Learn this traditional technique to create a sturdy and attractive hand broom in either the turkey wing or pot scrubber style. These brooms are made with natural broomcorn, a type of sorghum grass known for its durability and flexibility, with your choice of thread color. You will leave with a beautiful and unique broom and a deep appreciation for the traditional craft of broom making. The process requires some hand […]
Have you been wondering how to level up your photography skills for the reptiles and amphibians you encounter in the wild or the ones you care for at home? If so, this is the meeting for you! Join wildlife filmmaker, conservationist, and herpetologist Jacob Jackson of Herp Hero for a presentation focused on photographing reptiles […]
The Maryland Liberty Tree Project is a statewide initiative commemorating the 250th anniversary of American independence. Using seedlings grown from the only surviving genetically identical Liberty Tree scion in the United States—descended from Maryland’s original 1775 Liberty Tree in Annapolis—the project will plant a tree in each of Maryland’s 23 counties and Baltimore City by […]
This course looks at stream ecology through the lives of stream invertebrates and macroinvertebrates, large organisms (macro) enough to be seen with the naked eye and lack a backbone (invertebrate). They inhabit all types of running waters, from fast-flowing mountain streams to slow-moving muddy rivers. Examples of aquatic macroinvertebrates include insects in their adult, larval, or nymph forms, mollusks, […]
For the June meeting of the NHSM Archaeology club we will be joined by James G. Gibb, Research Associate at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center/Smithsonian Environmental Archaeology Laboratory to discuss issues surrounding the movement of soil and its effects on archaeological sites in Maryland. Conducting archaeological investigations in Maryland, and particularly in the five southern […]
The mid‑Appalachian shale barrens are one of the rarest ecosystems on the planet — found only in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Perched on the steep, south‑facing slopes of the Ridge and Valley Province, these barrens form where thin soils, crumbling Devonian shale, and intense solar exposure combine to create an environment so harsh […]
Baltimore birder Kevin Marshall invites you on a journey to one of the city’s most unexpected wildlife intersections: the thriving black‑crowned night heron rookery tucked into the trees of Thames Street Park. Kevin discovered birding in 2023 and quickly became captivated by this rare urban colony. Since then, he has spent two spring seasons documenting […]
Join us for this engaging talk from Fossil Club member Valerie Horn as she explores her citizen science project researching the unique locally found sequoia fossils. The giant redwoods are iconic trees whose height and age inspire awe, but their fossil history is unclear. At our local MNCPPC Dinosaur Park in Prince George’s County, small […]
Discover the traditional process of working with pine needles to create a beautiful and functional coaster basket. You will start your basket with a hand-made wood base or walnut slice, then coil and stitch long-leaf pine needles along the base, using waxed linen thread. We will learn shaping, different stitch techniques, and finishing on this smaller project, giving you the skills to move to larger projects. […]
This presentation will encompass “a day in the life” of a herpetologist in the Australia: Wild Extremes exhibit at the National Aquarium. Topics covered will include species highlights, basic husbandry practices, specialty enclosure setups, species-specific breeding strategies, and animal training & enrichment necessities for a captive care lifestyle. This talk will take you through the innovations and […]