Rhythm & Clues: A Musical Scavenger Hunt
2025-06-14 11:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
RHYTHM & CLUES: A Musical Scavenger Hunt
Presented in Partnership with ChamberFest Cleveland
Saturday, June 14 | 11AM–1PM | NCSL
ChamberFest Cleveland returns to the Nature Center for this popular all-ages event! Enjoy the Nate’s World Trio for a high-energy, family-friendly performance in the Friends Pavilion featuring a wide-ranging repertoire that spans classical favorites, funky jazz, Latin grooves, and more. You’ll have fun exploring the grounds with a scavenger hunt to find musical performances and hands-on activities scattered throughout the Nature Center. Join us for this unique al fresco adventure for the whole family!
PARKING: The parking lot will be closed to general public but a few accessible spots are open and visitors should let parking lot monitor at the bottom of the drive know if they require accessible parking. All other attendees can plan to park on South Park Blvd or West Park Blvd.

Guided Bird Walks
2025-06-11 18:30 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Guided Bird Walks
ONGOING |Select Wednesdays, 6:30-8PM | Nature Center
June 11
July 9 and 30*
Aug 13 and 27*
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. For all hikes, meet in the Nature Center parking lot. Binoculars are available to borrow. Rain or shine. *The second walk of each month is fully accessible and includes an ASL interpreter. July 30: ASL interpreter will not be available. Free. $5 suggested donation. Registration required. https://shakerlakes.org/birding-programs/
June 11: https://givebutter.com/guided-bird-walks-6-11-25
July 9: https://givebutter.com/guided-bird-walks-7-9-25
July 30: https://givebutter.com/guided-bird-walks-7-30-25
August: https://givebutter.com/guided-bird-walks-8-13-25
August 27: https://givebutter.com/guided-bird-walks-8-27-25

Summer Wednesdays: Game Night
2025-06-11 17:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Native Plant Bingo Returns! Join us for encore of Native Plant Bingo in the Friends Pavilion for a fun night of learning about native plants. Participants will play 8 rounds of bingo with a native plant theme. Everyone will have the opportunity to win a native plant from the evening’s nursery partner Avonlea Gardens & Inn. $12 for 8 rounds of bingo. Plants will be available for purchase. Your ticket includes 3 beer or mocktail samples from our beer sponsor Midnight Owl Brewing Company and Verbena Free Spirited.
Registration Link: https://givebutter.com/ODUX2G
If BINGO isn’t your thing, you’ll find ladder ball, cornhole, giant connect 4, and more to enjoy with family and friends in the amphitheater and children’s play area. OR simply grab your phone or camera and walk the trails to capture the beauty that exists all around to compete in our Summer Wednesday photo contest. Upload your photos to Instagram and tag @shakerlakes to participate. Winner receives a $30 Duck Pond Gift Card.
Don’t forget to grab 25% off ice cream in the Duck Pond, where you can also find snacks and drinks.

*Ticketed event

Homegrown Sale
2025-06-07 11:00 - 15:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
HOMEGROWN PLANT SALE | SATURDAY, JUNE 7 | 11AM–3PM
The popular Homegrown Sale is a not-to-be missed sale! Featuring native perennials and shrubs grown and donated by local gardeners. The Nature Center receives 100% of all sales! Member preview 10–11AM. This sale is a highly personalized shopping experience with free planting advice from local experts.

