Nature Center at Shaker Lakes

Invasive Plants in Your Backyard: An OIPC Workshop
2024-12-03 09:30 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Invasive Plants in Your Backyard: An OIPC Workshop
Tuesday, December 3 | 9:30AM-3PM | Nature Center
The Ohio Invasive Plants Council (OIPC) is partnering with the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes to offer a one-day workshop entitled Invasive Plants in Your Backyard. This workshop will focus on invasive plants in Ohio, control methods, research efforts, what OIPC is doing to address the threats, alternatives to invasives, and an identification session on woody invasives. The workshop is designed to help landowners identify, control, and replace invasives, while understanding the threats that invasives pose in the landscape.
The workshop will start at 9:30am and finish by 3pm. Lunch will be provided for those that register in advance. Meat, vegetarian, gluten-free, and vegan options will be available (please select your preference when registering by November 26). Walk-ins will also be welcome (lunch not guaranteed).
View the agenda here.
Visit the OIPC website for more information at: www.oipc.info
Registration Link: https://givebutter.com/p1X6e8

Volunteer Crafty Hour
2024-12-03 17:00 - 19:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Tuesday, December 3 | 5-7PM
Join us for an evening of volunteer crafting to create decorations for Luminary Walk. We will be making zero-waste decorations while enjoying some snacks and beverages. Drop in between 5pm and 7pm to help turn the Nature Center into a winter wonderland. Currently seeking donations of any crafting/scrapbook/construction paper to be used for this event.
Contact Megan Millisor, Volunteer Manager, at millisor@shakerlakes.org for questions or to RSVP!

Winter Warmups: A Night at the Brew-vies: Documentary Film Night
2024-12-06 18:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Winter Warmups: A Night at the Brew-vies: Documentary Film Night
Friday, December 6 | 6:00pm-8:00pm| Nature Center
Embrace the warmth of the Nature Center and settle in with an inviting evening of mini ecological-focused documentary films and discussion led by the Natural Resources team!
This documentary runs for one hour and one hour for discussion. To make the evening cozier, delicious hot chocolate and popcorn will be provided. Registration required.
Beer tastings provided by our partners at Midnight Owl Brewing Company
Free, with a $10 suggested donation.
Registration Link: https://givebutter.com/8Dj4X3

Winter Solstice Luminary Walk & Holiday Market
2024-12-13 17:30 - 20:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Winter Solstice Luminary Walk & Holiday Market
Friday, December 13 | 5:30–8:30PM | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes
Celebrate nature and the beginning of winter!
All are invited to take a stroll on the illuminated All Peoples’ Trail boardwalk, which is ADA-accessible. Keep warm at a bonfire, or in the heated pavilion where there will be warm alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages for sale. Join us inside at our nature-inspired Holiday Market and Duck Pond Gift Shop. Donations welcome. Market items, food, and beverage available for purchase.
A sensory-friendly room will be available on the second floor of the Nature Center building for anyone who needs a calm place to get away from the noise. Sensory bags are available upon request from the front desk.
Support our sustainable efforts!
We are collecting large glass marinara and sauce jars for luminaries. Please clean well and remove labels before donating to the Welcome Desk. After the Luminary Walk, they will be recycled.
Presented by Port of Cleveland with lighting by Jon’s Lawns

Build-a-Birdhouse Workshop
2024-12-17 18:00 - 19:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Build-a-Birdhouse Workshop
Tuesday, December 17 | 6pm – 7:30pm | Nature Center
Join us with your family and friends for a fun, winter craft- a gift that keeps on giving back to nature! We’ll be creating sturdy birdhouses that provide safe havens for local bird species and learning the role they play in supporting our feathered friends.
Please note: No prior experience necessary! To ensure your birdhouse is dry and ready to be placed outdoors, it will need to stay at the Nature Center for 48 hours before it can be picked up.
Come join us for a cozy crafting night of creativity! One birdhouse can be worked on by an entire family or group of friends. $32 per birdhouse includes all materials, instruction, and presentation.
Registration Link: https://givebutter.com/KjEGDE

