University of Mount Union
EN-12: Continuing Education

Huston Brumbaugh Nature Center Programs
Education Programs offered at the Nature Center to Faculty, Staff, Students, and the Public. List of programs from the following Newsletters: Fall/Winter 2018, Spring 2019, Summer 2019, Fall/Winter 2019 (October 2018 - October 2019)

1) Relax and De-Stress Event - EVERYONE needs to manage their stress these days. Take advantage of some relaxing activities such as a free 10-minute shoulder massage, strolling through the peaceful woods, walking the labyrinth, relaxing by the pond, listening to live music and more. Come alone or bring the family. There is something for everyone!
2) The BIG SIT! - It’s a “tailgate party for birders” with the objective to tally as many bird species as can be seen or heard inside a 17-foot count circle. Last year, we tallied 40 species from our lawn chairs at the North Woods. Join us for a couple of minutes or a couple of hours during this annual, international, noncompetitive birding event.
3) Fall Decorations with Tree Cookies - We will make fun fall decorations using tree cookies! Tree cookies are disk-shaped pieces of wood sliced from a log. We have them in various sizes, and they make great pumpkins and Halloween decorations.
*4) Fall Care for Dahlias - Join us for a morning of hands on learning about Dahlias. Stan Vuletich and Cathy Hart will be demonstrating how to dig, divide, and store Dahlias for the winter. They care for three beautiful beds of dahlias in our educational garden. The class is for adults due to the use of cutting tools.
5) Autumn Haiku Writing - Celebrate “National Day on Writing” and the beauty of autumn at the Nature Center by crafting and sharing these short but descriptive poems. We will spend some time outside connecting with nature and capturing impactful moments in words.
*6) Plastics in the Environment - Join the University of Mount Union sustainability manager to learn about the short-term and long-term impacts of plastics in the environment and what you can do as an individual to end plastic pollution.
7) Faculty Presentation: Dr. Keith Miller - During his lecture – Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine: From Stem Cells to Artificial Organs – Dr. Miller, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Mount Union, will present an introduction to tissue engineering focused on the latest research for medicinal applications. Discussion will include the variety of cell sources, scaffold materials, and current research/clinical trials with skin, bone, and cardiovascular tissues.
8) In Search of Owls - Learn about the four species of owls that reside at the Nature Center. We will focus much of our attention on the Saw-whet Owl, a unique species that migrates through Ohio’s forests each fall and spring. With some luck, we may have a live Saw-whet Owl to band and release during the program as part of the Nature Center’s participation in Project Owlnet research.
*9) Brumbaugh Scholars’ Showcase - See the work of outstanding University of Mount Union students in this showcase event. The 2018 cohort of Brumbaugh Scholars undertook projects related to breeding amphibians and discovery of self and community at the Nature Center.
*10) Neighborhood Naturalist: Winter Citizen Science - Don’t hibernate for the winter! Be an active citizen scientist from the warm comfort of your home or our Visitors Center by participating in Project FeederWatch, eBird, or the Great Backyard Bird Count. We will cover a variety of projects active in winter and practice the protocol for conducting a FeederWatch count.
11) Holiday Candle Arrangement - We will use natural plant materials to create unique arrangements for our holiday tables. All materials will be provided.
12) 119th Christmas Bird Count - Participate in the Audubon 119th Christmas Bird Count as a volunteer in the Quail Hollow (December 15) or Tri-Reservoir (January 1) count circles. Join a team of volunteers to count birds in the field.
13) Winter Night Hike - Celebrate one of the longest nights of the year and escape the noise and stress of the holidays by joining us for a quiet walk through the woods under a full moon. A self-guided luminary walk and a guided night hike are available to participants of all ages.
14) Winter Haiku Writing - The forests and fields of the Nature Center have a different feel during the winter, and we will try to capture those emotions as we write and share our original haiku poems.
15) Great Backyard Bird Count - Join Nature Center staff and volunteers to count birds visiting the feeders outside the Visitors Center. A fun and educational activity that contributes data to one of the world’s biggest citizen science projects.
16) Winter Salads 2-4 p.m. - When the weather is cold outside, the idea of a salad might not be the first idea that pops into your mind. Judi Strauss will share great winter salads and recipes that can be a way to beat those wintertime blues. Full of greens, citrus, and some unexpected ingredients, these salads are a great first course. Some are a meal in themselves. You’ll get a chance to sample several salads in class and there are plenty of recipes to take home.
17) Bird Banding with Al Eibel - See live songbirds and science in action during a bird banding demonstration with licensed bird bander Al Eibel. Banding takes place inside the Visitors Center on the designated dates and times.
*18) Project FeederWatch - Assist the Nature Center staff and volunteers with identifying and counting birds visiting the bird feeders on Sunday afternoons.
*19) Un-BEE-lievable - While we know quite a bit about honeybees and bumble bees, many of the nearly 4,000 species of bees native to the U.S. are understudied. Opportunities to study bees around the U.S. are becoming more common and provide much needed information about these mysterious pollinators. Join Cali Granger, MS in Plant Health Management, to learn the basics of bee biology, natural history, common species of Ohio, and the ongoing native bee survey she is working on at the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument in New Mexico.
20) Nature Photo Contest and Exhibit
*21) Maple Sugaring Demonstration - Take a crash course in making maple syrup. Tree ID, how to tap a tree, and information on how to collect and boil sap will be included.
*22) Clover Field Wildlife Care - Learn about the amazing work of Kristen Beck and her non-profit wildlife rehabilitation organization Clover Field Wildlife Care. Kristen is the President of the Ohio Wildlife Rehabilitators Association, and Clover Field cares for over 700 injured and orphaned native wild animals each year. This program will dispel some of the myths surrounding wildlife rehabilitation, offer suggested ways you can help, and introduce you to a few non-releasable educational ambassadors.
*23) Earth Month Celebration - Join the UMU Green Raiders to celebrate Earth Month at the Nature Center. Events include: Earth Day Program (2-3 p.m.), Upcycle Craft Stations (2-4 p.m.), Children’s Story Time (3-4 p.m.), and Guided Hike (3-4 p.m.). Drop in for any or all of the afternoon’s activities! Great for all ages.
