WildWood Western New York

Outreach Programs

WildWood Western New York offers both in-person and virtual educational programming as well as community / event tabling! Please see below for descriptions of our current programs.

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In-Person Outreach

Let WildWood WNY bring the wonders of the natural world to your students, Scouts, community organization, or other group with an In-Person Outreach program!

In-Person Outreach programs are 1 hour long and $130 per session plus mileage costs. Mileage costs are based on program location and can be calculated when you send us a booking inquiry. WildWood WNY is based out of South Wales, NY. In-Person Outreach programs have both a presentation and an activity component! There is a maximum capacity of 30 participants per program unless otherwise noted in the program description. Pricing is based on programs requiring one WildWood WNY educator, if you would like to book a program that requires multiple educators – such as large group programs or station-based programs, please contact us for pricing!

Click on the program headings below to learn more about each outreach offering.

Awesome Arthropods

What do butterflies, crayfish, and trilobites have in common? They’re all awesome arthropods! This program covers a range of extant (living) arthropods, as well as a few extinct species that called New York home millions of years ago.

Birds of Prey

Explore the amazing adaptations and life history of WNY’s most fearsome avian predators! This program covers hawks, falcons, eagles, and owls.

Backyard Birding for Beginners

From the tiny hummingbird to the mighty great horned owl, you can find an abundance of avian life in Western New York! This program focuses on bird species commonly seen around local yards, gardens, and parks. We’ll explore what makes these species special and the important roles they play in our shared environment.

Botany Basics

Explore the wide world of plants through a botanical lens! Learn why ferns don’t flower, why an acorn is actually a fruit, and how some plants have evolved to live without chlorophyll. This program gives an overview of botanical terms, what they mean, and how to apply them in a practical sense.

Culinary Botany

Discover the botanical science behind your produce! Participants will learn about some common, and not so common, food producing plants and develop a deeper understanding of where their food comes from and how it grows.

Mammals of WNY

Get to know your fur-bearing neighbors as we explore the lives of mammals who call Western New York home. Investigate adaptations, learn to identify tracks and scat, and get hands-on experience with a variety of pelts.

Marvelous Mushrooms

From tiny toadstools to giant puffballs, New York is home to a huge variety of one of Earth’s most fascinating lifeforms – fungi! This program dives into the weird, wild world of mushrooms and explores the obvious, and not so obvious, roles that fungi play in our environment.

Tree I.D.

Your eco explorers will become dendrologist detectives and learn how to use clues such as bark, leaves, and seeds to identify two dozen common tree species in Western New York!

Wild Foods

Explore the incredible variety of edible plants, fungi, and game animals in Western New York! This program provides a “classroom” introduction to foraging practices, as well as an overview of common and coveted wild foods.

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Community / Event Tabling

Are you hosting a science night, community fair, festival, or other similar event? Let WildWood WNY bring an engaging, interactive nature education activity to your event!

We’re flexible regarding the topics and activities that offer during tabling programs, so please let us know if you have a specific theme or subject that you’d like us to bring to you! We cater our programming to audiences of all ages and abilities, so please inform us of any special considerations regarding your program’s participants.

Community / Event Tabling programs can be booked for a minimum of 2 hours and a maximum of 5 hours. Tabling pricing is $100 per hour ($200 minimum) plus mileage costs. Mileage costs are based on program location and can be calculated when you send us a booking request or inquiry. WildWood WNY is based out of South Wales, NY.

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Virtual Outreach

Virtual Outreaches are presentation-style programs designed to deliver information in an accessible and engaging manner. Virtual programs are great for learners of all ages! We tailor Virtual Outreaches to your audience to ensure that your program is delivered in an age and ability appropriate way. Virtual Outreaches are 1 hour long and $110 per session.

Please note: we can host programs via Zoom or Google Meet. If your group uses an alternate video call platform, such as Microsoft Teams, you will need to host the call. Video call hosting logistics will be coordinated upon booking.

If you would like to request an in-person presentation of any of the Virtual Outreach topics listed above, please contact us for pricing and availability!

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Payment / Billing Information

Programs that are not booked by formal educational institutions (schools, colleges, universities) are subject to a deposit of 50% of the total program cost. The remainder of the balance is due on the day of the program. Payment for programs booked by formal educational institutions (schools, colleges, universities) is due on or before the date of the program. We issue every customer an electronic invoice via email. Payments can be made using a credit / debit card (via your online invoice), business check, or cash.

If you’re booking on behalf of a school district that participates in the Exploratory Enrichment CoSer through BOCES, you may be eligible to receive funding to help cover the cost of having WildWood WNY conduct programs at your school! Please review your district’s BOCES CoSer process prior to submitting a program request with us to ensure that there is enough time to have the CoSer request reviewed by BOCES. WildWood WNY does not have influence over potential funding amounts and cannot submit CoSer requests to BOCES – requests must be submitted by a staff member from your district.

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If you’d like to book a program or to request more information about any of our programs, please complete the form below! Booking requests must be made at least 2 weeks in advance.