“Naturalistic Landscaping appeals to the kind of person who likes wild nature, modified just a bit… He is willing to tip the scales of nature with one finger, not spend his life trying to grow plants in anti-ecological unnaturalness.”
-Warren G. Kenfield, 1966. The Wild Gardener in the Wild Landscape.

NATURALISTIC LANDSCAPING WORKSHOP

Saturday, August 4th, 2018

Many gardeners and land managers find themselves constantly fighting Nature to maintain the aesthetic appeal they desire. Another approach is to work with naturally occurring events and plants to achieve a landscape that is sensually, intellectually and emotionally satisfying. This workshop, led by Larry Weaner and John Anderson, will help you work with the land to develop an attractive and healthy landscape. For decades, your leaders have been managing, studying and thinking about how cultural and natural landscapes function. The concepts  presented will give you a deeper understanding of the nature in your backyard and the practices that will allow you to work with natural processes, rather than fight them.

Location: Aton Forest HQ, 270 N. Colebrook Rd, Norfolk, CT

Time: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Tuition: $35 – Light Lunch and Refreshments Provided
SIGNUP FOR THIS WORKSHOP HAS PAST

Also visit: Larry Weaner Landscape Associates

BIRDING BY EAR

Saturday, June 16, 2018

Survey 4:45 - 7:45 am

Workshop 8 - 10 am

with Fran Zygmont and Bob Barbieri

SIGNUP FOR THIS WORKSHOP HAS PAST
Join us and the other early birds to conduct one of our breeding bird survey lines, part of the scientific research done at Aton Forest. We will start the survey at 5 am, so we will need to leave AF Hq. (270 N. Colebrook Rd., Norfolk) at 4:45 am to get to the first point by 5. Our protocol is to stop at 10 points, identify and record all birds heard and seen during a 5 minute interval and then walk to the next point. Typically a line takes two and a half hours to complete. These lines can be difficult to hike in some sections and are often wet, sometimes steep and you may need to climb over fallen trees; so be forewarned! Please arrive at AF Hq. before 4:45 am so we can get to the first point on time.

Then from 8 to 10 am we are offering one of our regular workshops later this year in the middle of the breeding season. With trees and shrubs in full leaf, sometimes the only ways to identify birds are by their songs and calls. Typically we hear over 30 species during these workshops. 

Learn from the experts! Visual characteristics and behavior useful in identification will also be discussed.

Meet at Aton Forest Headquarters, 270 North Colebrook Road, Norfolk CT

What to bring: sturdy footwear and clothing for difficult terrain, wet and brushy areas; hats and sunscreen; protection from ticks, mosquitoes and maybe blackflies or deerflies; water; personal first aid needs (EpiPens, inhalers, etc.); binoculars.

Please RSVP: workshop limited to 15 participants; this is a free program

To reserve your place email Aton Forest: contact@atonforest.org
or call (860) 248-1053; you will be contacted to confirm your registration.

Goldenrods demystified

Monday, October 1, 2018

An Aton Forest workshop led by Bill Moorhead

We will cover the identification and ecology the 28 southern New England species of goldenrods (genera Solidago, Oligoneuron, and Euthamia).  The workshop will begin with a lab session at Aton Forest, in which we will cover the basics of goldenrod identification and the species we will not see in the field.  We will then car-pool to several field sites in the vicinity of Aton Forest, where we will cover field identification of the species that occur in northwest Connecticut.  The discussions of species ecology will include wetland indicator value of each species.  This workshop will run, rain or shine.  If the weather is too bad for field work, we will extend the lab session, using fresh and pressed collected material.  Participants are encouraged to bring specimens.  This workshop is suitable for both goldenrod beginners and more experienced botanists to whom goldenrods are a challenge. 

Each participant should bring: a good quality hand lens with at least 10X magnification; fine-pointed forceps that can be carried in the field; hip waders or knee-high rubber boots, or shoes that can get wet; his/her choice of insect repellant, sun protection; field notebook; collecting bags; plant press and camera, if desired.

Lunch is not provided -- participants need to bring their own brown bag lunches and choice of drink.

