Come on out for a morning birdwatching hike through a variety of habitats!
The Macphail Homestead will be open at 7am to serve a free “early bird” breakfast. Join other birders beside the fireplace in the Great Room for at hot beverage and freshly baked breakfast treats to start your day out right! Donations to the Homestead will be gladly accepted to help cover costs.
Then walk the trails of the Macphail Woods property, looking at year-round residents and returning migratory birds. A great walk for the whole family. Bring your boots and binoculars.
The bird walk begins at the nursery at 8am and is free of charge.
Want to spend less time cutting grass and more time enjoying the beautiful plants around your home? This workshop introduces a variety of hardy native plants to attract wildlife and beautify your yard.
Join at the Nature Centre at 10am to learn about some of beautiful options for your backyard.
Bob Bancroft, a Nova Scotian biologist, conservationist & naturalist, will be coming to Macphail Woods to do a talk on the work he has carried out on his property in Pomquet, Nova Scotia. Bob is a well-known CBC guest and advocate for nature throughout the region. His illustrated talk about his experience in the Acadian Forest begins at 2pm in the nature centre.
Our week-long UPEI Credit Course on Ecological Forestry is offered during the week of monday, June 24th - friday, June 28th. It is a great way to learn more about the Acadian forest, wildlife enhancement, forest ecology and restoration techniques. During the course, students will be introduced to native plant identification, ecosystem restoration and have a chance to enact their own sustainable management practices on the Macphail Woods property.
Register through the UPEI registrar’s office.
Island photographer Beth Hoar will show slides on “Taking a Close Look at Nature – The Art of Macro Photography”. She’ll then lead participants on a walk to discuss techniques and potential subjects.
You can see Beth’s breathtaking work at her website: www.greenthumbphoto.com.
Meet at the Nature Centre at 2pm and bring your camera along.
Ages 12-14
These campers will delight in learning survival skills such as one-match fire making, shelter building, rope making with natural fibers, and tracking animals. Touching on plant and tree identification, campers will learn the edible and medicinal properties of local plants. Our camp will include cooking over an open fire, and playing games that help develop the children’s senses and awareness to bring them closer to nature. Campers will also make natural crafts such as birch bark baskets, and perform basic whittling and woodcarving.
Overnight Option
For the first time this we will also be offering an optional overnight stay. Leading up to and during the 30 hrs excursion we intend to work on specific skills with the campers. They are; how and what to pack for an overnight excursion, leaving no trace, basic personal and group safety protocols, navigation with map and compass, camp site selection, safe water collection, fire safety, outdoor cooking, nighttime ecology, owl calling, naked eye astronomy and wildlife observation. Many of these skills we already include in our current teaching, however for most of our campers it will be their first opportunity to test their abilities and learn first hand new skills in a practical setting.
Register Now! FULL
Ages 14-16
These campers will delight in learning survival skills such as one-match fire making, shelter building, rope making with natural fibers, and tracking animals. Touching on plant and tree identification, campers will learn the edible and medicinal properties of local plants. Our camp will include cooking over an open fire, and playing games that help develop the children’s senses and awareness to bring them closer to nature. Campers will also make natural crafts such as birch bark baskets, and perform basic whittling and woodcarving.
Overnight Option
For the first time this we will also be offering an optional overnight stay. Leading up to and during the 30 hrs excursion we intend to work on specific skills with the campers. They are; how and what to pack for an overnight excursion, leaving no trace, basic personal and group safety protocols, navigation with map and compass, camp site selection, safe water collection, fire safety, outdoor cooking, nighttime ecology, owl calling, naked eye astronomy and wildlife observation. Many of these skills we already include in our current teaching, however for most of our campers it will be their first opportunity to test their abilities and learn first hand new skills in a practical setting.
Register Now! FULL
Need to trim that hedge? Have a shade tree or fruit tree that needs some guidance?
Come on out for a slide show and demonstration of proper pruning methods and a discussion of recommended books and tools. Participants will practice pruning on a variety of plants in the nursery, arboretum and woodlands.
Begins at the Nature Centre at 2pm.
Young Ecologists (Ages 10-12) will begin to introduce the campers to the amazing complexity of our native Acadian forests. They will dissect owl pellets, take part in forest restoration planning and plantings and develop their understanding of how we can take positive environmental action.
Register Now! FULL
Becoming a Naturalist (Ages 8-10) builds on the campers the ability to encounter and describe the natural world. They will use journals, collecting equipment, and take part in many fun activities that will expand their understanding of how to identify our Islands flora and fauna.
Register Now! FULL
Come on out for a walk and talk in a wide variety of forest habitats at Macphail Woods. Anyone interested in forest restoration or nature in general, from woodlot owner to urban enthusiast, is encouraged to attend.
The focus will be on bringing back the native Acadian forest, looking at methods used on the Macphail Woods property over the past 20 years and trying to find solutions to problems faced by woodlot owners.
Meet at the Nature Centre at 2pm. There is no cost but donations to the Macphail Woods Project are greatly appreciated.
Nature Discovery (Ages 6-8) will introduce the children to the woods, stream and native tree nursery that surround our Nature Center. The campers will delight in learning to use all their senses to understand the natural world, as well as create crafts, tell stories and play games designed to give them a foundation for further inquiry and exploration.
Register Now! FULL
Young Ecologists (Ages 10-12) will begin to introduce the campers to the amazing complexity of our native Acadian forests. They will dissect owl pellets, take part in forest restoration planning and plantings and develop their understanding of how we can take positive environmental action.
Register Now! 4 Available Spots
Waterways are key components of healthy ecosystems, providing critical habitat for a wide variety of wildlife. Rob Sharkie will lead the walk focusing on a variety of riparian habitats and discuss ways they can be restored and improved.
Meet at the Nature Centre at 10am.
There is no cost but donations to the Macphail Woods Project are greatly appreciated.
Becoming a Naturalist (Ages 8-10) builds on the campers the ability to encounter and describe the natural world. They will use journals, collecting equipment, and take part in many fun activities that will expand their understanding of how to identify our Islands flora and fauna.
Register Now! FULL
Nature Discovery (Ages 6-8) will introduce the children to the woods, stream and native tree nursery that surround our Nature Center. The campers will delight in learning to use all their senses to understand the natural world, as well as create crafts, tell stories and play games designed to give them a foundation for further inquiry and exploration.
Register Now! 1 Available Spot
Come for a walk along the trails of Macphail Woods, looking at both plants and animals. This is a great outing for people of all ages.
Meet at the nursery at 2pm.
There is no cost but donations to the Macphail Woods Project are greatly appreciated.
Come out and help restore some of the Public Forest Land we are managing for the provincial government. Starting at 2pm, we will be planting, transplanting, collecting seed and possibly pruning, depending on the area.
We will select the property later in the year and provide directions on our web site. Please call 651-2575 for more information.
There is no cost but donations to the Macphail Woods Project are greatly appreciated.
