• NJAS Nature Store: Your nearby natural resource for field guides, bird feeders and accessories, children's gift items, regional trail maps, and more. Come see what's new!

• Hiking Trails: Over twenty-four miles of trails depart from the Weis Ecology Center’s private grounds and explore adjacent Norvin Green State Forest and the surrounding Highlands.

• Exhibits: Stop by our visitor center to see our snakes, turtle, and seasonal displays.

• Butterfly Garden/Model Backyard Habitat: Stop by to watch the butterflies, hunt for caterpillars in our garden, or pick up ideas to improve your own yard.

• Aviary: Built by a crew of volunteers, our aviary is home to Weis’s Red-tailed Hawk and Screech Owls.

PROGRAM REGISTRATION Unless otherwise noted, all programs require preregistration and payment in order to reserve your place. Stop in, mail a check (with name and date of program) or call (973) 835-2160 to register by credit card. Programs are held rain or shine. Directions, if applicable, will be sent upon registration. Refunds are available only if we cancel the event or another participant can fill the place reserved for you. Weis Ecology Center also reserves the right to limit participation in a program where a participant poses a safety risk to either themselves or other participants.

Weis Quality Time
 Programs for Kids and Families

FATHER’S DAY HIKE
(Dad hikes FREE!)
Sunday, June 15
9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Leave the housework and home repair behind! This special outing is so dads and their families can spend quality time together. Led by a Weis naturalist, this moderately paced, two- to three-mile hike in Norvin Green State Forest is recommended for families with elementary-aged kids and above. Appropriate footwear is required; bring a lunch and plenty of fluids. Limit: 25.
Cost: $5 members, $8 nonmembers.

FIVE FANTASTIC FAMILY FUN DAYS
Back by popular demand – these short programs/adventures are designed for families looking to beat the heat and the summer-time blues with something to do outdoors together. Limit: 25.
Cost (per program): $5 members,
$8 nonmembers; family (parents and their children) maximum of $15 members, $24 nonmembers.

1 – Sunset Hike
Saturday, July 5
7:00 to 9:30 p.m.
Join associate naturalist Eve Tomczak for a moderately strenuous interpretive hike to Wyanokie High Point to watch the sun set. This hike is best suited for families with preteens and older. Please wear appropriate footwear, bring water, and a flashlight or head-lamp for the return trip. Severe weather will cancel this hike.
2 – Habitat Hunt: A Day in the Life of a Forest
Saturday, July 5, or Sunday, July 6
10:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Come explore the Weis woodland habitat with one of our naturalists to find out what lives there, what they “do,” and why they’re important – from the tiniest insect to the biggest bear, this morning is full of nature activities and games and is sure to please! This program is best suited for elementary-aged children – younger siblings are welcome.
3 – Aquatic Adventure
Friday, July 18, or Saturday, July 19
10:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Everything needs water to live – and some more than others! Armed with dipnets and plastic buckets, we’ll be exploring the Blue Mine Brook to look at different organisms’ aquatic adaptations. This program is best suited for elementary-aged children – younger siblings are welcome.
4 – Rocks Rock!
Friday, August 8, or Saturday, August 9
10:00 a.m. to noon
Join a Weis naturalist on a guided hike to the Roomey Iron Mine! We’ll be stopping along the way to talk about the different things we see, and most importantly the unique geology of our area. This program is best suited for older elementary-aged children and preteens.
5 – Survival Shelters (New!)
Friday, August 15, or Saturday, August 16
10:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Would you know what to do if you were caught in a survival situation? Come learn how to build a simple survival shelter, and have a lot of fun too! Led by a Weis naturalist, this program is best suited for older elementary-aged children and preteens.

NATURE DAY CAMPS

Our day camps give children – entering kindergarten through eighth grade – opportunities to discover and explore the wonders of the natural world through fun, hands-on activities and adventures. Call or stop in for a registration packet. Space is limited and camps tend to fill up.
*Nonmember rates include an NJAS family membership; additional children attend at the member rate.