*24) Weaving Workshop with Kate and Sarah McMahon - Learn the exciting art of weaving! Exploring various pattern and pictorial techniques, participants will learn the basics of tapestry weaving by making their own set of handmade mug rugs. No experience necessary. Bring your own small loom or work with a provided frame loom. Shuttles (yours to keep), warp, and weft materials will be provided. Potluck lunch on Sunday--bring a dish to share and your own plate and utensils.
*25) Bioblitz: City Nature Challenge - A bioblitz is an intense period of biological surveying in an attempt to record all the living species within a designated area. Help us bioblitz the Nature Center and contribute sightings to the 2019 City Nature Challenge. Scheduled and self-guided activities with instruction will be available during the day.
26) Spring Haiku Writing - Spring is an exciting time at the Nature Center due to the many rapid changes happening outside. We will try to capture some of these exciting moments by writing and sharing our original haiku poems.
*27) It’s Not Just a Garden: Pollinator Habitat - You would be surprised by how much your outdoor space provides for pollinators already! We will discuss what you currently provide for pollinators (without even realizing it!), and simple steps you can take to make your outdoor space more pollinator-friendly. Seeds, plants, pollinator home and safe water dish will be available for those that want to add any or all of these.
*28) Dragon(fly) Hunting - Search through the air and water for dragonflies and damselflies in support of Ohio’s Odonata Survey. Aerial and aquatic nets are available to borrow if you do not have your own. Smart phones and tablets with the iNaturalist app are encouraged but not necessary.
*29) Breeding Bird Blitz - Over the last 10 years, 81 species of birds were recorded at the Nature Center during the breeding season. Join us for a leisurely walk around the Nature Center to see how many of these we can see/hear or add new species to the list. Bring binoculars, or we can loan you a pair.
*30) Ohio Bat Roost Monitoring - Bats are a critical part of our ecosystem and an important component of the agricultural economy. As the main predator of night-flying insects in Ohio, bats keep insect populations in check and reduce impacts on humans. Unfortunately, bat numbers have drastically declined over the last few years. Bring a lawn chair and assist the staff in counting bats that leave the roost in the Huston Barn. This data contributes to the Ohio Bat Roost Monitoring Project facilitated by the ODNR Division of Wildlife.
31) Summer Kids Program - Learn about local species of insects.
32) Summer Kids Program - Learn about local species of pond creatures.
*33) Butterfly Blitz - Twenty species of butterflies have been recorded at the Nature Center during the last three years. Come join us for a leisurely walk around the Nature Center to see how many of these we can find, and maybe we can add to the list. Aerial nets are available to borrow if you do not have your own. Smart phones and tablets with the iNaturalist app are encouraged but not necessary.
34) Summer Kids Program - Learn about local species of reptiles.
35) Firefly Hike - Fireflies should be at their peak of flashing this week. We will head outside to observe their behaviors, collect some individuals, and document how many species are living at the Nature Center. The information collected will help us to determine how well these interesting insects are doing in our area.
36) Summer Haiku Writing - Haiku is a Japanese form of poetry that describes nature in a short, 3-lined observation. Come outside with us as we observe summertime at the Nature Center and share our haiku observations.
37) Flower Pressing Workshop - With all the beautiful summer flowers blooming, it seems we need a way to keep them a bit longer! This workshop will allow us to do just that.
38) America’s Most Wanted Bird - Purple martins are an important and beloved bird but what is their status in our area? After a short introduction to the species, we will visit a local nesting colony to listen to and watch this fascinating bird.
*39) Bees in Your Backyard Workshop - Native bee expert Olivia Carril will discuss the natural history of bees, emphasizing the ones most commonly seen in Ohio, and how to recognize them. Field experiences in collecting and identifying bees will be included. Olivia Carril has been studying bees for over 20 years, and is the co-author of “The Bees in Your Backyard, A Field Guide to North America’s Bees”.
40) Summer Kids Program - Learn about local species of frogs and toads.
41) Summer Kids Program - Go for a hike using your 5 senses.
42) Wildflower Walk - Walk the trails and utility corridor of the Nature Center in search of summer wildflowers. The habitat restoration project under the utility lines should be full of blooming wildflowers this year. Smart phones and tablets with the iNaturalist app are encouraged but not necessary.
*43) Shorebird Excursion - Every fall, thousands of shorebirds migrate through Ohio. The mud flats of nearby reservoirs are a great place to observe the birds. Several species may be seen including sandpipers, plovers, ducks, gulls and herons. We may be walking in muddy areas so please wear appropriate footwear. We will have some binoculars available, but please bring your own if you have them. The location of the program will be determined a few days prior based on local conditions.
44) Fall Hike - Enjoy a guided fall hike along the trails of the Nature Center. We will look for signs of Fall including wildflowers, wildlife, and, of course, fall foliage.
45) Huston Barnyard Celebration - A family-friendly afternoon of activities at our historic Huston barn. There will be games and activities that Mr. Huston’s children would have played back in the late 1800s, a hayride on the Nature Center property, simple snacks that the Huston Family might have enjoyed, and farm animals that were so important to support the Huston Family’s way of life.
*46) Pause to Pamper - Let soap maven, Barbara Lyons, teach you how to make simple, yet elegant handcrafted toiletries to pamper yourself. Participants will discover how to make lip gloss, dusting powder, whipped shea butter, and more. You will also get to experiment with making glycerin soaps and take your creation home!
*47) Honey and Honey Tasting - Did you know that honey tastes differently depending on the plants that the honeybees visited? After an introduction to honey making, we will sample various types of honey so that you can decide which variety tastes best to you.
*48) Waste Not, Want Not - No one wants to waste money. Estimates indicate $1,000-$3,000 in food, per household, is thrown out every year. Judi Strauss will teach us how to bring that number down. Shopping, storage, and preservation information will be provided. We will also cook some tasty food designed to get more from your food budget.

