an elevation gain of 840 feet. Along the way we'll look for signs of wildlife and learn about plant communities and human history at Pleasant Valley. Registration is required.
Find out more »Birding the Berks Series – Thrushes & Warblers on Greylock Summit
The summit of Massachusetts' highest peak is the ideal place to find birds nesting at high elevation spruce-fir forests and other natural communities. We will seek out Greylock's specialty species, including blackpoll warbler and Swainson's thrush, while enjoying the morning's symphony of the other wood warblers that breed on the slopes. This trip involves a two-to-three-mile hike on a moderately steep trail. Registration is required.
Find out more »Canoeing the Housatonic River
This leisurely paddle will take us through the ecologically rich Housatonic Valley Wildlife Management Area in Lenox. We'll watch for swallows, herons, kingfishers, muskrats, and signs of beavers along the scenic and meandering Housatonic River and learn about why the waterway is the natural heart of the Berkshires. Please support our efforts of reducing plastic waste by bringing your own reusable water bottle. Registration is required.
Find out more »Animals A to Z
Dig-in with bugs, tadpoles, frogs, and salamanders! Together we will search the muck, weeds, forests and fields for the many wild things that live at Pleasant Valley. We will be looking for all the critters, from ants to zooplankton. Families are invited to bring a picnic and stay longer and enjoy the evening if they wish. Bring boots or water shoes. Registration is required.
Find out more »Canoeing Upper & Lower Goose Ponds
Explore the coves and marshes of one of the Berkshires' most beautiful lakes. Paddle across Lower Goose Pond to pristine Upper Goose Pond in search of eagles, herons, and kingfishers. Please support our efforts of reducing plastic waste by bringing your own water reusable water bottle. Registration is required.
Find out more »Evening at the Beaver Ponds
Visit our beaver ponds with a naturalist, and search for beavers and other animals attracted to these rich wetlands. Learn about the natural history of beavers and how they continue to change the valley's landscape 85 years after their reintroduction to the area. Be prepared to walk to the lower beaver pond. Registration is required.
Find out more »Housatonic Evening Paddle
Evening is the perfect time to look for wildlife. We'll leisurely explore the rich wetland of the Housatonic Valley Wildlife Management Area in the hours before dusk, find a cove to come together in, and enjoy refreshments while listening and watching for wildlife. Kingfishers, herons, muskrats, beavers, and other wildlife are all possible sightings. Registration is required.
Find out more »Beavers, Birds, & Other Wildlife
Explore the gentle trails at Pleasant Valley with an experienced guide. We'll search for evidence of (and hopefully see!) wild birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and more as we hike around the rich pond and stream ecosystems that form the heart of the sanctuary. Along the way we'll also learn about plant communities and the dynamic history of Pleasant Valley. Registration is required.
Find out more »Trailside Music Series – The Picky B’s
Bring a picnic, some blankets and chairs, and your family and friends to relax on our lawn on a warm summer evening. A bluegrass-centric power duo led by Chris Merenda (Banjo & Vocals) and Rob Sanzone (Guitars & Mandolin) and always featuring a rotating cast of all-star musicians. The Picky B's cover everything from old-time traditionals to modern pop to classic rock n' roll and diamond-in-the-rough originals, all executed under the guise of bluegrass.
Find out more »Animals A to Z
Dig-in with bugs, tadpoles, frogs, and salamanders! Together we will search the muck, weeds, forests and fields for the many wild things that live at Pleasant Valley. We will be looking for all the critters, from ants to zooplankton. Families are invited to bring a picnic and stay longer and enjoy the evening if they wish. Bring boots or water shoes. Registration is required.
Find out more »Canoeing the Housatonic River
This leisurely paddle will take us through the ecologically rich Housatonic Valley Wildlife Management Area in Lenox. We'll watch for swallows, herons, kingfishers, muskrats, and signs of beavers along the scenic and meandering Housatonic River and learn about why the waterway is the natural heart of the Berkshires. Please support our efforts of reducing plastic waste by bringing your own reusable water bottle. Registration is required.
Find out more »Moonlight Canoe Trip
Twilight is an amazing time to listen and look for wildlife. Beavers, owls, loons, and other wildlife are all possible to spot at Buckley Dunton Lake in October Mountain State Forest. We'll stealthily explore the coves and inlets of this beautiful lake, then hitch our boats together to enjoy refreshments while we listen for nocturnal wildlife sounds. Registration is required.