Guided Bird Walks
2025-06-04 18:30 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Guided Bird Walks
ONGOING |Select Wednesdays, 6:30-8PM | Nature Center
June 11*
July 9 and 30*
Aug 13 and 27*
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. For all hikes, meet in the Nature Center parking lot. Binoculars are available to borrow. Rain or shine. *The second walk of each month is fully accessible and includes an ASL interpreter. July 30: ASL interpreter will not be available. Free. $5 suggested donation. Registration required. https://shakerlakes.org/birding-programs/
June 11: https://givebutter.com/rXurII
July 9: https://givebutter.com/hca08f
July 30: https://givebutter.com/eqJjoy
August 13: https://givebutter.com/i9LgCD
August 27: https://givebutter.com/v9YzOK

Guided Bird Walks
2025-06-04 18:30 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Guided Bird Walks
ONGOING |Select Wednesdays, 6:30-8PM | Nature Center
June 4 and 11*
July 9 and 30*
Aug 13 and 27*
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. For all hikes, meet in the Nature Center parking lot. Binoculars are available to borrow. Rain or shine. *The second walk of each month is fully accessible and includes an ASL interpreter. July 30: ASL interpreter will not be available. Free. $5 suggested donation. Registration required. https://shakerlakes.org/birding-programs/
June 4: https://givebutter.com/guided-bird-walks-6-4-25
June 11: https://givebutter.com/guided-bird-walks-6-11-25
July 9: https://givebutter.com/guided-bird-walks-7-9-25
July 30: https://givebutter.com/guided-bird-walks-7-30-25
August: https://givebutter.com/guided-bird-walks-8-13-25
August 27: https://givebutter.com/guided-bird-walks-8-27-25

Summer Wednesdays: Hike & Explore with A Naturalist
2025-06-04 17:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Kick off Summer Wednesdays at the Nature Center on June 4!
Join the Natural Resources team on an evening hike around the Nature Center grounds! Ask questions about habitat restoration, native plants, and get to know our trails, features, and more during this fun and informative walk. Be prepared to hike on unpaved and uneven surfaces, over some small rocks and roots, and dress for the weather! Two hikes available at 6PM at 7PM, each approx. 45-50 min in length.
Pack a picnic, enjoy the outdoors, play a few games or cornhole or ladderball, and stop inside to enjoy 25% off ice cream in the gift shop.
Free. Donations welcome!
REGISTER

Nature at Night: Metamorphosis
2025-05-31 17:30 - 23:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Nature at Night
Saturday, May 31st, 5:30PM – 11PM
Experience nature’s power to adapt, reform, and thrive, from twilight shifts to the unveiling of nocturnal wonders. Enjoy specialty food and drinks from Greater Cleveland’s best restaurants, set against the stunning backdrop of the Nature Center’s grounds in the heart of the Shaker Parklands. Join us for an evening celebrating nature’s incredible journey. Together, we’ll ensure the Nature Center remains a vibrant space for future generations.
BUY TICKETS NOW
Featured Highlights for 2025:
Restaurant Partners: Kiln, Cordelia, Spice, Abundance, Ephemeral, Sophie La Gourmande and more!
Community Spark Award: Honoring a lasting partnership with the Nature Center that has positively impacted the community. Award recipient Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District.
Proceeds: Funds support the Nature Center’s environmental education programs and public grounds, which welcome nearly 150,000 visitors annually.
Funds raised at the event help ensure the Nature Center’s continued success, fostering a place where people of all ages can explore and connect with nature. This year’s benefit will build on past successes, with extensive promotional efforts and a strong volunteer committee to ensure visibility for our corporate sponsors.
Culinary Chair: Douglas Katz, renowned Cleveland restaurateur and Nature Center trustee
Co-Chairs: Nature Center trustees Andrew Clifford and Bailey Wells
About the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes
Founded in 1966, the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes was part of a grassroots movement to protect the Shaker Parklands. Today, it remains a destination for birders, nature enthusiasts, and families seeking a safe, engaging outdoor experience. Open year-round and free to the public, the Nature Center is a 501(c)3 organization that receives no tax dollars for its operations or programming.

