Guided Bird Walk - Accessible
2024-01-21 08:00 - 09:30 (America/New_York) | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Join a guided walk through the Shaker Parklands looking and listening for birds. The first walk of each month begins on our ADA accessible boardwalk and moves to dirt trails throughout the Parklands. The second walk of each month (marked with an asterisk*) is fully accessible and includes an ASL interpreter. For all hikes, meet in the Nature Center parking lot. Binoculars are available to borrow. Rain or shine. Accessible hikes will be canceled if the paths are covered in snow/ice. Registration required. Free. Donations welcome.
REGISTER

Winter Wonderland: Recenter and Reset Hikes
2024-01-28 16:00 - 17:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Sundays, January 28 & February 25 | 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Nature Center
Join Jo Rattiliff of GirlTrek Cleveland for our monthly Sunday evening hikes! These special Winter Wonderland Recenter and Reset hikes will highlight the beauty of nature and wildlife and encourages movement and community during the cold winter months. Be sure to bundle up and dress for the weather! In the case of inclement weather, the hike will be cancelled and an email will be sent out. Free. Donations welcome. Learn more about GirlTrek here: GirlTrek.org
Registration required. : https://shakerlakes.doubleknot.com/openrosters/ViewActivitySpaceAvailable.aspx?OrgKey=4283&CategoryID=27739

Winter Warmup: Norma Storer Card Making Workshop
2024-02-02 18:00 - 20:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Norma Storer makes stunning cards for every occasion- and she’s passing her wealth of knowledge to you! Stop in for this workshop to learn
how to craft cards that you can gift to family and friends, or keep for yourself as a beautiful piece of art. $12 per person.
$10 for members. Registration required: https://givebutter.com/normacards

Historic Homes & Building Tour
2024-02-04 11:45 - 17:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Step back in time and experience the historic freeway fight in a unique and exciting way with the Nature Center and Shaker Historical Society.
The tour will begin at the Nature Center with a presentation by local citizen scientist, passionate steward, with family ties to the freeway fight, John Barber. Barber will highlight the significance the freeway fight had on our community and green spaces today, while you enjoy a locally brewed cider. Next, you’ll take a trolley to tour three unique locations, including two beautiful homes with rich history on Shaker and South Park Blvd, and a church that was integral to the freeway fight, all of which wouldn’t exist today had the freeway fight not prevailed. You’ll end your tour at the Shaker Historical Society with a tour and a peek at historic and significant archives surrounding the freeway fight. Local food partners will serve brunch bites at each stop of this unique tour for an exciting one of a kind event.
Limited tickets available. $160 per person, $125 for Nature Center or Shaker Historical Society Members. (NCSL Members reach out to cara@shakerlakes.org for a discount code!) Inclement Weather Date: April 14. Please list any food/drink allergies or restrictions during registration. Wear shoes easy to remove. Booties provided, or bring house shoes. Attendees must be able to navigate stairs.
Registration: https://givebutter.com/Y34l8Q

Winter Sowing Workshop
2024-02-08 18:00 - 19:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
It’s time to start preparing your garden! Winter sowing is an easy and effective way to start seedlings outdoors and start looking forward to spring.
No prior experience necessary. The workshop is great for all ages! Bring your own plastic milk or cider jugs to start your seedlings in. Registration required. $5.00 per person. Register: https://givebutter.com/februarywintersowing

Animal Care: Frogs
2024-02-10 11:00 - 12:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Have you ever wondered what it takes to keep our animal ambassadors here at the nature center happy and healthy? Join us the second Saturday of every month for a “behind the scenes” look at our animal care program. Each month will highlight a different species. Children 4 & up will be given the opportunity to interact with animal ambassadors. Children 3 & under will be asked to sit with their grown-ups. All presentations will conclude with a feeding demonstration for that species. Registration required. $7 for children 4 and up; no charge for adults and children ages 3 and under. Donations welcome.
Children audience members will be seated on the floor on mats. Adult audience members (and children under 3) will be seated behind them on benches.
Register: https://shakerlakes.doubleknot.com/openrosters/ViewActivitySpaceAvailable.aspx?OrgKey=4283&CategoryID=29963

