Outreach Programs
Please see below for our outreach program offerings! Looking for a program covering a topic that we don’t have listed? We can create custom programs focused on just about anything related to nature in the Northeast! Don’t hesitate to contact us with your idea! Many of our in-person programs can be adapted to a virtual format, please contact us if you’re interested in a virtual program.
Standard 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! These programs are created to be enjoyed by nature-lovers of all ages. We adapt our content and delivery style to best connect with each group that we work with, so please let us know the age and any specific needs of your audience during the booking process!
In-Person Outreach programs are 1 hour long and $130 per session plus round-trip mileage costs. Mileage costs are $0.67 per mile and are calculated based on our location in South Wales, NY. In-Person Outreach programs have both a presentation and an activity or other hands-on component! There is a maximum capacity of 30 participants per program unless otherwise noted in the program description. Programs longer than 1 hour can be accommodated at a rate of $30 per additional 30 minutes. All 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.
Ancient Seas of New York
Let’s turn back time 380 million years to learn about the creatures that lived in New York state during the Devonian Period! This program explores the ancient animals and the aquatic environments of the Devonian waters that once covered our region. Program participants will each get their own piece of prehistory (a local fossil!) to take home and keep!
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.
Guided Nature Walk*
Guided nature walks are a great way for learners of all ages to investigate the wild world around us! We offer general nature walks where we discuss what we see without sticking to a planned theme, as well as themed walks which focus on a particular area of interest, such as tree identification or animal signs. Nature walks must be led at your location, or at a location that you have permission to use for this program. Please note that many municipal (state, county, town) parks require prior approval or a special use permit for group programming, and do not allow “drop in” programs. We’re happy to help find a location that works for your group, please contact us at least one month in advance if you’d like our help with the process!
Mammals of WNY
Get to know your fur-bearing neighbors as we explore the lives of mammals who call Western New York home! Get hands-on experience with a variety of pelts and learn to identify common mammal tracks and scat.
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.
Presentations
Please click on the button below to view our current presentation offerings! These are typically 2 hour, lecture-style programs that feature a visual PowerPoint component. These programs are best conducted in a space with a projector or screen with HDMI or Bluetooth compatibility. Due to the length and style of these programs, we find that presentations are often most enjoyable for an adult or older teen audience, though they’re appropriate for younger nature-lovers as well!
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!
Our most popular tabling programs are Mammals Mania, Let’s Talk Trees, and Arthropod Explorers. 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.
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.
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.
WildWood Western New York 