JUNIOR NATURALISTS/PARENTS AT PLAY**
Three days of fun and learning for children entering kindergarten.
Wednesday to Friday,
July 30 to August 1
10:00 a.m. to noon
Cost: $35 members, $45 nonmembers.
**Parents at Play: Parents of Junior Naturalists can sign up to take short hikes/adventures while their children are attending camp. We’ll begin after they get started and return before they end. Cost (for the week): $6 members, $10 nonmembers.
OR Volunteer this time to work on improvements in Weis’s Native Plant and Butterfly Garden.

WONDERERS
Five days of fun and learning for children entering grades 1 and 2.
Monday, July 7 to Friday, July 11
10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Cost: $75 members, $120* nonmembers.

ADVENTURERS
Five days of fun and learning for children entering grades 3 and 4.
Monday to Friday, July 21 to 25
10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
(and Thursday, 4:00 to 9:00 p.m.
for an evening campfire program.)
Cost: $75 members, $120* nonmembers.

EXPLORERS
Five days of fun and learning for children entering grades 5 and 6.
Monday to Friday, August 4 to 8
10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Friday; 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday for a trip to Sandy Hook; 4:00 to 9:00 p.m. Thursday for an evening campfire program.
Cost (includes field trip):
$110 members, $155* nonmembers.

TRAIL BLAZERS
Five days of adventure learning for youth entering grades 7 and 8.
Tuesday to Saturday, June 24 to 28
10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Thursday for a field trip; 3:00 p.m. Friday to 10:00 a.m. Saturday for an overnight campout.
Cost: $165 members,
      $210* nonmembers.

Programs for Adults and Teens

NATURE STUDY

THIRD ANNUAL SUSSEX COUNTY
BIRDING AND NATURE FESTIVAL
Saturday and Sunday, June 7 & 8
The third annual Sussex County Birding and Nature Festival, a partnership between the New Jersey Audubon Society and the County of Sussex, will be held on June 7 and 8. Two days of field trips and lectures will highlight birds, butterflies, and dragonflies in Sussex County, New Jersey. Headquarters for the event will be the Mountain Creek Alpine Hotel in Vernon Township. Preregistration for field trips and lectures is available by clicking here  or calling 732.872.2500 (walk-ins welcome). Sussex County in early June is a magnet for breeding birds – 125 species are hoped for during this weekend, including a possible twenty-five-plus species of warblers. Did you know that more species of dragonflies call Sussex County home than any county in the U.S.? Butterfly diversity also abounds. We have an extraordinary cast of leaders assembled. If you want to combine field trips with lectures, indoor presentations will take place throughout the weekend. The event will also feature vendors and indoor displays. Join us for a half-day, a whole day, or the full weekend for exploring the natural wonders of Sussex County!
(For additional information, contact Donna M. Traylor, Sussex County Office of Farmland Preservation and Conservation, at 973.579.0500, option 1).

ECO-AGRITOURISM FIELD TRIPS:
Farmland and Ridgeline Wildlife
Saturday, June 7
8:00 a.m. to noon
Located at the base of the Kittatinny Ridge in Sussex County, the biodynamic DanaRay Farm will be our meeting point for a leisurely half-mile hike. We will hike along a relatively flat ridgeline on the world-famous Appalachian Trail to the Sunrise Mountain overlook (restrooms are available at the overlook). No strollers, please. The area offers excellent woodland bird habitat and opportunities to view Wild Turkey, Ruffed Grouse, and a host of warblers and other Neotropical migrants, not to mention numerous raptors, including Bald Eagles. This area provides amazing panoramic views of rural New Jersey and is home to Black Bear, Red Fox, Bobcat, and Porcupine as well as various reptiles and amphibians. DanaRay Farm will have farm-fresh eggs for sale and their locally famous soaps, handcrafted on site from the milk of their Alpine dairy goats. For more information about DanaRay Farm, see http:// www.danarayfarm.com. Parking is limited, and you must preregister.
Led by John Parke. NOTE: There are
no public restrooms at the farm.
Cost: Free.