Art on View: MOVING VEHICLE: "DRIVE BY" LANDSCAPE SERIES
2024-12-19 17:30 - 19:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
MOVING VEHICLE: “DRIVE BY” LANDSCAPE SERIES
by Leslye Arian
Opening Reception Thursday, December 19 | 5:30–7PM | NCSL
The series was created in response to the isolation caused by the COVID pandemic, as well as the social and political turmoil around the world. Through road trips across the seasons and in an effort to receive nourishment from the universe, Leslye takes no photographs but rather memorizes the continuous overlapping of colors and the abstract banding of shapes witnessed. She finds peace at the horizon line, where the known meets the unknown. Leslye’s medium is Sennelier Oil Pastels on paper, using her fingers to move paint to be one with the memory of the landscapes witnessed. The works are small to honor her recognition of simply being a tiny speck of dust in the universe.
Exhibit runs December 19–March 27.
Pieces may be purchased for a fee with a percentage of proceeds benefiting the Nature Center.

Christmas Bird Count
2024-12-21 08:00 - 17:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Christmas Bird Count
Saturday, December 21 | Nature Center
The Christmas Bird Count is a long-standing program of the National Audubon Society, with over 100 years of citizen science involvement. Come join us for a bird walk to locate and identify our resident winter birds. Count and tally the number of birds you can see or hear throughout the day.

Trekking Together: Winter Hikes with GirlTrek Cleveland
2024-12-28 11:00 - 12:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Join Jo Rattiliff of GirlTrek Cleveland for our monthly Sunday evening hikes! These special winter 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. Registration required. Free. Donations welcome.
Learn more about GirlTrek here: GirlTrek.org
REGISTER HERE

Winter Warmup: Build-a-Bat House Workshop - SOLD OUT!
2025-01-03 18:00 - 19:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Winter Warmup: Build-a-Bat House Workshop
Friday, January 3 | 6:00pm – 7:30pm | Nature Center
This hands-on workshop invites participants to learn the importance of bats and the positive impact they have on our ecosystem while crafting your very own bat houses by hand! As you assemble your bat house, enjoy delicious hot chocolate with your family and friends!
Please note: No prior experience necessary! To ensure your bat house is dry and ready to be placed outdoors, it will need to stay at the Nature Center for 48 hours before it can be picked up.
Come join us for a cozy crafting night of creativity! One birdhouse can be worked on by an entire family or group of friends. $55 per bat house includes all materials, instruction, and presentation.
Registration Link: https://givebutter.com/m5zQrQ

Guided Bird Walk
2025-01-05 08:00 - 09:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
1/5/2025 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM
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 is fully accessible and includes an ASL interpreter. For all hikes, meet in the Nature Center parking lot. Binoculars are available. Rain or shine. Free. $5 suggested donation. Registration required.
REGISTER

Winter Seed Sowing Workshops
2025-01-12 13:00 - 15:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Sunday, January 12 | 1PM-3PM | Nature Center
Thursday, January 23 | 6PM-8PM | Nature Center
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.
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! Registration required. $8 per person.
Registration Links:
January 12: https://givebutter.com/SqoMDg
January 23: https://givebutter.com/zK4Yob

Accessible Bird Walk
2025-01-19 08:00 - 09:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
1/19/2025 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM
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 is fully accessible and includes an ASL interpreter. For all hikes, meet in the Nature Center parking lot. Binoculars are available. Rain or shine. Free. $5 suggested donation. Registration required.
REGISTER

Winter Seed Sowing Workshop
2025-01-23 18:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Thursday, January 23 | 6PM-8PM | Nature Center
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.
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! Registration required. $8 per person.
Registration Links:
January 23: https://givebutter.com/zK4Yob

Trekking Together: Winter Hikes with GirlTrek Cleveland
2025-01-25 11:00 - 12:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Join Jo Ratiliff of GirlTrek Cleveland for our monthly Sunday evening hikes! These special winter 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. Registration required. Free. Donations welcome.
Learn more about GirlTrek here: GirlTrek.org
REGISTER HERE