WINTER BOOK CLUB: Nature’s Best Hope by Doug Tallamy
2024-02-10 13:00 - 15:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Please join us for this in-person and virtual hybrid event! We’ll be discussing Doug Tallamy’s Nature’s Best Hope, with guest Sarah Franklin Jayne, author of the upcoming book Nature’s Action Guide.
Douglas W. Tallamy’s first book, Bringing Nature Home, awakened thousands of readers to an urgent situation: wildlife populations are in decline because the native plants they depend on are fast disappearing. His solution? Plant more natives. In this new book, Tallamy takes the next step and outlines his vision for a grassroots approach to conservation. Nature’s Best Hope shows how homeowners everywhere can turn their yards into conservation corridors that provide wildlife habitats.
This book is available to borrow from CLEVNET libraries here: https://search.clevnet.org/client/en_US/clevnet/search/results?qu=nature%27s+best+hope&te=
Registration Link: https://givebutter.com/winterbookclub2023
Gather and connect with your neighbors to discuss timely and relevant topics related to nature, wildlife, and the changing environment around us with Wild Ones Greater Cleveland. Registration required. Free. Donations welcome.

Self-Care Sundays
2024-02-11 12:30 - 16:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Join New Era Cleveland for Self-Care Sundays at the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes! Self-Care Sundays serve as a safe space for healing trauma, learning self-love, conflict resolution, yoga, and meditation. Enjoy beginner friendly meditation, yoga, and self-care activities.
Registration optional. Classes are offered on a first come, first serve basis. Free to attend!
Registration Link: https://givebutter.com/newerascs

Naturalist Notebook: Walden by Henry David Thoreau
2024-02-11 13:00 - 15:00 | Loganberry Books, 13015 Larchmere Blvd, Cleveland, OH, 44120
Reading (or rereading) Walden by Henry David Thoreau. For some of us reading Walden, also known as Life in the Woods, maybe for the first time, for others a second or more times. It is a book you pick up at all ages. Reading about Thoreau’s immersion in nature in part is a show of independence, quest for spirituality and certainly the goal of self-reliance. Published in 1854, Walden still calls us to read…and reread this memoir.
Registration required. Free. Donations welcome.
Purchase your book at Loganberry Books for a 10% discount.
Register: https://shakerlakes.doubleknot.com/event/naturalist-notebook-walden-by-henry-david-thoreau/3016762

Winter Sowing Workshop
2024-02-19 18:00 - 19:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Starting your garden in the winter can bring plenty of benefits, and an excellent way to kick off this green initiative is by sowing native seeds in January. Winter sowing offers the advantage of providing plants with a head start, winter sown plants will show growth and development far beyond plants sown in spring.
By opting for native seeds, you contribute to the preservation of local biodiversity and create a garden that is well-adapted to our northeast Ohio climate. To guide you through this exciting winter gardening endeavor, we are offering a hands-on workshop. We will use upcycled milk jugs to sow seeds provided by our own native seed library.
These jugs can be placed straight outdoors where they will provide a secure micro-environment that accelerates germination and growth. The Seed Sowing Workshop will equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to sow seeds effectively. Don’t miss this informative workshop to jumpstart your winter garden and enjoy a lush, native landscape come spring.
No prior experience necessary. The workshop is great for all ages! Bring your own plastic milk or cider jugs to start your seedlings in.
Interested in native seeds? Check out our seed library! Click here for more information. Registration required

2024 Eclipse Over Cleveland: What to Expect
2024-02-22 18:00 - 19:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
The 2024 Total Eclipse is coming…are you prepared?
On April 8th, 2024, a total solar eclipse will cross North America, darkening the sky for 3 minutes and 50 seconds and it’s the first one to happen in Cleveland since 1806!
Enjoy a presentation by Jay Ryan, a longtime astronomy educator, and learn what to expect during the first eclipse such as this in over 200 years. You’ll learn the science behind the eclipse, some common misconceptions, what to expect, how to keep your eyes safe while you watch.
Whether you’re a huge fan of astronomy or you’re just looking for some more information about the 2024 Eclipse Event- this event is for you!
Free. Registration required.
Registration Link: https://givebutter.com/eclipseovercleveland

