The Darien Nature Center will be getting a major upgrade to its Animal Exhibit Room, thanks to a $50,000 grant from the Darien Foundation. The Nature Center says it will create a New England Forest and Pond Ecosystem exhibit that will showcase native turtle species in their habitat along with other pond wildlife. — an announcement from Darien Nature Center
“We are so grateful for the Darien Foundation’s endorsement of our plans to bring the fascinating world of a typical New England pond to life,” said Nature Center Executive Director Leila Wetmore. “Our turtle tanks are the most popular elements of our Animal Room and we’ve been wanting to enhance them for a while now for the benefit of both the animals and our visitors.”
Plans for the 50-square foot ecosystem project include multiple viewing angles, including a window into the underwater area of the pond where visitors will have the opportunity to see from a turtle or fish’s perspective. There will be an illuminated cascading waterfall for ambiance and natural aeration of the pond.
Darien Nature Center’s 16th annual Halloween Hoot and Howl event is filled with Fall fun for the entire family! Our not-too-spooky Halloween party will feature festive outdoor play, magic shows, children’s campfire stories, hay rides, crafts, refreshments, face painting, games with prizes, s’mores, animal encounters, a fall hike and more! Costumes are voluntary. We will have an early opening at 3:30 p.m. for special needs families! Door sales will be cash only. Purchase your tickets in advance to get a free s’more!
Join Darien Nature Center at its annual fundraising event, “Fireside,” on Saturday, Oct. 20, from 7 to 11 p.m. under the stars. A bonfire will be glowing to warm the nip in an October evening as our guests enjoy live music, dancing, great food and drink, and a silent auction of wondrous items, gifts, and getaways. — an announcement from Darien Nature Center
The committee has more special surprises up their sleeves and it promises to be a wonderful night in celebration of the Darien Nature Center. Tickets are $125 each ($85 per ticket is tax deductible).
Join Darien Nature Center at its annual fundraising event, “Fireside,” on Saturday, Oct. 20, from 7 to 11 p.m. under the stars. A bonfire will be glowing to warm the nip in an October evening as our guests enjoy live music, dancing, great food and drink, and a silent auction of wondrous items, gifts, and getaways. — an announcement from Darien Nature Center
The committee has more special surprises up their sleeves and it promises to be a wonderful night in celebration of the Darien Nature Center. Tickets are $125 each ($85 per ticket is tax deductible).
Darien High School senior Gaby Highton has won the Darien Nature Center’s recent naming contest. Highton’s suggestion beat out nearly 40 others that were submitted via Facebook and Instagram.
— an announcement from Darien Nature Center
Darien Nature Center’s new hedgehog is a one-year-old African pygmy hedgehog that the Nature Center adopted from Tamara Sevigny, the owner of Southeastern CT Hedgehogs & Sugar Gliders in Lyme. Sevigny is a USDA licensed breeder and member of the International Hedgehog Association. Fun fact!
Local artist Vicki French Smith will display a colorful collection of landscapes and seascapes, including scenes of Darien, for her new exhibit opening Thursday, September 20th at the Darien Nature Center. The public is invited to enjoy a free wine and cheese reception starting at 6:30 p.m. to see and purchase pieces from “Motion by Nature.” Thirty percent of sales will be donated to the Nature Center. “Painting has opened a new world to me. I see things through new eyes,” French Smith says. “Creating artwork lets me relive the experiences of my travels through recreating, reinterpreting, and reinventing the places I love!
Graduation season can be a challenging time for thoughtful gift givers — how do you mark such an achievement with creativity and meaning? Here’s one way: Consider sponsoring an animal at the Darien Nature Center in honor of your graduate. Honorees receive a congratulatory email announcing your unique gift, mail updates about their adopted pet, are invited to schedule one-on-one playtime, and are recognized with signage in the Nature Center Zoo Room. — an announcement from Darien Nature Center
“It is a gift that shows social consciousness and celebrates the graduate’s love for the natural world,” said Nature Center Executive Director Leila Wetmore. Alicia Lyon of Darien recently sponsored an animal in her son Peter’s name.
