We have programs for every
member of the family
Field Trips and Events
Calendar of Coming Trips and Events
School and Scout Programs
Programs for Teachers
Programs and Lectures for Adult Groups
Field Trips and Events
 We offer a variety of programs throughout the year, for a
list of current trips and events, see our:
Calendar of Coming
Trips and Events
For Children --
- Summer Natural History Day Camp
- Sanctuary Programs specifically for children
- Wonder Walks
- Youth Birding Trips
For Adults --
- Backyard Habitat for Birds and Butterflies
- Wildflowers
- Beginning Bird Watching
- Tree ID
- Nature Photography
- Beginning Bug Watching
- Night Hikes Under a Full Moon
- Saturday Birding Trips Throughout New Jersey
- Canoe Trips
- Hawk Watching
- Free Monthly Natural History Lecture Series
- Foreign and Domestic Natural History Travel Programs
- Natural History Information
- Bird Savings Days
- Birding Weekends
FREE nature walks every Friday and Saturday morning, 8-9 a.m. A great opportunity for you to get acquainted with the plants and animals that live in the field, forest and stream habitats of New Jersey Audubon's 276-acre wildlife sanctuary.
Check out our Calendar of Coming Trips and Events for a detailed list of current programs.
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School and Scout Programs
 Download a printer-friendly
PDF of our
Student
Field Trips
brochure for more information.
To register for any of the following programs, or for more information,
please call (908) 766-5787 or e-mail
Mike Anderson.
School Programs
| Length: 1½
hours to 2 hours. Fee: $75 per class of up to 25 students,
per program conducted at the Sanctuary.
Location: All of the programs can be scheduled at the
Sanctuary, or to save the cost of bussing we can conduct the
same type of program at your school site, for $125 per
program. |
| Pre-K to 2nd
Grade |
| |
Nature's House: In this lesson,
students learn that ordinary objects in nature
(logs, rocks, leaves, seeds) are important as homes and food
for animals. |
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| 3rd to 5th
Grade |
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Birds and Birding I: Students will
get a chance to see birds up close at the bird feeders.
During a hike, students will practice field identification
and taking field notes. |
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Birds and Birding II: Using
activities from Bridges to the Natural World,
students will learn about birds and their lives, from the
hazards of migration to nesting necessities to bird songs. |
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Forest Ecology: In order to
understand why diversity is important to sustaining the
environment, students will observe and record the diversity
in the the forest community by identifying the surrounding
trees and understory plants. |
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Stream Ecology: A treasure hunt
activity takes students to the Passaic River corridor, where
they will observe the plants and animals found in this
community. |
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Food Web and the Sun: "Discovery
Teams" observe field and forest communities. The team share
their discoveries and try to match them with the roles they
play in the food chain. Students will come away
understanding the interconnectivity of nature. |
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| 6th to 12th
Grade |
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Birds and Birding I: Students will
get a chance to see birds up close at the bird feeders.
During a hike, students will practice field identification
and taking field notes. Students will work in pairs to
observe, sketch, and record their observations.
(This program is ideal for scout groups.) |
| |
Breeding Birds: Pairs of students,
armed with binoculars and notepads, are stationed along the
trails to observe and record the number and behavior of each
species. Observations are shared, compared, and interpreted
by the group. (This program is most appreciated by
students with prior birding experience.) |
| |
Hawkwatch: A NJ Audubon Naturalist
will meet with the group at one of the North Jersey Hawk
Watches to observe hawk migration. The best time to see the
greatest diversity of hawks in northern NJ is between Sept.
14 and Sept. 26. (Fee to be determined.) |
| |
Reading the Landscape: During an
interpretive hike, students reflect on the rich history of
land use at the Sanctuary. We teach students to look at the
world with an inquiring perspective: Why is this place the
way it is now? What will this place look like in 50,
100, or even 500 years? |
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Benthic Macroinvertebrate Survey:
Students collect bio indicators (benthic macroinvertebrates)
to determine the water quality of the Passaic River at the
Sanctuary. This can be done in conjunction with other
traditional water sampling parameters (dissolved oxygen, pH,
etc.). |
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Topo Twister: Students learn how to
use and interpret topographic maps. Following the
instruction phase, we will assemble the entire Passaic River
Watershed using full-size laminated maps. |
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| Programs for All Ages |
| |
Wonder Walks: Wonder Walks focus on
small group discovery and can be scheduled for any age
group. The season and interest will determine the focus of
the walk. |
| |
Interpretive Hikes: Hikes introduce
participants to another side of nature, from natural
communities to the history of land use. Participants
will walk away with a new perspective on the natural world. |
| |
Bird Walks: Conducted for any age group
- Fall Migration (Sept and Oct.)
- Winter Birds (Nov.
through mid April)
- Spring Migration (mid April to early
June)
|
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Scout Programs
| Fee: For after-school scout groups (20
scouts or less) the fee is $3 per scout, min. $30.
Location: The Scherman-Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary.
We can often incorporate specific badge requirements
into a general interpretive hike. |
| Scout Programs |
| |
Backyard Birds: September to June.
We help scouts to identify birds at feeders by using field
guides. Scouts will learn about migration by looking at the
range maps for the species we identify. |
| |
Additional Programs: Scout groups can
also sign up for Wonder Walks, Interpretive Hikes,
and Bird Walks (see Programs for all Ages, above). |
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Programs for Teachers
 Professional Development
Workshops
NJAS is a registered professional
development provider with the state of New Jersey.