Nature Night at the Brew-vies
2024-02-23 18:00 - 20:30 | Ohio
NATURE NIGHT AT THE BREW-VIES!
Friday, February 23rd | 6:00PM – 8:30PM | Market Hall at Van Aken District
Plan for a cozy winter night at the BREW-VIES in with the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes at Van Aken District’s Market Hall!
Drop in, kick back with a cocktail from Craft Collective, and enjoy a curated collection of six short nature documentaries. Chat with the Nature Center’s Natural Resource’s team about all things plants, wildlife, and learn more about the efforts to conserving our natural area.
Documentaries include: Does Nature Have Rights?, Hope and Restoration: Saving the Whitebark Pine, Retuning Fire to the Land, and more.
$7 per attendee. Registration required: https://givebutter.com/vanakenbrewvies

Winter Wonderland: Recenter and Reset Hikes
2024-02-25 16:00 - 17:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Sundays, February 25 | 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Nature Center
Join Jo Rattiliff of GirlTrek Cleveland for our monthly Sunday evening hikes! These special Winter Wonderland Recenter and Reset hikes will highlight the beauty of nature and wildlife and encourages movement and community during the cold winter months. Be sure to bundle up and dress for the weather! In the case of inclement weather, the hike will be cancelled and an email will be sent out. Free. Donations welcome. Learn more about GirlTrek here: GirlTrek.org
Registration required. : https://shakerlakes.doubleknot.com/openrosters/ViewActivitySpaceAvailable.aspx?OrgKey=4283&CategoryID=27739

Art on View: Opening Reception
2024-03-07 17:30 - 19:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
BEES, BUGS, AND BUTTERFLIES: POLLINATING ALONG THE CUYAHOGA
Bees, Bugs, and Butterflies: Pollinating Along the Cuyahoga is a traveling photography exhibit that highlights the beauty and importance of pollinators—more specifically, the ones that live in our own backyards. This exhibit will be shown from March 2 through April 30 during normal business hours. Prints available for purchase and a percentage of sales support the Nature Center.
Stop by for the opening reception on March 7 from 5:30-7PM for light refreshments and mingle with artists. No registration required.
This exhibit will be shown from March through April. For more information, please visit https://www.nps.gov/cuva/planyourvisit/pollinating-along-the-cuyahoga.htm

Winter Warmup: Whiskey Night
2024-03-08 18:00 - 20:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Warm up and enjoy the end of winter at the Nature Center! This night of fun and community will include music, conversation, tastings of whiskey provided by Cleveland Whiskey, and delicious food by local vendors. Additional drinks available for purchase. $35 per person. $30 for members. Registration required: https://givebutter.com/whiskeynight

Animal Care: Turtles
2024-03-09 11:00 - 12:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120

Winter Tree ID Hike
2024-03-09 11:00 - 12:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Leaves are perhaps the most distinct feature of a tree, but how do you identify a tree with no leaves? Join the Natural Resources team on a winter tree identification hike and learn about the other features like buds, twigs and bark that can help you identify trees even in winter. You’ll get to know hickories, oaks, maples and more. The hike will be approximately 60 minutes on and off trail, getting up close and personal with trees. Each participant will take home a copy of The Winter Tree Finder field guide.
Registration required. $7 per person.
Registration Link: https://givebutter.com/dssFBs

Native Tree Selection and Care
2024-03-12 19:00 - 20:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Trees create walkable cities, reduce stormwater runoff, and support biodiversity. Give your tree its best shot at a long life by choosing the right tree for your soils, space, and growing conditions. Alyssa Zearley of Meadow City Native Plant Nursery will share practical guidance from her background in soil science. Register: https://givebutter.com/E1iX5Y

Spring Scout Event
2024-03-16 12:30 - 16:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
SPRING SCOUT EVENT AT THE NATURE CENTER
Interactive Education Stations & More
Saturday, March 16 | 12:30 – 4:30PM | Nature Center
Join NOWcorps for Spring Scout, where you can explore what spring has to offer in Northeast Ohio! Start at our education stations to learn about what plants are in bloom and what birds you can spot in our forests. Then venture onto our guided scavenger hunt or invasive plant removal hike to put your learning into practice!
This is a free family-friendly event hosted by NOWCorps and the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes for the AmeriCorps 30th Anniversary Week.
No registration required!

