Nature Classes in NYC, New York

This class will take place online. Registered students will receive login instructions. For centuries herbs and spices have been prized not just for their flavors, but as state-of-the-art medicine. Learn about a variety of plants historically used for first aid, to revitalize the immune system, and to treat and prevent asthma, insomnia, sinusitis,...

This lecture will take place online. Registered students will receive login instructions. Britt Zuckerman is Senior Landscape Architect at Dirtworks-a NY Landscape Architecture practice dedicated to creating spaces that bridge differences in age, ability, and culture through shared experiences and a close connection to nature. She will present recent...

The Great Migration: Profiles of the Hemisphere's Most Amazing Migrants If you'd like to know more about how the most powerful birds in the world perform wonders of flight, come hear master birder and nature author Constance Sidles introduce you to the world-class migration specialists, including Bar-tailed Godwits, Arctic Terns, and many others....

If you'd like to learn more about birds' strategies to reproduce, let master birder Connie Sidles show you the secrets of birds' parenting lives. Raising the next generation is as problem-filled and fulfilling for birds as it is for people. Some birds go it alone; some use community help; some rely on family members. Sometimes the males help; sometimes...

Meeting locations for in-person classes: Saturday, April 10, 9:00 a.m.: Thornhill Shelter (park in Parking Lot 21) Saturday, April 17, 9:00 a.m.: Prairie Visitor Station (Parking Lot 25) Discover the principles and practice of ecosystem restoration. Ecological restoration is a process for recovering forests, grasslands, and other ecosystems that...

Oak, elm, and beech once dominated midwestern forests. Discover ways humans, birds, animals, and insects have used and treasured these revered trees. Explore native habitat, historic uses, appearance in folklore, and contemporary species and cultivars available in the Chicago area today. This class will be taught online via Zoom. All registrations...

This one-day introduction to art writing allows you to articulate the unique nature of your own photographic practice. It is ideal for those who are building a website or submitting applications for grants, residencies, colleges, or graduate schools, and may be uncomfortable writing about their work. Through in-class exercises, students will use myriad...

This class will take place online. Registered students will receive login instructions. Growing abundant and delicious home-grown edibles can be a huge commitment so it pays to be smart with your time and labor. Learn techniques such as succession and companion planting, stacking, and vertical growing to achieve a steady harvest and enjoy a wide...

This class will take place online. Registered students will receive login instructions. When winter winds blow cold, bring nature inside with houseplants that provide fragrance and color year round. Learn the full range of indoor plants with scented flowers and foliage: citrus, jasmines, hoyas, passionflowers, geraniums, orchids, herbs, bulbs, and...

This class will take place online. Registered students will receive login instructions. Orchids are one of the most common houseplants in America. While this exotic flower is widely available, many do not know how to properly care for it. In this class, you'll explore how orchids grow in nature and learn the basic care instructions to keep them healthy...

This session will cover dormant season pruning and transplanting for specific plant types, winter weeding and garden care, best tools and practices, and planning ahead for the new growing season. Though it seems there isn't much to do in the garden over winter, dormant season tasks can set the stage for a good gardening year.  When weather...

This lecture will take place online. Registered students will receive login instructions. When James Golden set out to create a wet prairie in western Jersey, he faced heavy clay, standing water, and a derelict woodland. Eschewing traditional approaches, he planted right into the matrix of weedy invasives, without mulching, amending the soil or spraying...

Reiki is a healing modality that helps eliminate stress from the body and promote balance and harmony in body/mind/spirit. In an intensive one-day training session, learn the first degree of Reiki healing for self-care and to help others. Experience the soothing, powerful energy of Reiki and a deep rejuvenating relaxation.  Find out how to use...

Nature's Recording Device: What Tree Rings Reveal About Climate Change This blended class meets online for some sessions and on NYBG grounds for others. Registered students will receive login instructions and a syllabus with specifics. Join Neil Pederson, Ph.D., professor and senior ecologist at the Harvard Forest, for this interactive workshop on...

In his book, Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv writes that “stress reduction, greater physical health, a deeper sense of spirit, more creativity, a sense of play…are the rewards that await a family when it invites more nature into their children’s’ lives.” If you are intrigued by the idea of making inviting and nurturing places for children...