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Talks & Workshops

Brown Bag Lunch Lecture Series

Wednesdays, July 3rd, 10th & 17th | 12-1 PM

LOCATION: The Frances Plecker Education Center
All talks are FREE and open to all! Bring your lunch along & enjoy topics presented by local experts! 

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Gardening with Native Plants
Wednesday, July 3rd | 12-1 pm
Owner of Urban Natives & Landscaping, Ivy Makia, will lead a talk on native plant gardening-- where to start and the best ways to support your local ecosystem from the bees to the birds and more!

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Flora of Virginia Mobile App 
Wednesday, July 10th | 12-1 pm
Anna Maria Johnson, a Virginia Master Naturalist and president of the Shenandoah Chapter of the VA Native Plant Society, will walk guests through the new Flora of Virginia Mobile App and how to use it in your day-to-day life!

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Plants for Pollinators
Wednesday, July 17th | 12-1 pm
Join us to hear and share stories about plants you know and pollinators you see at home and at the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum. Join Gail Napora, a Virginia Master Naturalist and butterfly enthusiast, who has volunteered in educational events at the EJC Arboretum since 2007.
Programs
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Bonsai Club Meeting

1st Tuesday Every Month @ 6:00-8:00 pm

Next Meeting: July 2nd

Location: Frances Plecker Education Center

Have you always wanted to explore bonsai as a hobby or are just curious about the art? Join presenters, Clark Driver and Simon Jilg, at Frances Plecker Education Center for a short lecture, bonsai displays, and door prizes! For questions and concerns please reach out to ShenandoahValleyBonsaiSociety@gmail.com 

Register Here

Evening With Bats
Members of our local chapter of Virginia Master Naturalists, in partnership with Bat Conservation and Rescue of Virginia, will be hosting Evenings with Bats by the Pond in the JMU Arboretum on the first and third Fridays of the month until September 20th.
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1st & 3rd Friday Every Month | 15 minutes before Dusk

Next Meeting: July 5th at 8:30 pm

Location: The Pond

Visitors should arrive 15 minutes before sunset to hear a brief presentation about bat conservation and behavior, followed by the opportunity to watch bats of the Arboretum emerge for their evening hunt.  Master Naturalists and BCRV volunteers will also be hosting a bat call monitoring station as part of the evening, and visitors can watch and learn more about acoustic monitoring, and what it's telling us about the bats who live in the Arboretum.

Register Here

Wellness and Soundscape Programs
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Forest Bathing

July 2nd | 11:30 AM- 1 PM

Location: Start at the Pavilion

Forest Bathing, or shinrin-yoku, was developed in Japan in the 1980s as a form of preventative medicine with many scientific studies confirming its beneficial impacts on our sense of well-being and physical health. Experience some of the mindful and multi-sensory exercises that make forest bathing an enjoyable and beneficial nature therapy. Join Annette Naber, Ph.D. of Emerald Mountain Sanctuary in this guided walk.

Registration required; limited to 15 registrants per session.

Register Here

Soundbathing 2024
Sound Bathing Experience

July 23, August 20 | 6-7:30 pm

October 8th | 5:30-6:45 pm

$25/session

Location: Ernst Tree Terrace (beside the Education Center)

Using gongs, crystal and Tibetan bowls, voice, drums, shakers, and chimes, Connie Magee will take you on a sound journey that will relax and de-stress you and bring your whole being back into a state of harmony on all levels; physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Connie Magee is a multi-modality massage therapist, medicine woman, Yoga Instructor, and meditation teacher.

Registration required

Register Here

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Harrisonburg Songtuary

Saturday, July 13, and August 24| 1:30-3:30 pm

Location: The Pavilion

Harrisonburg Songtuary is a community song circle that seeks to propagate co-enchanting cohorts of contemplayful singers, sponsored by the Arts Council of the Valley and the Office of Creative Propulsion.

At www.songtuary.org/events, you may find more details and RSVP for upcoming gatherings; receive email updates, add to your calendar, or share on social media. We appreciate when you let us know you’re coming, and we hope the web RSVP is convenient for you as well!

Register Here 

ANNUAL EVENTS

February
Frances Litten Botanical Lecture & Invitiational Reception
Great Backyard Bird Count

March
Workshop and/or Wine & Cheese

April
Guided Wildflower Walks
Spring Celebration Plant Sale

May
Spring Celebration Plant Sale
Guided Wildflower Walks
Wine & Cheese on the Ernst Tree Terrace

June - August
Summer Brown Bag Lunch Lecture Series

September
Wine & Cheese on the Ernst Tree Terrace
Fall Plant & Bulb Sale
Monarch Tagging Workshop

October - December
Festive Greens Workshop
Harvest Festival

May - September | Private Greenhouse Shopping by Appointment
$50 Minimum purchase required, call (540)-568-3194 to schedule

View Annual Youth Programs Calendar

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