Guided Bird Walks
2025-05-25 08:00 - 09:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Ongoing | Select Sundays: March 2 & March 16* (ASL), April 6, May 25 | 8AM –9:30AM | Nature Center
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. For all hikes, meet in the Nature Center parking lot. Binoculars are available to borrow. Rain or shine.
The second walk of each month (marked with ASL) is fully accessible and includes an ASL interpreter.
Free. $5 suggested donation. REGISTER HERE.
https://shakerlakes.org/birding-programs/

Spring Hikes with GirlTrek
2025-05-24 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-04-26 11:00 - 12:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Trekking Together: Spring Hikes with GirlTrek Cleveland
Select Saturdays: March 29, April 26, May 24, June 28 | 10-11AM | Nature Center
Join Jo Rattiliff of GirlTrek Cleveland for our monthly evening hikes! Spring is here! As everything comes to life, we invite you to move with us and appreciate the beauty of nature as the weather warms up.
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. Registration required. Free. Donations welcome.
Learn more about GirlTrek here: GirlTrek.org
Registration Link: https://shakerlakes.doubleknot.com/openrosters/ViewActivitySpaceAvailable.aspx?OrgKey=4283&CategoryID=27739

Nature Preschool
2025-05-24 09:00 - 11:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
NEW! NATURE PRESCHOOL
Intended for our preschool age naturalist (3-5). Children and parents will join an educator for two hours of nature preschool fun! Program includes a lesson based on preschool standards, free play, hike and live animal presentation. If cost is a barrier, please reach out to prange@shakerlakes.org.
PreK Explorer (with Grown Up)
Saturday May 24 from 9-11am
$20 per child per session
$15 per member child per session
Adult required at no charge.
May 24 from 9-11am: Animal Sorting – Animals Classes
What are mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians and how can we tell the difference? Students will learn what characteristics make animals unique from each other and practice sorting them into groups. REGISTER

Native Plant Bingo
2025-05-22 18:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Native Plant Bingo
May 22 | 6pm-8:00pm | NCSL Friend’s Pavilion
Join us for our first installment of NCSL Native Plant Bingo! This will be a night of fun and learning about native plants. Participants will play 8 rounds of bingo, with a native plant theme and everyone will have the opportunity to win a native plant from the evening’s nursery partner Meadow City. Plants will be available for purchase. We will also be pouring samples from our beer sponsor Midnight Owl. Tickets $10 for 8 rounds. https://givebutter.com/nativeplantbingo

Naturalist Notebook: Crickets and Katydids
2025-05-18 13:00 - 15:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Naturalist Notebook: Crickets and Katydids
Sunday, May 18 | 1pm-3pm | NCSL
Lisa Rainsong, Ph.D. will join us for the May Naturalist’s Notebook talking and making music about one of her favorite subjects, insects, specifically crickets and katydids. Lisa is a professional musician and educator with a passion for the study of birds, insects and amphibians of NE Ohio.
The book, Crickets and Katydids: Concerts and Solos by Vincent G. Dethier is out of print but good used copies will be available at Loganberry Books. Join us at the Nature Center to talk about these annual arrivals to our Ohio landscapes, and learn about the sounds of summer and fall that lull us to sleep.
Registration Link: https://shakerlakes.doubleknot.com/event/naturalist-notebook-crickets-and-katydids/3096369

Nature Preschool
2025-05-17 09:00 - 11:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
NEW! NATURE PRESCHOOL
Intended for our preschool age naturalist (3-5). Children and parents will join an educator for two hours of nature preschool fun! Program includes a lesson based on preschool standards, free play, hike and live animal presentation. If cost is a barrier, please reach out to prange@shakerlakes.org.
PreK Explorer (with Grown Up)
Saturdays: May 17 and May 24 from 9-11am
$20 per child per session
$15 per member child per session
Adult required at no charge.
May 17 from 9-11am: Nature to Me
Everyone expresses themselves differently and nature is a great tool to learn how! Students will collect their favorite items from nature to help express themselves creatively. REGISTER
May 24 from 9-11am: Animal Sorting – Animals Classes
What are mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians and how can we tell the difference? Students will learn what characteristics make animals unique from each other and practice sorting them into groups. REGISTER

Annual, Edible & Native Perennial Plant Sale
2025-05-10 10:00 - 15:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
IN PERSON AT THE NATURE CENTER
Saturday, May 10 | 10AM–3PM
Member preview: 8:30–10AM
A wide selection of quart and gallon perennials, trees, and shrubs, plus annuals, edibles, flats, hanging baskets, and ready to go pots. Enjoy the hands on shopping experience with our local experts available to help you make the jump into native gardening and choose plants that will work best in your yard.
Curbside loading available. Small car? Large order? Offering free delivery with our partners at Native Landscape from 9AM–2PM on large purchases over $200 within a 5 mile radius, or large tree and shrub purchases.
Parking is available on nearby streets and curbside assistance with purchases is provided.
Members Only Plant Sale Preview 8:30-10AM | Nature Center members are invited to shop our Plant Sale ahead of the crowd. Grab a complimentary cup of Rising Star coffee and a Stone Oven pastry while you enjoy the first pick of sought-after offerings before they sell out!

Getting Started with Native Planting
2025-05-10 09:00 - 10:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Getting Started with Native Planting
Led by My Home Park
Saturday, May 10 | 9AM-10AM | Nature Center
Are you a beginner at native planting? Are you ready to take the next step into bringing native plants to your home or apartment garden, but you’re not sure what would work best for your space? This talk aims to ease hesitation and give the basic knowledge and tools needed for you to get your native garden started!
Take the information from this presentation, then find the plants that are suited best for you at the Nature Center’s 43rd Annual Plant sale in the parking lot from 10AM-3PM.
REGISTER

Native Botanical Cocktail Competition
2025-05-04 17:00 - 20:00 | Cleveland Urban Winery, 2180 Lee Rd, Cleveland Heights, OH, 44118
Native Botanical Cocktail Competition
Featuring Crown Royal Deluxe and Crown Royal Reserve 12 Year
Sunday, May 4 | 5-8PM | NEW LOCATION! CLE Urban Winery
The United States Bartending Guild is bringing an exciting competition to the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes!
Each of the competing mixologists will get the opportunity to showcase their skills and craft cocktails to be judged, and YOU get to taste and vote for your favorite. The winner and their cocktail will be featured at this year’s Nature at Night: Metamorphosis Annual Benefit.
Join us for a night of fun, competition, and delicious drinks. 21 and over. Tickets are $35 each, members 10% off. Promo code for members NCSLSPRING25 and enter member ID when prompted. Tickets are limited.
Registration Link: https://givebutter.com/Vk29EB
Apply to compete, cash prizes awarded to top three competitors. Email cleveland@usbg.org

Sponsored By:

In partnership with the United States Bartenders Guild: Cleveland Chapter
The Cleveland chapter of the United States Bartenders’ Guild (USBG)was founded in 2012. Our chapter comprises exceptional bar professionals who take pride in their craft, industry associates involved in alcoholic beverage education, distribution, and marketing, and an engaged community of enthusiasts.
The United States Bartenders Guild was founded over 75 years ago as a part of the International Bartenders Association (IBA); we are excited to be hosting this cocktail competition with the Nature Center and will be using the IBA tasting standards for this competition as the USBG prepares to host international competition in 2026 and 2028.

Climate Resiliency & The Nature Center
2025-04-30 18:00 - 19:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
CLIMATE RESILIENCY AND THE NATURE CENTER
Wednesday, April 30 | 6–7:30PM | NCSL
Led by Kyle Warren (NCSL Natural Resources Technician) and Rachel Lasso (NCSL AmeriCorps)
Learn how the Nature Center’s diverse ecosystems act as carbon sinks and contribute to climate resiliency. This presentation will highlight the species that inhabit our floodplains and wetlands and are available for purchase at our Annual Plant and Homegrown Sales.