NJAS conducts regularly scheduled Professional
Development Workshops statewide.
See the list of current workshops.
NJAS Core Professional Development Workshops can be
conducted for your school or group at the Sanctuary or at
your school or center as an in-service. The core
workshops are Bridges to the Natural World, NJ
W.A.T.E.R.S., and Sense of Place.
Call (908) 766-5787 to inquire about or to schedule a
workshop.
Programs and Lectures for
Adult Groups
 Download a printer-friendly PDF of our
Programs & Lectures
brochure for more information.
Professional naturalists from NJAS's Scherman-Hoffman Wildlife
Sanctuary are available to present programs about birds and
other wildlife, geology, and conservation to your group.
Our programs are suitable for a wide range of interests, from
garden clubs to nature clubs, to seniors and other adult
organizations.
To schedule a program, call (908) 766-5787 or email Don Freiday.
| Length: The programs listed here run from
45 minutes to an hour but can usually be tailored to fit
your needs. Fees: Programs given at your site cost
$125 per presentation, with an additional mileage charge for distances
greater than 50 miles round-trip from Bernardsville.
Programs given at the Sanctuary
cost $75 per presentation. (Programs combined with a room reservation
for a one hour club meeting can also be arranged for $125.) |
| Birds |
| |
Birding Basics: Learn how to use a
field guide, how to choose and use binoculars, and most
importantly how to identify birds. Learn how to enjoy
America's fastest-growing outdoor pastime. |
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Feeding and Identifying Backyard Birds:
Most people learn about birds by putting up a feeder in
their yard. Learn about the different types of feeders and
the birds that they attract. We will discuss the do's
and don'ts of putting up feeders. |
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Wild Journeys - Bird Migration in NJ:
This program delves into the mysteries and mechanics of bird
migration through NJ. Over 90% of the state's 350 bird
species are migratory. While some travel only a few
miles, others span the continent. How and why do they
do it? |
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Birds of the Night - NJ Owls: Some
say owls have souls — true or not, it
is certain they are among our most fascinating wildlife.
|
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Birds that Hunt - The Hawks, Falcons, &
Eagles of NJ: Over 40 pairs of Bald Eagles nest in NJ,
Peregrine Falcons have re-occupied the cliffs of the
Palisades, and a Sharp-shinned Hawk has been hunting
songbirds at your feeder. Learn about these
magnificent animals and their lives. |
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The Birds of Summer - NJ Nesting Birds:
From robins to rails, from swallows to sparrows, summer is
the peak of bird nesting in the Northeast. Learn about
the habitats where each species nests and how they raise
their young. |
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| Other Wildlife |
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In Cold Blood - Learning to Like Reptiles
and Amphibians: Snakes, turtles, lizards, frogs, toads,
and salamanders — often misunderstood,
yet very important parts of the NJ ecosystem. |
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Mammals - The Natural History of
Everyone's Favorites: Can opossums hang from their
tails? What's the most important mammal in a meadow habitat?
What should you do if you see a bear? |
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NJ Mammals Now and Then: Some mammals
were here when Columbus landed but are now gone. Others have increased, and a few species have even moved in. Learn how our mammalian fauna has changed over time. |
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Butterflies and Moths: Learn about
the relationship between butterflies, moths, plants, and
other wildlife. This slide presentation will be augmented
with hands-on specimens. And from late April through
October, this program features live specimens of
caterpillars and adults raised in synchronization with wild
members of the same species. |
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Butterflies of NJ: Although many
butterflies will visit flowers planted in your yard, there
are other species you will only find in their native
habitats. This program focuses on the identification of the
main groups of NJ butterflies and their habitat needs. |
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Nature's Artwork - Wildflowers: Ever
wondered what that flower growing by the side of the road is
called? This program is tailored to the season and region,
presenting common wildflowers and how to identify them. |
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| New Jersey Geology |
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Global Wanderings - The Geologic History
of NJ: As the first forms of complex life developed on
earth, what was to become New Jersey was part of a
super-continent located near the South Pole. Follow New
Jersey as it rides the tectonic plates north to become
today's familiar landscape. |
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Habitat - It All Depends on the Rocks:
From the steep slopes and limestone fens of the Highlands to
the sandy plains of the Pine Barrens, all natural habitats
are a function of the underlying geology. Examine
areas where geology plays an important role in the
development of the incredible diversity of habitats found in
NJ. |
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| Conservation |
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Backyard Habitats for Birds, Butterflies,
and Other Wildlife: Bird feeders and a butterfly garden
are great ways to attract wildlife to your garden, but they
are only the beginning. This program examines backyard
habitats as a whole and stresses the importance of backyard
habitats and native plants to wildlife throughout our area. |
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Backyard Habitats for Butterflies:
During each stage of its life, a butterfly has different
habitat needs. Learn about butterfly development and the
importance of native plants in these habitats. |
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Forests at Risk - Threats to Habitat
Health: What is a healthy forest, anyway? More than
trees, forests should be incredibly diverse systems, from
the leaf litter to the canopy. Forces from within and
without are threatening our forests. Learn what they
are and what you can do to protect our forests. |
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The New Jersey Highland - Treasure at
Risk: This slide presentation highlights both the beauty
of the NJ Highlands and the challenges caused by
development. Preservation of the natural systems in
the Highlands is essential for wildlife, as well as the
protection of water supplies and, consequently, the lives
and health of the people of NJ. |
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