Community Calendar

Join us for a 6-week course exploring the twelve principles of permaculture design. Each week the class will dive into two principles, blending thoughtful discussion with hands-on practice in a living garden installation at Tillers International. Skills will vary based on garden needs and weather, but will include multiple fall bed preparation methods, mapping and planning, tool maintenance, and more!

Silver Maples: Nature Journaling
Looking for an excuse to slow down and connect with nature alongside your community? Get a taste of nature journaling- the art of looking closely and connecting more deeply with the natural world.

Journals will be provided, just bring yourself and your open mind.

Thursday, September 17, 2026, 11 am-12 pm

Meet: Glen Vista Gallery inside the Visitor Center

Fee: KNC Members free; Non-Members $10

Please Register >

Audience: Geared for Adults 50+, but all are welcome

Fall Foraging
Join KNC staff to learn some foraging basics of fall. Grab your basket and enjoy finding the edible treasures around us on a guided hike. Dress for the weather as this program will be entirely outdoors.

Registration is recommended as these popular programs often reach capacity; drop-ins welcome if space is available.

Please click on each date to register:

Thursday, September 17, 2026, 5-6:30 pm >

Saturday September 19, 2026, 10-11:30 am >

Meet: Visitor Center Main Parking Lot Sundial
Fee: KNC Members $16/Non-Members $20
Audience: All Ages

Looking for something whimsical or theatrical? This half-day class is perfect for broom dancers, fall festival lovers, Halloween enthusiasts—or anyone who wants to make a statement piece! These brooms are designed to look amazing, not necessarily to sweep up dust. This class sets aside the usual rules and goes wild with colors, textures, and decorations. Students may bring their own sticks, handles, or other materials. No experience needed—just creativity!

Join us for a 6-week course exploring the twelve principles of permaculture design. Each week the class will dive into two principles, blending thoughtful discussion with hands-on practice in a living garden installation at Tillers International. Skills will vary based on garden needs and weather, but will include multiple fall bed preparation methods, mapping and planning, tool maintenance, and more!

Lea Sevigny of Joyful Wildcrafting is back, and continuing her series of traditional skills and foraged goods. This time, we’ll learn how to use common foraged fruits to make delicious jams and jellies, and even take home foraged jams to enjoy!

Please note- this program will be held at Heronwood Field Station, not our main campus.

Sunday, September 27, 2026, 2-4pm

Meet: Heronwood Field Station at 6378 Hart Dr, Kalamazoo, MI 49009

Fee: KNC Members $16; Non-Members $20

Please Register >

Audience: All ages

Nate Fuller, Sarett Nature Center Executive Director, will share the dynamic story of bird diversity at the nature center as habitats and climate conditions change. Sarett owns over 1,000 acres in southwest Michigan that includes a wide range of habitats from wet to dry and forested to open grassland.

Sarett staff and volunteers have been documenting its wildlife diversity, especially birds, for over 50 years. Learn how fluctuating water levels are impacting prothonotary warblers while habitat restoration is helping American kestrels and Eastern bluebirds. Sarett staff are witnessing northern range shifts of historically southern species like yellow-breasted chats, white-eyed vireos, and blue grosbeaks while species like common ravens and red-shouldered hawks recover historic breeding ranges. And what is the deal with fish crows? We will schedule a field trip to Sarett in the fall.

Nate Fuller is the Executive Director of Sarett Nature Center. He first worked at Sarett as a naturalist from 1995 to 2001 before returning as director in 2019. In between times working at Sarett he was the Conservation and Stewardship Director for Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy. In that role he worked to establish public natural areas and restore wildlife habitat across nine counties of southwest Michigan. Nate received a bachelor’s degree in biology from Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin and a master’s degree in geography with an emphasis in environmental and resource analysis from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo.

We hope you'll join us on Monday, September 28th, at People's Church, 1758 North 10th Street, Kalamazoo. This program is geared to all audiences, and we enthusiastically invite families and nature lovers of any age to join us! Come at 6:30 PM (new time) for some refreshments and socializing. Snacks and beverages will be provided. It's helpful if you bring your own cup. The one-hour program will start at 7:00 PM. Handicap parking and access is at either the front or the rear entrance of the building.

We will have a simultaneous Zoom link for those who can’t make it or feel uncomfortable attending in person. The link will be available shortly before the meeting in the ASK member October newsletter and on our event calendar - https://kalamazooaudubon.org/calendar/. We will also be recording the meeting for later viewing.

Join us for a 6-week course exploring the twelve principles of permaculture design. Each week the class will dive into two principles, blending thoughtful discussion with hands-on practice in a living garden installation at Tillers International. Skills will vary based on garden needs and weather, but will include multiple fall bed preparation methods, mapping and planning, tool maintenance, and more!

Even though the leaves are falling, right now is the perfect time to start planning for next year’s fresh growth! Our conservation team members are experts at native planting, and they’re here to share that expertise with you! Bring your most burning native garden questions and plant the seeds of garden knowledge for next season.

This program is geared for adults 50 and up, but all ages are welcome.

Meet: Cooper’s Glen Auditorium inside the Visitor Center

Date: Thursday, October 1 from 11:00AM-1:00PM

Fee: Free for KNC Members; $10 non-members

Registration recommended, drop-ins welcome

Audience: Geared for Adults 50+, but all are welcome

This half-day class will be an engaging guided walk through the land where students will learn to identify, sample, and harvest seasonal plants. They will then use their foraged materials to create a take-home herbal preparation or edible goodie made during the workshop.