REGISTER https://givebutter.com/FLHuIK

Spring Archery at the Nature Center
2025-04-26 12:00 - 17:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Spring Archery at the Nature Center
Saturday, April 26 | Time slots available between 12 – 5:30PM | Nature Center
Have you ever wanted to try archery close to home? Come out and unleash your inner archer, get a great workout, and enjoy the beautiful spring weather! Our knowledgeable Education team are also certified archery instructors, and will teach the safety and skills necessary, so you can have fun and challenge yourself to hit those bullseyes!
No experience required- best for beginners and those with some archery experience, ages 8 and up. Closed toe shoes and comfortable clothing required. Registration is required and includes a safety and liability waiver. $12 per person.
Time slots available: 12:00 PM-1:30 PM, 2:00 PM-3:30 PM, and 4:00 PM-5:30 PM. Please plan to arrive at least 10 minutes before your time slot begins. You must be on time, no late admissions will be allowed due to safety regulations. Registration closes on Friday, April 25th at 3:00pm. Please do not register for more than one time slot per household.
*Nature Center at Shaker Lakes’ staff reserve the right to refuse entry to this program if there are safety concerns or registrants are not deemed capable to participate. This includes, but is not limited to participants who are younger than eight years old, participants who are under the influence, or participants who are not appropriately dressed.
Registration Link: https://givebutter.com/NRSt1o

City Nature Challenge: Bringing the World Together for Biodiversity
2025-04-26 11:30 - 14:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
City Nature Challenge: Bringing the World Together for Biodiversity
Saturday, April 26 | 11:30am-2:00pm | Nature Center
The City Nature Challenge is celebrating its 10th anniversary this spring as people around the world head outside to document observations of wild, living things using the app, iNaturalist. What can we find at the Nature Center? Come find out! Stop by on Saturday, April 26 to learn more about the challenge and how to get involved. We’ll have a CNC welcome table set-up from 11:30am-2:00pm to help you explore and record your finds. Grab your favorite walking shoes, download iNaturalist, and we’ll see you on the trail!
Note: The full challenge runs from April 25-May 4. Learn more here: https://www.citynaturechallenge.org/

Grow Not Mow
2025-04-26 10:00 - 13:00 | Ohio
Restoring Native Habitat
10AM – 1PM
Grow Not Mow is a community program powered by volunteers like you and championed by the City of Shaker Heights. With this program, we hope to restore and enhance biodiversity in the floodplain of the Doan Brook to make it a better habitat for pollinators, wildlife, and people while also reducing the land area that is mowed. Our plantings will also help to absorb, filter stormwater runoff and prevent soil erosion, and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with mowing.
Please bring gloves for planting trees and dress for the weather, rain or shine. Team leaders will show volunteers how to plant our native species of trees and shrubs. All ages welcome!
Parking: Grow Not Mow Site #3 is located along Shaker Blvd. westbound between Warrensville Center Road and Courtland Blvd. Participants are encouraged to park along S Park Blvd or at the Shaker & Warrensville Rapid Station. For more information contact us at info@doanbrookpartnership.org
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, the City of Shaker Heights, and all of our wonderful sponsors, partners and volunteers for making events like this one possible. Thank you!
REGISTER https://doanbrookpartnership.org/event/grow-not-mow-site-3/

Judy Semroc's Greyt Big Talk
2025-04-25 08:30 - 10:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Judy Semroc’s Greyt Big Talk
Nature Center at Shaker Lakes
Apr 25, 2025, 8:30 – 10AM
Greyt Big Talk is a multi-disciplinary creative lecture & podcast series for inspiring artists and entrepreneurs.
Nature’s symphonies are among the most profound and treasured expressions of life on Earth. Just like a musical composition, the natural world is a harmony of interwoven elements—species, habitats, sounds, water, air, and soil—all resonating together in a grand, ever-evolving performance.
Join Judy Semroc, conservation specialist, field biologist, and naturalist, as she explores the intricate connections that sustain life and the vital role humans play in protecting and preserving our shared planet. Learn how our engagement with nature fosters biodiversity, strengthens ecosystems, and enriches our lives in ways both seen and unseen. Discover the beauty of “sounding together” in nature and how we can all contribute to the ongoing symphony of life.
REGISTER. $15 Presale through April 18, $20 through April 25. https://www.thatsgreyt.com/event-details/judy-semrocs-greyt-big-talk

