Eat, Drink, & Learn

The Webb Telescope: From a Dream to an Extraordinary Success The origin of the Webb telescope was a NASA & STScI conference in 1988: The Next Generation Space Telescope. Hundreds of scientists and engineers attended and agreed that the logical successor to the Hubble telescope (yet to be launched!) was a larger, cooler telescope in space.... Read more »

Beaver Restoration and Coexistence: A Dam Worthy Challenge Claudia Donegan (Director of the Center for Habitat Restoration and Conservation, Maryland DNR) and Alison Zak (Founder and Director of the Human-Beaver Coexistence Fund) will talk about beaver restoration potential in the Chesapeake region and how and why we can coexist with beavers, despite the problems they... Read more »

Hiding in Plain Sight: Northern Saw-whet Owls in Maryland For most Marylanders familiar with birds, the Northern Saw-whet Owl is a cute and mysterious little bird that, if one is really lucky, can be found during the winter roosting amidst the thick foliage of a pine or cedar … or, occasionally, hitching a ride to New York... Read more »

Biophilic Cities: A Global Movement for Cities that Love Nature As the planet continues to rapidly urbanize there is a growing sense that a new model of cities is needed: one that overcomes the physical (and mental) disconnect between humans and nature. Beatley believes that contact with nature is not something optional but absolutely essential... Read more »

Maryland's Amphibians: Meet Your Neighbors! Come meet your neighbors! Maryland is home to a diverse group of amphibian species ranging from the mighty American Bullfrog to the diminutive Eastern Red-backed Salamander. Allow me to introduce you to Maryland’s amphibian species. We will chat about where you can find these animals in Maryland and how you... Read more »

Natural Lands Project: Increasing Early Successional Habitat on Maryland's Eastern Shore The River and Field Campus (RAFC, formerly Chino Farms) exemplifies the balance between productive agriculture and diverse wildlife habitat on working lands on Maryland's upper shore. The dedication to maintaining this balance, particularly managing early successional habitat, has resulted in the largest Northern Bobwhite... Read more »

Carnivorous Plants and How to Grow Them Explore the fascinating world of Carnivorous Plants with award winning horticulturalist Michael Szesze, as he shares his 50 years of experience growing these curious plants. Learn about the different types of carnivorous plants and their unique habitats. Learn how to successfully grow and cultivate some of the world’s... Read more »

Leading Double Lives: Secrets of the Pollinators  Many insect species provide the critical ecosystem service of pollination, a service vital to flowering plants and all life on earth. But did you know that many pollinators lead a double life sometimes as maniacal predators wreaking havoc on pests in your garden and landscape. Others are pests... Read more »

Maryland's Wild Turkeys   Wild turkeys were once on the brink of extinction in Maryland, but they have made a remarkable comeback in the last half century - a true conservation success story. Learn about the history and biology of turkeys, what kind of habitats they need to thrive, and research efforts currently underway in Maryland to better understand these unique... Read more »

Maryland Birds: Wonders and Woes    How ‘bout dem O’s? …Ravens? What about our beloved bluebirds, owls and woodpeckers? A recent report found 30% of all North American birds have disappeared since 1970. Are Baltimore birds winning or losing? Join Irvine’s former Education Director Robert Mardiney for a look at the fascinating lives of our... Read more »

Maple Sugaring Through the Years     Thousands of years before any breakfast diner or career lumberjack, Northeast America’s Indigenous people were tapping trees for sweet sap. Join Irvine’s Environmental Educators, Dr. Clare Walker and Brittany Roger for a multisensory journey through the rich history of maple tapping. The earliest tree-tapping tools, storage, and cooking strategies... Read more »

Building Resilient, Equitable Food Systems      All people deserve the right to access nutritious, affordable, and culturally appropriate food. In the United States, 1 in 8 American households experience the lack of adequate food while 30-40% of our food supply goes to waste. This problem is rooted in socio-economic inequalities driven by national and... Read more »