BILL MOORHEAD is an independent consulting field botanist based in western Connecticut.  He has specialized for 29 years in the search for populations of rare plants and their habitats, and the study of plant communities and the factors determining their species composition and distribution.

Location: Aton Forest Headquarters, 270 North Colebrook Road, Norfolk CT

Date: Monday, October 1, 2018

Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM (NOTE: the workshop will begin promptly at 9:00 AM, so please try to arrive earlier)

Tuition: $85 - we accept check by mail (Aton Forest, Inc., PO Box 509, Norfolk, CT 06058) or card via PayPal (see below)
SIGNUP FOR THIS WORKSHOP HAS PAST

This workshop is limited to 15 participants.  Registration and payment required in advance. Each participant must register seperately. If the workshop is cancelled by us for any reason, any advanced payments will refunded in full or may be used to attend another workshop or may considered a donation to Aton Forest. If a participant cancells without at least one weeks notice prior to the workshop date or does not attend the workshop, any advanced payment will be forfit and may considered a donation to Aton Forest.

COASTAL WETLANDS PLANTS

Thursday, August 16, 2018

An Aton Forest workshop led by Bill Moorhead

This workshop is aimed at professionals in the environmental field whose work includes delineation of Federal jurisdictional wetlands (“Corps wetlands”) in the coastal zone and State-of-Connecticut-jurisdictional tidal wetlands.  The workshop will emphasize field identification of the important Federal wetland indicator plants encountered in saline, brackish, and fresh tidal systems, as well as plants occurring in non-tidal wetlands of the coastal zone.  All of the Connecticut Tidal Wetland Act plants will be covered.  The workshop will be entirely in the field, visiting several representative sites in central coastal Connecticut.  This workshop will run, rain or shine, unless the forecast is for severe weather.  If the weather is bad enough, we will reschedule for the rain date, Tuesday Aug 21, 2018.

Itinerary:

Pratt Cove, Deep River

Ragged Rock Creek Marsh, Old Saybrook

Hammonasset Beach State Park, Madison/Clinton

Each participant should bring: a good quality hand lens with at least 10X magnification; fine-pointed forceps that can be carried in the field; hip waders, knee-high rubber boots, or shoes that can get wet; his/her choice of insect repellant, sun protection; field notebook; collecting bags; camera, if desired.  Though it is not essential, participants may want to bring a hard-copy of list of Connecticut plants with their NWI wetland indicator status codes.  

Lunch is not provided -- participants need to bring their own brown bag lunches and choice of drink. Coffee and donuts will be provided at the meeting location and water and ice will be available during the day.

BILL MOORHEAD is an independent consulting field botanist based in western Connecticut.  He has specialized for 29 years in the search for populations of rare plants and their habitats, and the study of plant communities and the factors determining their species composition and distribution.

Location: Meet at Dunkin' Donuts, 246 Main St. (Rte 154), Deep River, CT; additional parking on Union St. Coffee and donuts will be provided. This is at the junction of Union St. and Main St., south of the center of Deep River (junction of Rtes 80 and 154). From the north take Exit 5 on Rte 9; from the south take Exit 4 on Rte 9.

Date: Thursday, August 16, 2018 (Severe weather alternative date: Aug 21)

Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM (NOTE: the workshop will begin promptly at 9:00 AM, so please try to arrive earlier)

Tuition: $85 - we accept check by mail (Aton Forest, Inc., PO Box 509, Norfolk, CT 06058) or card via PayPal (see below)
SIGNUP FOR THIS WORKSHOP HAS PAST

This workshop is limited to 15 participants.  Registration and payment required in advance. Each participant must register seperately. If the workshop is cancelled by us for any reason, any advanced payments will refunded in full or may be used to attend another workshop or may considered a donation to Aton Forest. If a participant cancells without at least one weeks notice prior to the workshop date or does not attend the workshop, any advanced payment will be forfit and may considered a donation to Aton Forest.

For more information, please contact instructor at whmoorhead@optonline.net, (860) 543-1786; or 
Aton Forest at contact@atonforest.org, (860) 542-5125.

Continuing Education Units may be available.  Please contact us in advance for more information.