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LORRIMER SANCTUARY
PO Box 125
790 Ewing Avenue
Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
(201) 891-2185

HOURS: Wednesday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. / Sunday 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Lorrimer Sanctuary Information Page

Please click here for our Winter Event Schedule (December 2009 - February 2010)


Autumn 2009

EVERY DAY AT LORRIMER SANCTUARY

  • NJAS Gift Shop and Book Store: Your neighborhood source for field guides, nature gifts, kids’ stuff, bird feeders and accessories, high-quality binoculars, and more!
  • Exhibits: Our classroom / exhibit room has live animals, educational displays, and hands-on activities for kids.
  • Trails and Garden: Explore the sanctuary along our interpretive nature trails. Visit the garden during the warmer months for an up-close look at butterflies and hummingbirds. Ask for a guide and activity bag at the visitor center.
  • The View: Relax in front of our famous observation window, which overlooks an always-busy bird feeding station, dragonfly pond, and honeybee hives.

PROGRAM REGISTRATION – PREREGISTRATION IS REQUIRED FOR ALL PROGRAMS, since group size is limited and a minimum number of participants is necessary. Paid registration, including a daytime phone number, at least one week prior to the program ensures a place. Checks should be made payable to Lorrimer Sanctuary, P.O. Box 125, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417.

BIRDING FIELD TRIPS

Join us for any one of the field trips listed below led by our senior naturalist, Patrick Scheuer. All trips will start at 8:00 A.M. (unless otherwise noted), lasting until around noon. Preregistration is required by mailing your registration fee, along with address and daytime phone number, at least one week prior to each trip. Directions to meeting place will be phoned or mailed upon receipt of registration.
Cost per trip:
$8 members, $12 nonmembers.

ALLENDALE CELERY FARM
Sunday, September 27
The Allendale Celery Farm with the man who knows the location as well as anyone, Rob Fanning, for great fall migrants.
Meet at 8:45 A.M.

HACKENSACK MEADOWLANDS
Sunday, November 15
Once known only as a garbage dump, these tidal flats and marshes are now an important resting and feeding place for migrating birds. This trip will focus on late fall migrants and winter residents of the marshes. This trip is a good opportunity to see several species of ducks and raptors.

FAMILY NATURE PROGRAMS

Lorrimer Sanctuary invites families, friends, and nature lovers of all ages to join us for an exploration of the winter world. Educational and fun, these Family Nature Programs are perfect for beginning naturalists and their families. Preregistration is required for all programs.
Cost: $12 per family for members,
$15 per family for nonmembers (unless noted otherwise).

LEAVES ON PARADE
Sunday, October 11
Noon to 1:00 P.M.
Fall is a spectacular time of year, with leaves turning red, gold, and brown and falling all around. This program will introduce kids to the unique
characteristics of leaves and to the diversity of Lorrimer’s forest habitat through collection, observation,
and art.

SEEDS PLEASE
Sunday, November 1
Noon to 1:00 P.M.
Before winter’s chill sets in, plants release their seeds to ensure the next generation. The seeds have adapted different ways of getting around – some float on the wind, others stick to clothes and fur, and some are passed through the digestive tract of birds and other animals. Come explore the sanctuary’s woods and fields for the different kinds of seeds found there.

BIRD FEEDING 101
Sunday, November 8
Noon to 1:00 P.M.
It’s time to get those bird feeders up and filled for the season! This mini-clinic on bird feeding will get you started with the right kind of feeders and seed for your backyard. Bothered by squirrels? Learn how to stop (or at least redirect) the “gray scourge.” We’ll even build a bird feeder you can take home for your own backyard.

2009 CIDERFEST
Sunday, October 25
10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.
Join us for our seventh annual Apple Cider Festival as we celebrate the wonders of the fall season. Bring your friends and family for a day of autumn fun with nature hikes, arts and crafts, apple games, and cider-making. Meet special guests, make your own applesauce, or relax by the birdfeeders with a cup of hot cider. All are welcome!
Free Admission.

AFTER-SCHOOL NATURE PROGRAMS
Every Wednesday in October
(7, 14, 21, and 28)
Calling all young nature lovers! If you’re looking for something fun (and educational) to do for an hour after school, come join our senior “nature nut,” Patrick Scheuer, for a series of afternoon nature classes. Classes are held on Wednesday afternoons from 3:45 to 4:45 P.M. Programs are open to students ages 7-11. Class size is limited to 15, so register early!

BADGES AND MORE

Scout programs at the Lorrimer Nature Sanctuary
Scouts! Get on track with nature this season at the Lorrimer Nature Sanctuary. We’re offering these special programs to all scout groups now through December, 2009. All programs are taught by professional naturalist Pat Scheuer on our 14-acre nature sanctuary.

