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 […]
Join the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and NHSM for a hands-on experience harvesting invasive water chestnuts (Trapa natans) by canoe. These fast-spreading plants threaten native bay grasses, block waterways, and create mosquito breeding grounds, but with your help we can clear them out and keep our waters healthy. Some paddling experience needed. Participants are […]
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, […]
Grab your binoculars and join us for an early morning expeditionary paddle from Wye Island Natural Resource Management Area to Pickering Creek Audubon Center! This 2.5-mile paddle will take us through a dynamic coastal environment as we explore the quiet and protected waters surrounding Wye Island before making our way up Pickering Creek to the […]
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 […]
Take a step back into history with this unique paddling experience! Located on the Susquehanna River just south of the Safe Harbor Dam is one of the largest concentrations of ancient American Indian petroglyphs in the eastern United States. Found primarily on Big Indian Rock and Little Indian Rock, these carvings are thought to be […]
A large iron ring hangs from a wall, set in place many decades ago. And right below, there’s a big stone step. Look closely to see a peephole near the top. Who was spying? Join geologist Sam Glasscock to find the answer on this walk near the Inner Harbor. We will share the stories of […]
Take a step back into history with this unique paddling experience! Located on the Susquehanna River just south of the Safe Harbor Dam is one of the largest concentrations of ancient American Indian petroglyphs in the eastern United States. Found primarily on Big Indian Rock and Little Indian Rock, these carvings are thought to be […]
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. […]