Accessible Bird Walk
2024-03-17 08:00 - 09:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Join a guided walk through the Shaker Parklands looking and listening for birds. The first walk of each month begins on our ADA accessible boardwalk and moves to dirt trails throughout the Parklands. The second walk of each month (marked with an asterisk*) is fully accessible and includes an ASL interpreter. For all hikes, meet in the Nature Center parking lot. Binoculars are available to borrow. Rain or shine. Accessible hikes will be canceled if the paths are covered in snow/ice. Registration required. Free. Donations welcome. https://shakerlakes.doubleknot.com/openrosters/ViewActivitySpaceAvailable.aspx?OrgKey=4283&CategoryID=23991

Making the Most of Your Tree with a Soft Landings Garden
2024-03-21 19:00 - 20:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
A beautiful “soft landings” shade garden is one of the best ways to support biodiversity in your yard. Learn how these plantings allow butterflies and moths to complete their life cycles, and pick up some practical gardening tips in this presentation by Dave Tomashefski of Meadow City Native Plant Nursery. Register: https://givebutter.com/15AWwF

Handmade Pressed Flower Cards
2024-03-22 18:00 - 19:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Blend the beauty of art and nature together by learning art of calligraphy from experienced luxury and event calligrapher Brenna Rudary of Brenna Claire Calligraphy!
Each guest will receive blank stationery cards to create their own art print using pressed wild flowers, arranging them on their paper and adhering with craft glue. They’ll leave space in the center to put their new calligraphy skills to work writing out a chosen greeting, quote, lyric and more! Keep them for yourself as a token of your newfound skills, or gift to a loved one.
Guests will receive 45 minutes of calligraphy instruction with one on one support, blank stationary cards with envelopes, pressed flowers, a calligraphy pen with a brush tip, practice paper, a printed instructional workbook, and a custom name card as a keepsake!
Registration required. $90 per person. Members enjoy a 20% discount with spring member code.

Gardening is for the Birds
2024-03-23 10:00 - 12:00 | Ohio
Presented by John Barber
As spring migration is beginning in the Mississippi Flyway where we live, John will talk about the decline of birds and what we can do in our own yards and community to mitigate the loss.
Hosted by Friends of Heights Parks
Location: CHUH Public Library Lee Road Branch, 2345 Lee Road, Meeting Room A & B
Registration Link: https://shorturl.at/ikzGO

Science Cafe: The Eclipse
2024-03-26 14:00 - 15:30 | Ohio
Ever wanted to sit down with an expert and chat about science? Now’s your chance! The Nature Center at Shaker Lakes present Science Cafes, events that allow you to learn and discuss different science, nature, and wildlife-related topics with the Education and Natural Resources team and your likeminded peers!
The 2024 Total Solar Eclipse event is coming up soon- but what does that mean? Nature Center Educator Lisa can answer your questions about what an eclipse is, what to expect during the event, what makes this eclipse special, and more! Registration begins March 12.
Eclipse glasses provided free with attendance. Must stay for full program. Register https://events.heightslibrary.org/event/11650822
Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library
Tuesday, March 26 | 2 – 3:30PM | Lee Road Branch

The Invasive Spotted Lanternfly
2024-04-02 19:00 - 20:30 | Ohio
“If you see it, squish it” – That’s what we’ve been told to do when we come across the invasive species. But why? Are the spotted lanternflies in northeast Ohio? What is this pest and what impacts does it have on our environment? And what should you do if you start to spot them? The Natural Resources team at the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes can help answer these questions and more!
University Heights Branch – Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library
Register: https://events.heightslibrary.org/event/11628508

Outdoor Spring Creative Play Day with Lake Erie Ink
2024-04-06 10:00 - 13:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Get inspired by a morning of creative expression with Lake Erie Ink to capture your responses to the beauty of nature in a song! Write your own verse to our forest song; use the melody provided to be part of a group sing-along. If your own melody comes to you, feel free to share it, too. This uplifting activity will naturally highlight the rhythmic and musical aspects of poetry.
Dress for the weather and prepare to take a hike on our Stearns Trail. Registration required. Free. Best for kids ages 8-12.
Saturday, April 6 | 10AM – 1PM | Nature Center
Registration Link: https://givebutter.com/rgtcDp