Wildlife Watching at the Bobolink Dairy Farm and Bakeyard
Saturday, June 14
8:00 a.m. to noon
This 200-plus-acre farm located in scenic Sussex County has some of the best grassland bird habitat in this section of the N.J. Highlands and offers opportunities to view numerous species, including Bobolink! The farm’s mix of woodland, pasture, fields and streams also offers opportunities to view Black Bears, Eastern Coyotes, Red and Gray Foxes, and birds such as raptors, warblers and waterfowl. Bobolink Dairy and Bakeyard will have for sale their hand-made organic breads baked in an outdoor, wood-fired brick oven, farm-fresh eggs from free-range chickens, and their famous artisanal cheeses, made from the raw milk of their grass-fed dairy herd. For more information about the Bobolink Dairy and Bakeyard, see http://www.cowsoutside.com/. Parking is limited, and you must preregister.
Led by John Parke. Limit 15.
Cost: Free.

SOLSTICE STARGAZING
Saturday, June 21
7:30 to 9:00 p.m.
Come celebrate the summer solstice by learning to appreciating the heavens! This program is designed to teach interested preteens through adults the basics of astronomy. We’ll be talking about constellations, meteor showers, and what you can expect to see this time of year. If the weather allows, we’ll head outside to scan the skies at the
end of the longest day of the year.
Cost: $5 members, $8 nonmembers.

THE WONDERFUL WEIS WHALE WATCH I AND II
Saturday, June 21,
and Saturday, August 23
7:30 a.m. to midnight
Making a weekend trip on your own?
See all the whales in half the time!
Relax during the coach bus ride to
and from Plymouth, Massachusetts, where an eighty-foot, double-decked boat will take us on a 4.5-hour round trip to Stellwagen Bank, a National Underwater Preserve, for whale, dolphin, and bird watching. Last year we saw approximately thirty-two different individual Humpback Whales, including mothers with calves. Past sightings have also included Minke and Finback Whales, Northern
Gannet, Wilson’s Storm Petrel,
Basking Shark, and sea turtles.
Cost: $75 members, $90 nonmembers.

FERNS OF NORTHERN NEW JERSEY
Sunday, June 22
Meet at 8:30 a.m.
Led by Rick Radis. Past trips have seen over thirty-five species of ferns and fern allies, including all the common species of the region plus a number of scarce, rare, endangered, and hard-to-find ones. Trip will meet at a very diverse site located off Route 206 north of Andover in Sussex County and carpool from there. Plant lists and other materials will be provided, and birds, herps, wildflowers, and geology are in the itinerary. Directions will be sent upon registration.

BIRDS AND BUTTERFLIES OF THE
WALKILL NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
Saturday, June 28
9:00 a.m. to early afternoon
Enjoy the birds, butterflies, and more that Canal Road in Vernon has to offer! This walk, led by associate naturalist Ken Witkowski, meets at the Walkill National Wildlife Refuge in Vernon. Directions will be sent upon registration.
Cost: $15 members, $20 nonmembers.

TURNING BAT HABITS INTO GOOD ONES
Friday, July 18
7:30 to 9:00 p.m.
Maligned and misunderstood for years, the humble bat is, in truth, a fascinating and beneficial member of society. This program, presented by researcher Dr. Lance Risley of William Paterson University, begins indoors with a slideshow on bats, their adaptations, and their many good habits. Then we’ll venture outdoors to look for and, with the aid of an electronic bat detector, listen to our neighborhood bats. Interested youth are welcome. Limit: 25.
Cost: $5 members, $8 nonmembers.

HIKING 101
Saturday, July 26
10:00 a.m. to noon
Have you been thinking about getting into hiking, or are you already a hiker and want to know just a little bit more? Whether you’re venturing into the woods for fitness, enjoyment, or just to get away from it all, this class is designed to teach you the basics you should be aware of before you leave home. We’ll be covering local trail infor-mation, equipment you should have, and even how to use a compass! Limit: 20.
Cost: $5 members, $8 nonmembers.

BIRDS OF NEW JERSEY:
Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
Saturday, August 16,
or Friday, August 22
9:30 to 11:00 a.m.
Emeralds and rubies are never more precious than when they combine to form these elegant garden jewels. Join program director Mike Krug on our outdoor observation deck to learn all about the Ruby-throated Humming-bird’s amazing adaptations, perilous life, and how to attract these chittering dynamos to your backyard habitat and keep them coming back.
Cost (includes handouts): $5 members, $8 nonmembers.

NATURE ADVENTURE

WEIS WOMEN’S HIKES
Saturday, June 14
8:00 to 10:00 a.m.
Moderately paced, two- to three-mile hikes. Join Wendy Rhoads and sanctuary director Karla Risdon, along with Laura Hoogstrate and/or Penny Galvany, for these early morning hikes to some of their favorite scenic spots! A great way to enjoy time outdoors, get some exer-cise, and get home early enough to spend time with family and friends! Each hike will meet at Weis and carpool to the trailhead if necessary. Please wear appro-priate shoes and bring plenty of water.
Cost: $5.

Weis Wyanokie Wanderers: Club Hikes*
Strenuous hikes led by Don Weise.
The terrain is steep and the pace is fast – good cardiovascular fitness required. Participants must wear appropriate hiking footwear, dress appropriately for the conditions, and bring lunch and plenty of fluids.
Cost: $5 members, $8 nonmembers.*

SCHUNNEMUNK AND MEGALITHS 
Sunday, May 25
9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Explore fracture caves, a ravine, and giant rock formations on this classic hike up Orange County’s highest peak. Join us for a fun day of rockhopping and great views! Nine-mile loop.

Ashokan High Peak and Waterfalls 
Sunday, June 15
9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Join us for a scenic hike and a 2,000-vertical-foot climb to the Catskill’s best views of Ashokan Reservoir, Little Rocky, and Mombaccus Mountains. Elevation: 3,080 feet. Side trip to impressive waterfalls. Nine-mile loop.

Surprise Lake and West Pond 
Sunday, July 6
8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
An early start, two lakes, and lots of shady evergreens help keep this summer hike cool. You’ll climb at least one official Baker’s Dozen Peak on this hike. Short, optional bushwhack to beautiful Flagpole Vista. Seven-mile loop.

Adirondacks Weekend 
Friday to Sunday, August 15 to 17
Head north for a weekend of High Peaks hiking. Tentative plan includes Whiteface (4,867 feet), Giant (4,627 feet), Rocky Peak Ridge (4,420 feet) and Esther (4,240 feet). Call Weis for details and updates.

Breakneck – Sugarloaf Loop 
Sunday, September 14
9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Take America’s favorite day hike up the steepest trail in the New York metro area. Good agility, cardiovascular conditioning, and no fear of heights are requirements for all participants. Stunning views. Nine-mile loop.

*You do not need to be a member of the WWW to attend these hikes, but card-carrying WWW Hiking Club members are guaranteed admittance to the twelve monthly WWW hikes and two annual Challenge Hikes at a flat annual rate of $60. New WWW members are welcomed with a pack patch and a Weis trail map T-shirt.
 

HIGHLANDS HIKES
Moderately paced hikes led by Charlie Toole. All hikes are 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Charlie’s hikes offer an opportunity to visit and explore some of the many special places in the Highlands region. Participants must wear appropriate hi-king footwear, dress appropriately for the conditions, and bring lunch and plenty of fluids. Hikes meet at Weis unless otherwise notified. Locations: TBA.
Cost: $5 members, $8 nonmembers.

High Point/Mine Loop
Sunday, June 8
Five miles.
Enjoy Norvin Green State Forest and Weis Ecology Center on this hike, which includes views of two mines, a waterfall, and great views from High Point of the New Jersey Highlands and New York City.
Pine Meadow Loop
Sunday, July 13
Five miles.
This hike will start from the southern end of Harriman State Forest and will include lots of riverside scrambling, a lunch stop at Pine Meadow Lake, and great views from Raccoon Brook Hill and Halfway Mountain.
Castle Point Loop
Sunday, August 10
Five miles.
Ramapo State Forest includes some of the most interesting hikes in the area. This hike includes Revolutionary War-era trails, an old castle, water towers, and views of Ramapo Lake, Wanaque Reservoir, Norvin Green State Forest, Campgaw Mountain, and even
the New York City skyline.

WEEKDAY AND WEEKEND
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

You and your time are valuable to us!
- Computer Skills: Assist with maintaining and adding to Weis’s Web site using FrontPage.
- Gardening: Help keep our facility inviting for visitors and our Native Plant and Wildlife Garden free of invasive species (at your convenience – please call ahead).
- Nature Day Camp*: Our Nature Day Camps use teen counselors to work with the Weis educators and children. There is an application process. (June, July, and August.)
- Nature Store Inventory: A handful of folks are needed to help count our stock on August 29.
- Public Programs: Weis welcomes skilled amateur (or professional) naturalists and outdoorsy folks to propose classes, walks, and workshops they might like to lead.
- Reception: Friendly folks to meet and greet center visitors, answer the phones, and/or process Nature Store sales on weekends from April to October.

* Programs appropriate for teen Service Learning volunteers

SANCTUARY NOTES

The Weis Ecology Center gratefully acknowledges the following people for their help and support last winter:
Winter Program and Field Trip Leaders: Deb Davidson, Philip De Rea, Ray Fowlie, Laura Hoogstrate, Penny Nichols-Galvany, Linn Pierson, Wendy Rhoads, Suzanne Serafini, Charlie Sontag, Charlie Toole, and Don Weise.
Program Support Staff: Dennis Arnold, Shaun Blessing, Adam, Chuck, Corenna, and Margaret Blewett, Russell Brust, Debi Davidson, Gloria Deane, Tony DiLemme, Ray Fowlie, Madonna Hayes, Tom Heerema, Cliff and Jean Huntington, Barry Milligan, Lisa Montagnino, Kevin Origoni, Wendy Rhoads, Evelyn and Teri Rocco, Suzanne Serafini, Brian Sickle, Albert Szesciuk, Jenna Tomiello, Holly Van Dyk, R.J. Weber, Bob Weismantel, and Don Weise.
Tree Yard Helpers: Adam and Chuck Blewett, Danielle Capozzi, Debbie Davidson, Philip De Rea, Jonathan Diver, Renee Dols, Penny Galvany, Dave and Steven Heerema, Kailyn Hess, Kevin Kania, Kaitlyn Leo, Jakki Lerro, Kailyn and Nick Hess, Dan Mahoney, Hannah McCarty, Michelle McKenna, Ray Mulvaney, Jay Nugent, Tara Pearce, Derek Ryan, Anthony Salters, Kristen Semeniak, Lauren Sidow, Trevor Smith, Anthony Spinosa, Adam Stanton, Jon Turdo, Sonya Utter, Victoria Viola, Kelsey Wasilewski, Don Weise, and Tom Heerema & the Verizon Elves: Jim Boyce, LeReese Davis, Jay Dunham, and Lorraine Valdes-Hyman.
Critter Care Sponsors: Timmy Canali, Bruce and Cathi Darling, Charles, Tomi and Chase Gerber, Andrew Imponemi, Julia Flores, Ironia Elementary second graders, Alice Michel, Christine Morgan, Susan Prince.
Technical Support: Bill Boesenberg (www.snakes-and-scales.com), Russell Brust, Joe Hayes, The Raptor Trust.
Resource and Display Donations: Estelle Anderson, Russell Brust, Norman Schantz.
Trail Maintenance: Estelle Anderson and Bob Jonas (New York/New Jersey Trail Conference).
Business Supporters: Prime 15 Steakhouse, Rick Weiman, and Waldwick Plastics Corporation.