New Canaan Nature Center
144 Oenoke Ridge
New Canaan, Connecticut 06840
(203) 966-9577
www.newcanaannature.org/

Established in 1960, the Center occupies the former estate of Miss Susan Dwight Bliss. 40 acres of diverse habitats, including wet and dry meadows, 2 ponds, a cattail marsh, an apple orchard, herb garden, and a small arboretum, support a wide variety of wildlife and offer an ideal setting for the study of our natural environment.

Two miles of trails, a Discovery Center, classrooms, a solar greenhouse, apple cider house, maple syrup shed, and Naturalist's Garden offer plenty of opportunity for individuals, families, and groups to explore and study the natural world and human effects upon it. A fantastic Birds of Prey exhibit features seven aviaries.

Throughout the year the Center offers great programs and activities for Families including Live Animal Presentations, First Aid Certification, Birdwatching, Maple Sugaring, and great Field Trips, to mention just a few. Programs may be seasonal, and different programs are offered each month. There are also special After School Programs and even a Summer Nature Camp.

For School Groups, the Center presents a wide range of great programs for grades pre-K through 12. Just a few of the many programs offered include, Plants for Sprouts (pre-K): students learn how seeds travel, what they need in order to grow, and how plants survive in a world full of hungry bugs and animals; Apple Cider Making (pre-K - 2): hands-on program that covers this subject from the picking to the pressing, including taste test! Track-It (grades 2 - 4): teaches students to identify tracks and animal signs and then puts their new skills to the test in the field; and Animals Alive (grades 4 - 6): live animal program coordinated with teacher to emphasize a specific topic or animal group.

Programs for older children cover topics such as Field/Pond Invertebrate Study, Amphibian Breeding Strategies and Adaptations, and others.

Programs for other groups of any age, from Scouts to corporate folks, can be arranged. Call the Center with your needs.

Maximum class size is 25 students.