Continued Learning Program (CLP)
A series of education programs for the local community held at the Campus Center. Sustainability Topics have included (previous year - October 2019 - There should have been 4 more in Spring 2020, but canceled due to pandemic):

1) Child of Steam - Alliance’s Birth at the Crossing - Robb Hyde
2) Marlboro Volunteers - Tom Liverett
3) Interurban Railroads - Annie Hirvela
*4) Downtown Art Revolution - Chrystal Robinson-Shofroth

LINC (lunch, information, networking and conversations) Luncheons - Highlighted the new Founding Deans for the new College structure at the University

1) Heather Duda 10/29/2019 - Impact of Silent Horror Movies on Culture
2) Sandra Madar 1/28/2020 - The Tale of the Whale: How scientists piece together the return of mammals to the sea
*3) Kristine Still 2/25/2020 - The Possibilities of Partnership: Creating a Nexus between Communities, Universities and School Districts

NA

55 for total continuing education was derived from the following:

4 Continuing Education Programs (Oct 2019, 2020 cancelled) - data from Abby Schroeder

3 LINC Luncheons (2019) - data from Angi Swonger

48 Weekly Nature Center Programs (12 months)

23 for number that address Sustainability taken from the lists of speakers and Nature Center Newsletters, titles supplied above.

Information from Abby Honaker, Angi Swonger, and Nature Center Newsletters.