Eclipsed! At the Nature Center
2024-04-08 11:30 - 16:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Mark your calendars for April 8th, the day of the total solar eclipse that will darken the skies over Shaker Heights for 3-4 minutes as the moon passes directly in front of the sun! Rain, shine, or clouds- join the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes for a full day of science and learning, fun, and food!
FREE
Art:
Paint Handprint Community Banner Craft
Oreo Eclipse Take Home Craft
Citizen Science
Nature Observation Sheet
Eclipse Soundscapes Project (https://eclipsesoundscapes.org/)
Eclipse & Community
Great place to experience the eclipse!
Group commemorative photo
Donation based polaroid station
Refreshments and Parking:
Food for sale in the Duck Pond includes apple sauce (kosher), chocolates, cheese sticks, water, Nooma.
Dawg Bowl Food Truck will be on site from 12:30pm-4pm.
Parking lot will be closed for safely viewing the eclipse; South Park and West Park will be open for parking- be prepared to walk!
Activities will be available rain or shine under the Pavilion.

Recycle your Solar Eclipse Glasses with us! We will be collecting glasses after April 8 through April 30 as part of the The Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District collection!

This section of the day is sold out!
These fun and educational workshops includes 7 different hands-on breakout sessions where kids and adults will learn about the the history of the eclipse beginning with Tecumseh’s Eclipse, how the the phenomenon affects nature and wildlife, citizen science projects, creating take home time capsules, and more!
Between breakouts, grab food at The Dawg Bowl Food Truck! Tickets include access to the workshop and a pair of eclipse glasses! $5 for kids, $10 for adults.
REGISTRATION https://givebutter.com/eclipsed

Walktail Meetup
2024-04-13 10:00 - 12:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
WITH VERBENA FREE SPIRIT
Enjoy a morning of walking in nature, community, conversation, and mocktails at the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes!
With the backdrop of spring in bloom, you’ll meet new people, enjoy mocktails, connect with like-minded individuals and create lasting friendships in a relaxed and alcohol-free environment!
We’ll start with mocktails and conversation in the Friend’s Pavilion, followed by a walk through on the ADA accessible All People’s Trail. Adventurous walkers can continue on a slightly more strenuous walk through the Stearns Trail.
Registration required. $12 per person includes one complimentary mocktail and one complimentary hot chocolate. Additional drinks available for purchase.
Registration Link: https://givebutter.com/4eukj5

Going Wild in our Yards | Heights Native Pollinator Pathway
2024-04-13 10:00 - 12:00 | Ohio
Heights Native Pollinator Path with Peggy Spaeth. Dig deeper into learning how to go wild in your yard, beginning with a small front yard native garden on the Heights Native Pollinator Path. The Heights Native Pollinator Path is a local project initiated in 2019 to benefit nature by connecting habitat in our urban environment. Learn what to plant in your own yard to be part of a nature-based solution to the climate emergency. Peggy will share how her yard was transformed into native habitat a few plants at a time with a lavishly illustrated talk.
Hosted by Friends of Heights Parks
Forest Hills Park Cleveland Heights Community Center
Free. Register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScUAAobQjl6ET0bW8XhVn3oe5fleKP4GWI7gWDGITdRfquG9A/viewform

Animal Care: Snails
2024-04-13 11:00 - 12:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Have you ever wondered what it takes to keep our animal ambassadors here at the nature center happy and healthy? Join us the second Saturday of every month for a “behind the scenes” look at our animal care program. Each month will highlight a different species. Children 4 & up will be given the opportunity to interact with animal ambassadors. Children 3 & under will be asked to sit with their grown-ups. All presentations will conclude with a feeding demonstration for that species. Registration required. $7 for children 4 and up; no charge for adults and children ages 3 and under. Donations welcome.
Children audience members will be seated on the floor on mats. Adult audience members (and children under 3) will be seated behind them on benches.
Register https://shakerlakes.doubleknot.com/openrosters/ViewActivitySpaceAvailable.aspx?OrgKey=4283&CategoryID=29963