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Judy Semroc is a conservation specialist, field biologist, and naturalist with over 25 years of experience leading hands-on, exploration-based learning programs. A former petroleum geologist and science teacher, she is passionate about sharing the wonders of the natural world through interpretive hikes, educational programs, and photography.
For more than two decades, Judy worked as a Conservation Specialist in the Natural Areas Division of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, contributing to the study and protection of Ohio’s diverse ecosystems. She is the co-author of two field guides, Dragonflies & Damselflies of Northeast Ohio and Goldenrods of Northeast Ohio: A Field Guide to Identification & Natural History, which serve as valuable resources for naturalists and conservationists alike.

Judy is also the founder of Chrysalis in Time, Ohio’s first chapter of the North American Butterfly Association (NABA), and serves on the boards of the Ohio Bluebird Society and the Ohio Ornithological Society’s Conservation Committee. Through her new organization, Nature Spark, she continues to inspire curiosity, connection, and conservation efforts that help protect our planet.

Earth Day Tree Giveaway
2025-04-22 10:00 - 15:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Choose a free red oak, tulip tree, redbud or white pine sapling.

Annual Stream Sweep
2025-04-19 10:00 - 13:00 | 7 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive Cleveland, Ohio 44106, 7 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, Cleveland, OH, 44106
Annual Stream Sweep
Saturday, April 19 |10AM-1PM | Cultural Gardens: Rockefeller Lagoon 7 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive Cleveland, Ohio 44106
Join the Doan Brook Watershed Partnership and the Nature Center as we clean up winter’s accumulation of trash. Volunteer as an individual or as a group. Groups with school-age children welcome.
REGISTER: https://doanbrookpartnership.org/event/doan-brook-stream-sweep-2/

The Everyday Conservationist: Nurturing Nature at Home
2025-04-17 18:00 - 19:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
The Everyday Conservationist: Nurturing Nature at Home
Thursday, April 17 | 6-7:30PM
Traditional landscaping practices are accelerating climate change and biodiversity loss—often without us even realizing it. The good news? Small, intentional changes can turn our backyards into thriving havens for wildlife and powerful tools for conservation. In this talk, conservation educator and photographer Danae Wolfe reveals how rethinking our outdoor spaces can help combat global environmental challenges. Through eye-opening insights and practical solutions, you’ll discover how to create a home landscape that nurtures nature—one that’s not just beautiful but also resilient, sustainable, and teeming with life.
FREE. Register.
ABOUT DANAE
Danae Wolfe is an award-winning conservation photographer, writer, and TEDx speaker passionate about helping people see backyard bugs in a new light. A firm believer in the power of small actions, she inspires gardeners to appreciate the beauty of our natural world and embrace their role in its protection. Her work has been featured by CNN, The American Gardener, and Nature Conservancy Magazine, and she was named Garden Communicators International’s 2022 Emergent Communicator. Through her homegrown conservation initiative, Chasing Bugs, Danae connects global audiences with the wonder of insects, and her upcoming book, Grass Isn’t Greener (2025), shows how simple changes in our yards can create lasting impact for the planet.