Find out more »Housatonic Evening Paddle
Evening is the perfect time to look for wildlife. We'll leisurely explore the rich wetland of the Housatonic Valley Wildlife Management Area in the hours before dusk, find a cove to come together in, and enjoy refreshments while listening and watching for wildlife. Kingfishers, herons, muskrats, beavers, and other wildlife are all possible sightings. Registration is required.
Find out more »Hike Lenox Mountain: Taconic Range & Richmond Pond Views
Ascend Lenox Mountain with an experienced guide and enjoy several vistas including the sweeping summit view. We'll hike via Trail of the Ledges and/or Overbrook Trail on a three-mile round-trip trek through northern hardwood and hemlock forest for an elevation gain of 840 feet. Along the way we'll look for signs of wildlife and learn about plant communities and human history at Pleasant Valley. Registration is required.
Find out more »Beavers, Birds, & Other Wildlife
Explore the gentle trails at Pleasant Valley with an experienced guide. We'll search for evidence of (and hopefully see!) wild birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and more as we hike around the rich pond and stream ecosystems that form the heart of the sanctuary. Along the way we'll also learn about plant communities and the dynamic history of Pleasant Valley. Registration is required.
Find out more »Evening at the Beaver Ponds
Visit our beaver ponds with a naturalist, and search for beavers and other animals attracted to these rich wetlands. Learn about the natural history of beavers and how they continue to change the valley's landscape 85 years after their reintroduction to the area. Be prepared to walk to the lower beaver pond. Registration is required.
Find out more »Animals A to Z
Dig-in with bugs, tadpoles, frogs, and salamanders! Together we will search the muck, weeds, forests and fields for the many wild things that live at Pleasant Valley. We will be looking for all the critters, from ants to zooplankton. Families are invited to bring a picnic and stay longer and enjoy the evening if they wish. Bring boots or water shoes. Registration is required.
Find out more »Evening at the Beaver Ponds
Visit our beaver ponds with a naturalist, and search for beavers and other animals attracted to these rich wetlands. Learn about the natural history of beavers and how they continue to change the valley's landscape 85 years after their reintroduction to the area. Be prepared to walk to the lower beaver pond. Registration is required.
Find out more »Beavers, Birds, & Other Wildlife
Explore the gentle trails at Pleasant Valley with an experienced guide. We'll search for evidence of (and hopefully see!) wild birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and more as we hike around the rich pond and stream ecosystems that form the heart of the sanctuary. Along the way we'll also learn about plant communities and the dynamic history of Pleasant Valley. Registration is required.
Find out more »Evening at the Beaver Ponds
Visit our beaver ponds with a naturalist, and search for beavers and other animals attracted to these rich wetlands. Learn about the natural history of beavers and how they continue to change the valley's landscape 85 years after their reintroduction to the area. Be prepared to walk to the lower beaver pond. Registration is required.
Find out more »Animals A to Z
Dig-in with bugs, tadpoles, frogs, and salamanders! Together we will search the muck, weeds, forests and fields for the many wild things that live at Pleasant Valley. We will be looking for all the critters, from ants to zooplankton. Families are invited to bring a picnic and stay longer and enjoy the evening if they wish. Bring boots or water shoes. Registration is required.
Find out more »Housatonic Evening Paddle
Evening is the perfect time to look for wildlife. We'll leisurely explore the rich wetland of the Housatonic Valley Wildlife Management Area in the hours before dusk, find a cove to come together in, and enjoy refreshments while listening and watching for wildlife. Kingfishers, herons, muskrats, beavers, and other wildlife are all possible sightings. Registration is required.
Find out more »August 2019
Trailside Music Series – The My Ryan Band
Bring a picnic, some blankets and chairs, and your family and friends to relax on our lawn on a warm summer evening. Melding together Amy's country blues mojo and guitarist Richard Green’s urban blues and rock sensibilities, this musical partnership is rounded out by bassist Sean Allison, drummer Al Bauman, and keyboard player Ed Stein. With a repertoire that includes band adaptations of Amy's self-penned solo tunes, newly-minted originals, and select covers, this band rocks the blues!
Find out more »
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