Accessible Bird Walk - Rescheduled!
2025-01-26 08:00 - 09:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
1/26/2025 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM
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 is fully accessible and includes an ASL interpreter. For all hikes, meet in the Nature Center parking lot. Binoculars are available. Rain or shine. Free. $5 suggested donation. Registration required.
REGISTER

Junior Naturalists: Fireside Featurettes
2025-02-01 15:00 - 18:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Saturday, February 1st, 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM EST
Calling all young explorers- we’re throwing a pajama party! Cozy up indoors for an evening of short, edu-tainment films and kid-friendly documentary shorts, crafting, and a short outdoor hike (weather-permitting). We’ll bring the popcorn and hot chocolate; you bring your favorite stuffed animals!
Registration required. $15 per child under 13, adults free. Includes hot chocolate and popcorn.
REGISTER

Winter Warmup: In-TALKS-icating: Urban Farming & Foraging
2025-02-07 18:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Winter Warmup: In-TALKS-icating: Urban Farming & Foraging
Friday, February 7 | 6pm-8pm | Nature Center
Chat and cheers! This community discussion highlights local activists who are walking the walk and talking the talk. Join us for drinks and a panel discussion about farming and foraging in Cleveland and the impact it’s making on the Nature Center and beyond!
Registration required. $35 per ticket includes one drink and light bites with additional drinks per purchase.
Food provided in collaboration with Jeremy Umansky at Larder Delicatessen
Registration Link: https://givebutter.com/QJh6UV

Naturalist Notebook: The Age of Deer by Erika Howsare
2025-02-16 13:00 - 15:00 | Loganberry Books, 13015 Larchmere Blvd, Cleveland, OH, 44120
Naturalist Notebook: The Age of Deer by Erika Howsare
Sunday, February 16 | 1pm-3pm | Loganberry Books/Virtual
Escape the chilly weather and join Loganberry Books and The Nature Center at Shaker Lakes for our quarterly, cozy book discussion!
The Age of Deer: Trouble and Kinship with Our Wild Neighbors by Erika Howsare is a book that touches all of us here in NE Ohio, the tale of our complicated relationship with a wild animal that now lives among us. Part mythology, part natural history, the book asks us to consider these paradoxes and how we have come to find ourselves in this situation.
Free. Buy your copy from Loganberry Books for 10% off and join the conversation on November 17, from 1-3pm at Loganberry Books (located at 13015 Larchmere Blvd) to discuss the book.
This is a hybrid book discussion; join us in person at Loganberry Books or online! Zoom link will be sent in an email prior to the meeting.
Registration Link: https://givebutter.com/k87ubW

February Build-a-Birdhouse Workshop
2025-02-28 18:30 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
February Build-a-Birdhouse Workshop
Friday, February 28 | 6:30PM – 8PM | Nature Center
Back by popular demand! Join us with your family and friends for a fun, winter craft- a gift that keeps on giving back to nature! We’ll be creating sturdy birdhouses that provide safe havens for local bird species and learning the role they play in supporting our feathered friends.
Come join us for a cozy crafting night of creativity! One birdhouse can be worked on by an entire family or group of friends. $32 per birdhouse includes all materials, instruction, and presentation.
REGISTER

Guided Bird Walks
2025-03-02 08:00 - 09:30, 2025-03-16 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/

For Kids! Beautiful Native Butterflies
2025-03-04 12:00 - 12:45 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Beautiful Native Butterflies and Their Native Host Plants
Tuesday, March 4 | 12–12:45PM | NCSL
Led by Kathryn Marshall (Education Coordinator) and Amy Fredricks (Communications Director) at Native Landscapes & Gardens
During this FREE class, children will read, move, and create while learning to identify a few local butterflies and the importance of native host plants to butterfly life cycles. Come have some “flutterby” fun!
Registration Link: https://givebutter.com/Fx4aej