Wilderness Survival. A scout favorite! Learn what it takes to survive in the wilderness. Students will learn how to prepare for a hike, use a map and compass, build a survival shelter, collect water, and make fire the primitive way. What you learn could save your life!

Radical Reptiles. Often feared and misunderstood, reptiles are among the most incredible and fascinating animals on the planet. Through demonstrations, discussion, and class participation, this program will allow your troop an up-close look at live turtles and snakes in a safe and respectful environment.

Incredible Insects. Your scouts will really ’bug out’ over this program! Learn what makes an insect an insect and discover the ecological roles they play, their habitats, and their adaptations. Using nets and bug boxes, we’ll venture into insect habitats to collect and observe some insect specimens.

Animal Tracking and Observation. Native Americans relied on their ability to track and find animals for survival. Today, learning to track animals is a skill anyone can learn – even in their own backyard. Find out what animals do when we’re not looking by searching the sanctuary for clues like tracks, scats, nests, and homes.

Orienteering 101. Have you ever been lost in the woods? Learn the basics of using a map and compass to find your way through the outdoors. After a brief indoor lesson, we’ll head outside to put your skills to the test on our orienteering course.

GIRL SCOUTS
Brownies and Junior Girl Scouts: All About Birds, Earth Connections, Wildlife, Your Outdoor Surroundings.

WEBELOS BADGES
Forester: Learn how to identify trees and plants in the area using field guides. Find out how both animals and people use this valuable resource.
Naturalist: Participants will study the ecology of the forest with a hands-on hike in search of plants and animals.

WOLF AND BEAR
ACHIEVEMENTS
Sharing Your World with Wildlife (Achievement #5): Participants will learn about local wildlife and the places they live. Find out how animals are protected and what endangered species are.

Birds (Elective #13): Find out all about the basics of birds. Through games, outdoor exploration, and bird-watching, participants will discover physical adaptations and behavioral differences among birds.

Building for Birds: Feeders or Houses*: Help the birds in your backyard by building a feeder (autumn) or a birdhouse (spring).
*Additional per-scout cost for materials.

Programs are 1- to 1½-hours long and cost $5 per participant or $75 for groups of less than 15. A $75 deposit per program is required to hold your reservation. Payment of any remaining balance is due upon arrival on the date of the program.
To schedule a visit, please contact us at 201.891.2185. To facilitate scheduling, please call with several possible program dates and times – we will make every effort to accommodate your needs.
Supervision and discipline of participants is the responsibility of the chaperones at all times. Please make sure all students are dressed for the weather.

BIRTHDAY PARTY
CELEBRATIONS AT LORRIMER SANCTUARY

Parents, are you looking for a fun AND educational way to celebrate your child’s upcoming birthday? How about a party with a nature theme at the Lorrimer Sanctuary?

The birthday celebration includes: Two-hour rental of our classroom, including a one-hour program conducted by one of our expert naturalists. Call Lorrimer for seasonally available program choices and birthday activities.
Setup/Cleanup: We will provide the tables, chairs, garbage and recycling cans.
Parents are responsible for tablecloths (optional), plates, cups, flatware, napkins, food, and beverages.

Lorrimer Sanctuary is available for birthday parties on both Saturdays and Sundays after 1:00 P.M. and can be scheduled as late as 4:00 P.M.

Birthday celebrations last for two hours, and additional time can be scheduled in half-hour increments for an additional $50 per half-hour.

A $50 nonrefundable deposit is required to hold your space. Spaces fill up quickly, so please register in advance! Limit: 20 children.
Cost: $150 for members,
$200 for nonmembers.

Don’t forget the Lorrimer Sanctuary gift shop, where you can get everything on your shopping gift list. We carry books, field guides, binoculars, videos, CDs and tapes, bird feeders, T-shirts, puppets, nature gift items, and more.

SANCTUARY NOTES

THANKS to our young volunteers Michal Krasnow, Brian Moran, and Colin Knight for keeping the animals clean and happy and for all the other hard work.
THANKS to Ramapo College, the Academy of Holy Angels, and all the Eagle Scouts for the trail work.
THANKS to all of our summer camp counselors for another great camp season.
A big “THANK YOU” to all our volunteers who donate their time and energy to NJAS and the Lorrimer Sanctuary: Jackie Arkin, Michele Svedrofsky, and Ingrid Kenrick for staffing the store every week (you guys are doing GREAT with the new POS system!); Gordon Schultze for his continued support in the store and in the field; the Fyke Nature Association for its support of Lorrimer Sanctuary; Pat Brotherton for updating the bulletin board every season; Randy Zeberl for maintaining the honey bee hives (Lorrimer honey is on sale now!); Sam Upchurch for all the photography work; Abma’s Farm for their continued support of the apple cider programs, and everyone else.

 

Members receive discounts on program fees. If you are not a member and would like to become one, consider Joining New Jersey Audubon Society.