Spring Clean-up at the Quarry Gardens

Spring Clean-up at the Quarry Gardens

Learn to identify native plants by their winter features—and then learn how to prepare them for new spring growth. Emma Stephens of the Center for Urban Habitats will be teaching and directing volunteers for the first clean-up session of 2024 at The Quarry Gardens at Schuyler on Saturday, February 24, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Dress for the weather with sturdy closed shoes. Bring your favorite garden pruners.  Water, snacks, and restrooms will be available in the Visitor Center. There will be a break for lunch at noon. All volunteers over the age of 10 are welcome.

For the remainder of the season until late November, volunteer workdays will be on Fridays with morning hours scheduled according to the weather. Volunteers who work 10 hours or more may earn status as official Friends of the Quarry Gardens.

To sign up, contact Bernice Thieblot at bernice.thieblot@gmail.com.

Living on the Edge: A Geological Engineer’s View of the Blue Ridge

Living on the Edge: A Geological Engineer’s View of the Blue Ridge

With impressive visuals, Kate Humphrey Chambers will review the deep history of our region and how it came to be as we know it. Her presentation will start at 2 p.m. on Saturday March 3 at the Quarry Gardens.

Kate holds advanced degrees from the University of Minnesota, the University of Tulsa, and the University of Alaska. Her career as a technical leader in the oil & gas industry led her to safely drill & produce wells around the world, particularly Alaska, the Gulf of Mexico, Azerbaijan, and the Middle East.

Following her presentation in the Visitor Center classroom we will have an opportunity to go outside and visit some unusual geological features to be found at The Quarry Gardens.

Sign up at quarrygardensatschuyler.org/visit.

Learn to identify trees in any season

Learn to identify trees in any season

Join Tree Steward and Master Naturalist Emily Ferguson as she uses winter characteristics to identify trees and large shrubs along the main trail at the Quarry Gardens. This  two-hour walk will start at  2 p.m. on Sunday, February 25. Owing to variations in soil, moisture, and exposure, more than 60 species of trees and large shrubs may be found at the QGs. Emily’s techniques can come in handy year around, as many trees have similar-appearing leaves.

Sign up online at quarrygardensatschuyler.org/visit. If you like, bring your favorite tree ID books, a hand lens and/or binoculars. Dress for comfort and wear sturdy shoes for the wood chip trails.

In the featured image, participants in an earlier walk are gathering evidence that native witch hazel can exhibit flowers and fruits at the same time.