Simplify Your Landscape Design with Native Plants
2025-03-06 12:00 - 13:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Simplify Your Landscape Design with Native Plants
Part of our Bringing Nature Home Series! In Partnership with the Youth Climate Institute
Thursday, March 6 | 12–1PM | NCSL
Led by Jesse Smith (Conservation Biologist) at Native Landscapes & Gardens
This FREE presentation invites you to transform your outdoor space by harnessing the power of native plants. You’ll learn how to identify and tackle invasive species that threaten your home habitat, setting the stage for a thoughtful and vibrant garden. The talk highlights creative design resources, practical preparation, and management strategies. You’ll discover how planting natives elevates the beauty of your space and bolsters biodiversity.
https://givebutter.com/fd5YiL

Winter Warmup: Wine & Cheese Night
2025-03-07 18:00 - 20:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Winter Warmup: Wine & Cheese Night
Friday, March 7 | 6PM-8PM | Nature Center
Join us for our last Winter Warmup, as we look forward to brighter spring weather! Enjoy a unique night of wine and cheese tasting at the Nature Center, while enjoying conversation with fellow Nature Center lovers! Justin Croniser, Board Chair will provide remarks at the beginning of the event and share updates about the Nature Center.
Tickets include three tastings of wine and a reusable branded Nature Center wine tumbler. Quantities limited. Additional wine is available for purchase by the glass or bottle.
Registration required. $35 per person, $30 for members with member discount code WINTERWINE25. Please enter your member ID when prompted. If you are unsure of your member ID, please email cara@shakerlakes.org.
Registration Link: https://givebutter.com/twm5sU

Winter Tree ID Hike
2025-03-09 15:00 - 16:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Winter Tree ID Hike
Sunday, March 9 | 3PM – 4:30PM | Nature Center
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 all year round. 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. All participants will receive a copy of Tree Finder: A Manual for the Identification of Trees by Their Leaves. $7 per person. Registration required.
Registration Link: https://givebutter.com/sWjGiF

Spring Hikes with GirlTrek
2025-03-29 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

Yard Tool Tune-Up
2025-03-29 13:00 - 14:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Yard Tool Tune-Up
Saturday, March 29 | 1PM-2:30PM | Nature Center
Thinking green? Join our Natural Resources team as we discuss how to properly maintain your outdoor tools. Spring is a great time for things like annual pruning and trimming and in this timely workshop we’ll cover basic maintenance, what tools we use and recommend, and how to properly care for those tools.
Then you’ll learn proper technique with a hands-on portion of the class as we apply what we learned and sharpen and recondition your tools. Feel free to bring your own hand tools, such as loppers, pruners, shovels, soil knives, folding saws and work gloves.
Registration required. $8 per person, $6 per person for members with code SPRING25 and member ID (please enter when prompted).
Registration Link: https://givebutter.com/nvfRw5

Teen Climate Social
2025-04-03 17:30 - 18:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Teen Climate Social
April 3 | 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 | Soil Health
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

Soil Health and Growing Native Plants
2025-04-03 18:00 - 19:30 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
Soil Health and Growing Native Plants
Led by Joe King (Rust Belt Riders & Tilth Soil)
Thursday, April 3 | 6pm-7:30pm | Nature Center
Soil is one of the key components to a healthy and happy garden- the nutrients, oxygen, and life within the soil directly affect how well your plants thrive in your yard. Joe King Botanist & Educational Outreach Coordinator with Rust Belt Riders/Tilth Soil will present on soil health and the relationship with native plants.
REGISTER https://givebutter.com/6l9jJ9

All About Animals: Turtles
2025-04-05 11:00 - 12:00 | Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio, 44120
All About Animals: Turtles
Saturday, April 5 | 11AM-12PM | Nature Center
Have you ever wondered what it takes to keep our animal ambassadors here at the nature center happy and healthy?
Join us seasonally for a “behind the scenes” look at our animal care program. Each program 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.
Registration Link: https://shakerlakes.doubleknot.com/event/all-about-animals-turtles/3093457