Teen Climate Social
2025-04-17 17:30 - 18:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Teen Climate Social
April 17 | 5:30-6PM
PIZZA WITH THE PRESENTER a pre-presentation social for teens only at our Bringing Nature Home lecture series.
Followed by the presentation 6-7:30PM | The Everyday Conservationist
Teens join us 30 minutes before a climate-themed presentation for pizza. Meet other teens interested in conservation and climate action while chatting with the presenter directly about what they do and why they do it. No cost to attend. Youth Climate Institute credit hours available. Open to all teens. You do not need to be a member of Youth Climate Institute (YCI) to participate. Want to learn more about YCI? Reach out to prange@shakerlakes.org
REGISTER

The Story of The Land: How Literature Confronts the Climate Crisis
2025-04-16 19:00 - 20:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
The Story of The Land: How Literature Confronts the Climate Crisis
in partnership with Orion Magazine, Literary Cleveland, and Mac’s Backs

How does language shape our relationship with the land? What is literature’s role in the future of our planet?

Join Literary Cleveland and Orion Magazine for a discussion with local writers about how fiction, nonfiction, and poetry can shift cultural perception about the environment, reconsider our relationship to nature, and galvanize us to address the climate crisis. Presented as part of Climate and Health Month in Cuyahoga County.
Books will be available for purchase from Mac’s Backs. While supplies last. Free. Registration required.https://givebutter.com/IPMJbW

Deborah Fleming is a novelist, poet, scholar, and essayist. Her latest collection of essays Ghosts of an Old Forest: Essays on Midwestern Rural Heritage is scheduled to be released later in April. The essays reflection on Ohio’s natural and cultural history as inspired by her farm. She also received acclaim for Resurrection of the Wild: Meditations on Ohio’s Natural Landscape (2019) which won the PEN-America Diamonstein/Spielvogel Art of the Essay Award in 2020.
Alison Stine is a novelist and journalist. Her first novel Road Out of Winter won the Philip K. Dick Award. Her second novel Trashlands was long-listed for the Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award, and her third novel Dust was published by St. Martin’s Press in December 2024. Recipient of an NEA Fellowship, she works as the Climate Justice Senior Editor at NPQ.
Jon Wlasiuk is a professor, writer, and native of Ohio. His book An Alternative History of Cleveland was released in October 2024. In it, he explores how nature and culture are intertwined throughout the city and region.

Art on View: Dick Dawson
2025-04-10 17:30 - 19:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Opening Reception | Thursday, April 10, 2025 | 5:30–7PM
Dickson Robert Dawson is a retired Counseling Psychologist, and is now an artist and musician, who has focused on pastel landscapes with an “impressionistic” touch. He creates landscapes and florals that beckon the eye toward light and color. His paintings highlight woods, gardens, individual flowers, or fields, and provide a sense of serenity. Art has always been a part of Dickson’s life. His father was a professional photographer, his grandfather a lithographer, and his great uncle was a graphic artist with paintings on covers of The Saturday Evening Post. Dickson lives in Cleveland Heights and has previously shown his work at Steinway Piano Gallery, Little Italy, and Trinity Cathedral. Art available for purchase and a percentage of sales support the Nature Center.

Historic Homes Tour: Parkland Proximity
2025-04-06 10:00 - 14:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
HISTORIC HOMES TOUR: Parkland Proximity
Presented by NCSL & Shaker Historical Society | Sunday, April 6 | 10AM–2PM
Step back in time and experience the history of Shaker Heights, the Shaker Parklands, and the Freeway Fight of the 1960s. With sweeping views and access to preserved parklands, this year’s
homes will not disappoint. The program begins with a brunch and presentation high-lighting the significance of the freeway fight on our local homes and greenspaces. Next, guests will jointrolley tour of four stunning and unique homes that were once in the path of the proposed freeway. Each home on West Park, South Park, and Shaker Boulevards is rich with history, which will be detailed on this tour.
REGISTER: https://givebutter.com/homestour2025
$160 per person, $125 for Nature Center or Shaker Historical Society Members.
NCSL Members: use promo code HHT2025 along with your member ID when prompted at registration for a 20% discount. Reach out to cara@shakerlakes.org if you need your member ID number. Inclement weather date: April 13.
Please list any food/drink allergies or restrictions during registration. Booties provided, or bring house shoes. Attendees must be able to navigate stairs.