Letter to the editor:
On behalf of the Darien Nature Center, I would like to thank every sponsor, volunteer, and attending family who supported our 8th annual Down on the Farm event on Saturday, May 26 in Cherry Lawn Park. Down on the Farm is an enormous undertaking and would not have been possible without the power of volunteerism. Businesses and residents started coming together weeks and even months prior to the big day — a testament to the generosity of our local community. Thank you to Boylan Bottling Company, Two Roads Brewery, and Whole Foods for their sponsorships. Thank you to Almstead Tree & Shrub Care Company for once again hoisting hundreds of children into the treetops for a birds-eye view of the party.
The Darien Nature Center is excited to announce that its 8th annual Down on the Farm event will take place on Saturday, May 26 at Cherry Lawn Park, with an early opening at 9:30 a.m. for special needs families. The event will once again feature a petting zoo and pony rides courtesy of Pied Piper, and Almstead Trees will help kids travel to the treetops to get a bird’s-eye view of Cherry Lawn Park. There will also be construction trucks to climb aboard courtesy of Fox Hill Builders, picnic field games, face painting, patriotic crafts, nature activities, raffle prizes, giveaways, and more! Event-goers of all ages will have a variety of food options to enjoy. New this year, four food trucks will set up shop around the park, including: Cowabunga Grill offering burgers and fries, Dough Girls wood fired pizza, the Melt Mobile offering grilled cheese creations, and Skip’s Ice Cream.
The Darien Nature Center is excited to announce that its 8th annual Down on the Farm event will take place on Saturday, May 26 at Cherry Lawn Park, with an early opening at 9:30 a.m. for special needs families. The event will once again feature a petting zoo and pony rides courtesy of Pied Piper, and Almstead Trees will help kids travel to the treetops to get a bird’s-eye view of Cherry Lawn Park. There will also be construction trucks to climb aboard courtesy of Fox Hill Builders, picnic field games, face painting, patriotic crafts, nature activities, raffle prizes, giveaways, and more! Event-goers of all ages will have a variety of food options to enjoy. New this year, four food trucks will set up shop around the park, including: Cowabunga Grill offering burgers and fries, Dough Girls wood fired pizza, the Melt Mobile offering grilled cheese creations, and Skip’s Ice Cream.
An opening reception for the exhibit “Painted Poetry” at Darien Nature Center will take place from 6:30 to 8 p.m., Friday, April 20. The event includes a 7 p.m. poetry reading. Twelve local artists have created art inspired by the poetry of Cecily Parks (pictured below, middle). O’Nights, her most recent written collection, was used as the inspiration for this art show, which runs from April 9 to June 5. Cecily takes great inspiration from nature. Her poems have appeared in The New Republic, The New Yorker, and elsewhere.
The Darien Nature Center and Darien Parks & Recreation Department have teamed up to host a family fun Earth Day Party at the Nature Center on Saturday, April 21 from noon to 2 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. The celebration includes a family scavenger hunt around Cherry Lawn Park, local environmental groups hosting activity tables, animal encounters, an Instagram photo contest, Uncle’s Deli hot dog cart, campfire s’mores, Ben’s Ice Cream Truck, and more! Scavenger hunt prizes include tree saplings donated by Almstead Trees. “Every smile and joyful moment spent in the park at the afternoon celebration is another bright memory made possible compliments of nature. It’s going to be a really fun day for all ages, and every plastic bottle and bag picked up during the morning cleanup is a step forward,” said Nature Center Executive Director Leila Wetmore.
Meet new friends on the forest trails, dance with dragonflies by the pond, and discover all the magic of the outdoors at the Darien Nature Center’s Summer Camp. This drop-off enrichment program engages children with the local landscape to help them develop an appreciation for plant and animal life. The Summer Camp runs weekly from June 18 through Aug. 3 for children age three to eight. _____________
The Darien Nature Center is pleased to announce a new gardening series starting this fall and continuing through the winter into spring. We will be joined by master gardener, Eve Mauger, and by native plant and composting enthusiast, Deepika Saksena, as we explore everything from pruning, planting, the benefits of native species, and what to do with those pesky weeds! “Adding native plants to your garden can have remarkable results — adding beautiful color and texture, simplifying care, and attracting birds, butterflies and pollinating bees,” said Mauger, who will be leading the series. “We also want to share tips on gardening basics and composting that every level of gardener can benefit from. Mostly, we will have fun in the garden and learn from each other as we share knowledge and experience.”
All classes will run from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and topics will include:
