Maple Syruping
2022-03-19 05:30 - 06:30 (America/Chicago) | MINNESOTA
Maple syruping is a tradition that dates back to the first nations that lived in this area. Learn about the history of maple syruping, what makes the sap flow, and the process of turning sap into syrup through a hands-on syruping experience.
Cost: $5/person, $15/family (FREE for members) * a family is 2 adults and 4 kids under 18
Saturday, March 19, 10:30am-11:30am & 12:30pm-1:30pm

All About Owls!
2022-03-25 13:00 - 14:30
All About Owls!
All ages. Cost: $5member/$20member family; & $10person/$40 family; * A family is 2 adults & up to 4 children under 18
Friday, March 25, 6:00pm-7:30pm
Learn all about the owls of Minnesota, dissect an owl pellet, and go on a short naturalist hike to look for owls.

Peregrine Falcons-Live Raptors!
2022-04-02 06:00 - 07:00
Party with Peregrine Falcons-Live Raptors! (all ages, $5/kids 12+under, $10/adult)
Saturday, April 2
Session 1: 11am-12pm
Session 2: 12:30pm-1:30pm
Raptors are often regarded as a species to be admired and prized by human societies, often representing power, independence, and strength. In particular, peregrine falcons have risen to the highest level of admiration due to their striking physical markings, speed, and care for their young. When the peregrine falcon population plummeted to fewer than 200 birds in the United States, it was no wonder that many people joined forces to save the species.
Come and learn more about the peregrine story, what is being done right here in Minnesota to help the species, and what we have discovered about them after 40 years of research. Jackie Fallon, wildlife biologist, master falconer, and educator for over 30 years, will be our presenter. She is currently the VP of Field Operations for the Midwest Peregrine Society and MN state coordinator for peregrine monitoring and currently manages all aspects of research at over 50 peregrine falcon territories in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Little Sprouts!
2022-04-12 04:30 - 06:00
Little Sprouts is a parent/child class for children birth through 5 years old. There are planned educational exploration activities with a different theme each week. Dress for the weather, as most of the class will be outside.
Classes are held on Tuesdays from 9:30-11 am unless otherwise noted.
Cost: $10/child, $5/member child
April 12 Shapes in Nature
April 26 Birds and Nests
May 10 Worms and Mud
May 24 What’s in the Water?
Saturday, June 11 Textures of Nature (0-3 yr olds)
June 14 Shapes in Nature (3-5 yr olds) 9 am-11 am
June 28 What’s in the Water (0-3 yr olds)
August 2 What’s in the Water (3-5 yr olds) 9 am-11 am
August 9 Beautiful Birds (0-3 yr olds)

Bluebird Conservation
2022-04-20 13:00 - 14:30
Bluebird Conservation
Wednesday, April 20, from 6 pm- 7:30 pm
$5/member, $10/nonmember
Learn all about these beautiful birds and statewide conservation efforts from the Bluebird Recovery Program of Minnesota.

Great River Greening Buckthorn Bust
2022-04-21 13:00 - 15:00
On behalf of River Bend Nature Center, Great River Greening is hosting a series of restoration events throughout early 2022. The management of invasive species, accomplished by dedicated volunteers, helps to enhance and protect the dwarf trout lily habitat, the surrounding big woods habitat, and increase biodiversity.
Great River Greening- Buckthorn Bust!
Thursday, April 21, 6 pm – 8 pm
Saturday, April 30, 9 am – 12 pm
Buckthorn is a dense shrub that can overtake a forest floor very quickly and out-compete native foliage.

Great River Greening Buckthorn Bust
2022-04-30 04:00 - 07:00
On behalf of River Bend Nature Center, Great River Greening is hosting a series of restoration events throughout early 2022. The management of invasive species, accomplished by dedicated volunteers, helps to enhance and protect the dwarf trout lily habitat, the surrounding big woods habitat, and increase biodiversity.
Great River Greening- Buckthorn Bust!
Saturday, April 30, 9 am – 12 pm
Buckthorn is a dense shrub that can overtake a forest floor very quickly and out-compete native foliage. You must pre-register with Great River Greening for this event.

Great River Greening- Pulling Garlic Mustard and Dame's Rocket
2022-05-05 13:00 - 15:00
Great River Greening- Pulling Garlic Mustard and Dame’s Rocket
Thursday, May 5, 6 pm – 8 pm
Volunteers will work to hand-pull invasive garlic mustard and dame’s rocket plants to help protect the dwarf trout lily that makes its home at the nature center. On behalf of River Bend Nature Center, Great River Greening is hosting a series of restoration events throughout early 2022. The management of invasive species, accomplished by dedicated volunteers, helps to enhance and protect the dwarf trout lily habitat, the surrounding big woods habitat, and increase biodiversity.
These are family-friendly events. Volunteers of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged to attend. No previous knowledge or experience is necessary, we will provide the tools and training required.
We will have light snacks and extra water available, however, please bring your own reusable water bottle and any additional snacks or lunch items you may need.
Ensuring the safety of our volunteers is our highest priority. It is important that event participants wear close-toed shoes and long sleeves to protect against ticks and scratchy brush. We recommend dressing for the weather, layers are key. We will hold the event rain or shine.
Once you have registered via GivePulse, organizers from Great River Greening will approve your registration and you will receive confirmation. You will continue to receive event reminders as the event nears. If you have further questions, please contact Amy at volunteer@greatrivergreening.org. If the event has reached capacity, please add your name to the waitlist and you will be automatically registered if space becomes available.

Adult Night Out: Spring Ephemerals
2022-05-13 13:00 - 14:00
Adult Night Out: Spring Ephemerals
Cost: $10/person, $5/member
Friday, May 13, 6:00pm-7:00pm
Enjoy an adult night out as you take a guided naturalist hike through River Bend to look at and learn about spring ephemeral flowers. These types of flowers only bloom once, in spring, and are found on the forest floor before trees are leafed out.

Great River Greening- Pulling Garlic Mustard and Dame's Rocket
2022-05-14 04:00 - 07:00
Great River Greening- Pulling Garlic Mustard and Dame’s Rocket
Saturday, May 14, 9 am -12 pm
Volunteers will work to hand-pull invasive garlic mustard and dame’s rocket plants to help protect the dwarf trout lily that makes its home at the nature center. On behalf of River Bend Nature Center, Great River Greening is hosting a series of restoration events throughout early 2022. The management of invasive species, accomplished by dedicated volunteers, helps to enhance and protect the dwarf trout lily habitat, the surrounding big woods habitat, and increase biodiversity.
These are family-friendly events. Volunteers of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged to attend. No previous knowledge or experience is necessary, we will provide the tools and training required.
We will have light snacks and extra water available, however, please bring your own reusable water bottle and any additional snacks or lunch items you may need.
Ensuring the safety of our volunteers is our highest priority. It is important that event participants wear close-toed shoes and long sleeves to protect against ticks and scratchy brush. We recommend dressing for the weather, layers are key. We will hold the event rain or shine.
Once you have registered via GivePulse, organizers from Great River Greening will approve your registration and you will receive confirmation. You will continue to receive event reminders as the event nears. If you have further questions, please contact Amy at volunteer@greatrivergreening.org. If the event has reached capacity, please add your name to the waitlist and you will be automatically registered if space becomes available.

Faribault High School Field Biology Internship Final Projects
2022-05-18 13:00 - 14:30
Faribault High School Field Biology Internship Final Projects
By Faribault High School Field Biology Internship Class
Cost: FREE, Open to all ages. May 18, 6-7:30pm
Come hear from students who participated in a year-long field biology internship class at River Bend Nature Center. Find out what projects they took on and what they learned.

Build Your Own Pollinator Sanctuary
2022-05-21 05:00 - 07:00
Build Your Own Pollinator Sanctuary
Cost: $40/members, $65/nonmembers
Saturday, May 21, 10am-12pm
Pollinators are important players in our everyday lives whether we know it or not. Without them, we wouldn’t have half the food resources we do. As more land is developed, they lose their habitat, but you can help! Create a sanctuary of native plants that will provide them food, water, and shelter and bring you everlasting beauty, enjoyment, and satisfaction of knowing you are doing your part in keeping these pollinators around. Join Naturalist Katy to learn how simple it can be. The program will include a presentation, a tour of River Bend’s prairie, a take-home guidebook, and a perennial plant. Pre-registration is required.

Summer Camp Meadowlarks (K-2nd) Pond Hoppers
2022-06-12 - 2022-06-14
Bring lunch and snacks needed to get through a busy day. Join the River Bend naturalist team for a summer of discovery. Experience all of your favorite camp activities while making memories, learning new skills, and exploring nature. Each camp has limited space available and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Upon completion of registration, you will receive a confirmation email with an attached information packet including the River Bend liability form and health form. Two weeks before the camp, you will receive an additional reminder email. Meadowlarks are children entering Kindergarten through second grade in Fall of 2022.
June 13-14 Pond hoppers!
Visit River Bend’s ponds during this two-day camp. Explore what lives in the ponds, what they eat, and how they survive. Go on adventures and don’t be afraid to get messy!

Summer Camp Meadowlarks (K-2nd) What's the Bzzzz on Pollinators?
2022-06-14 - 2022-06-16
Meadowlarks-Entering Kindergarten through 2nd Grade in Fall 2022
Bring lunch and snacks needed to get through a busy day. Join the River Bend naturalist team for a summer of discovery. Experience all of your favorite camp activities while making memories, learning new skills, and exploring nature. Each camp has limited space available and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Upon completion of registration, you will receive a confirmation email with an attached information packet including the River Bend liability form and health form. Two weeks before the camp, you will receive an additional reminder email.
June 15-16 What’s the Bzzzz on Pollinators?
Join us as we discover what pollinators are and why they are important. Where do they live? What do they do? How can we help?

Great River Greening- Wild Parsnip Pull
2022-06-16 14:00 - 16:00
Great River Greening- Wild Parsnip Pull
Thursday, June 16, 7 pm- 9 pm
Volunteers will work to remove wild parsnip plants to help protect the dwarf trout lily that makes its home at the nature center.
General Information
These are family-friendly events. Volunteers of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged to attend. No previous knowledge or experience is necessary, we will provide the tools and training required.
We will have light snacks and extra water available, however, please bring your own reusable water bottle and any additional snacks or lunch items you may need.
Ensuring the safety of our volunteers is our highest priority. It is important that event participants wear close-toed shoes and long sleeves to protect against ticks and scratchy brush. We recommend dressing for the weather, layers are key. We will hold the event rain or shine.
Once you have registered via GivePulse, organizers from Great River Greening will approve your registration and you will receive confirmation. You will continue to receive event reminders as the event nears. If you have further questions, please contact Amy at volunteer@greatrivergreening.org. If the event has reached capacity, please add your name to the waitlist and you will be automatically registered if space becomes available.

Build Your Own Pollinator Sanctuary
2022-06-23 13:30 - 15:30
Build Your Own Pollinator Sanctuary
Cost: $40/members, $65/nonmembers
Thursday, June 23, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Pollinators are important players in our everyday lives whether we know it or not. Without them, we wouldn’t have half the food resources we do. As more land is developed, they lose their habitat, but you can help! Create a sanctuary of native plants that will provide them food, water, and shelter and bring you everlasting beauty, enjoyment, and satisfaction of knowing you are doing your part in keeping these pollinators around. Join Naturalist Katy to learn how simple it can be. The program will include a presentation, a tour of River Bend’s prairie, a take-home guidebook, and a perennial plant. Pre-registration is required. Masks are required inside the interpretive center.

Summer Camp Herons (3rd-5th grade) Birds of a Feather
2022-06-26 - 2022-06-28
Herons-entering 3rd through 5th Grade in Fall 2022
June 27-28 Birds of A Feather
How do birds fly? How do they build their nests? Join us as we explore the world of birds. In addition to educational activities, there will also be plenty of time to search for the many birds that call River Bend home.
Bring lunch and snacks needed to get through a busy day. Join the River Bend naturalist team for a summer of discovery. Experience all of your favorite camp activities while making memories, learning new skills, and exploring nature. Each camp has limited space available and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Upon completion of registration, you will receive a confirmation email with an attached information packet including the River Bend liability form and health form. Two weeks before the camp, you will receive an additional reminder email. These forms can also be found here.

Summer Camp- Herons (3rd-5th grade) Archery Camp
2022-06-28 - 2022-06-30
Herons-entering 3rd through 5th Grade in Fall 2022
June 29-30 Archery Camp
Learn the basics of archery at River Bend Nature Center. Learners will explore the history of archery, how humans have used archery for survival and will get to hone their skills with a bow and arrow over two days. Archery equipment is provided, but students may bring their bow and arrow on day two of the camp if applicable.
Bring lunch and snacks needed to get through a busy day. Join the River Bend naturalist team for a summer of discovery. Experience all of your favorite camp activities while making memories, learning new skills, and exploring nature. Each camp has limited space available and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Upon completion of registration, you will receive a confirmation email with an attached information packet including the River Bend liability form and health form. Two weeks before the camp, you will receive an additional reminder email. These forms can also be found here.

Meadowlarks& Herons (K-5) Survival Camp
2022-07-06 04:00 - 11:00
Join River Bend Naturalists as we explore how living things survive! We will explore what plants and animals need to survive and their adaptations. We will then discover what humans would need to survive in the wild. Experience all of your favorite camp activities while making memories, learning new skills, and exploring nature. Each camp has limited space available and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Bring a lunch and snacks needed to get through a busy day.

Summer Camp Meadowlarks (K-2nd) Dinosaur Discovery
2022-07-10 - 2022-07-12
Meadowlarks-entering Kindergarten through 2nd Grade in Fall 2022
July 11-12 Dinosaur Discovery
Travel back in time as we explore the wonderful world of dinosaurs! When did they roam, what did they look like, what did they eat? Explore all of this and more as we have a roaring good time!
Bring lunch and snacks needed to get through a busy day. Join the River Bend naturalist team for a summer of discovery. Experience all of your favorite camp activities while making memories, learning new skills, and exploring nature. Each camp has limited space available and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Upon completion of registration, you will receive a confirmation email with an attached information packet including the River Bend liability form and health form. Two weeks before the camp, you will receive an additional reminder email.

Summer Camp Meadowlarks (K-2nd) Soaring in the Sky
2022-07-12 - 2022-07-14
Meadowlarks-Entering Kindergarten through 2nd Grade in Fall 2022
July 13-14 Soaring in the Sky
Come fly away with us! From insects to birds and mammals, explore the wonder of flight while learning about these animals. Campers’ heads will be so full of knowledge they just might float away!
Bring lunch and snacks needed to get through a busy day. Join the River Bend naturalist team for a summer of discovery. Experience all of your favorite camp activities while making memories, learning new skills, and exploring nature. Each camp has limited space available and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Upon completion of registration, you will receive a confirmation email with an attached information packet including the River Bend liability form and health form. Two weeks before the camp, you will receive an additional reminder email. These forms can also be found here.

Forest Therapy Walk
2022-07-16 04:00 - 06:00
Forest Therapy Walk
Cost: $60/person, $50/member
Saturday, July 16, 2022, 9-11am
Improved mental health. Lower stress levels. Heightened immune response. Deep gratitude. A renewed connection with creation and Creator. Through a series of invitations designed to boost your senses and evoke discovery, the ANFT-certified Jerad Morey will guide you on a Forest Therapy Walk. Past participants have called their experience “transformative,” “meaningful,” and “spiritual” and reported feelings of refreshment, relaxation, and peace.
A Forest Therapy Walk is not an extended hike – you will not be huffing and puffing or racking up your step count – but you will be invited to traverse unpaved and uneven ground. Please bring a full water bottle and dress appropriately for a few hours in the weather including sunscreen, bug deterrent, a portable chair or clothes in which you can sit on the ground, and shoes in which you can walk off-trail.

Summer Camp - Meadowlarks& Herons (K-5) Water, Water, Everywhere!
2022-07-17 - 2022-07-19
Meadowlarks & Herons (Grades K-5)
July 18 & 19, Mon-Tues, 9am – 4pm
$55 ($30 for members)
Join us as we explore WATER! Where does water come from and where does it go? How do living things use water? We will explore the different forms of water that are or were at River Bend, including the ocean! Yes, River Bend was once an ocean and we will explore what lived here during that time.
Experience all of your favorite camp activities while making memories, learning new skills, and exploring nature. Each camp has limited space available and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Bring a lunch and snacks needed to get through a busy day.

Summer Camp Herons (3rd-5th grade) Survival Skills Camp!
2022-07-24 - 2022-07-26
Herons-entering 3rd through 5th Grade in Fall 2022
July 25-26 Survival Skills Camp!
What are the basics of human survival? How have humans survived in the past? This two-day camp will be spent having fun outside, working collaboratively, and learning lifelong skills that will be sure to excite any outdoor enthusiastic learner!
Bring lunch and snacks needed to get through a busy day. Join the River Bend naturalist team for a summer of discovery. Experience all of your favorite camp activities while making memories, learning new skills, and exploring nature. Each camp has limited space available and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Upon completion of registration, you will receive a confirmation email with an attached information packet including the River Bend liability form and health form. Two weeks before the camp, you will receive an additional reminder email. These forms can also be found here.

Archery Ages 8-15 Session 1
2022-08-02 10:00 - 11:00
Fee: $20/member, $30/non-member
Structure: 2 part program, One-hour sessions
Time: 10:00 – 11:00 am
The NASP archery equipment provided for this program was sponsored by a No Child Left Inside grant through the Minnesota DNR.

Tuesday, August 2nd – Intro to Archery
Tuesday, August 9th – Competition Archery

Archery Session 1 (ages 16+)
2022-08-04 10:00 - 11:00
August Archery Month
Fee: $20/member, $30/non-member
Structure: 2 part program, One-hour sessions
Time: 10:00 – 11:00 am
The NASP archery equipment provided for this program was sponsored by a No Child Left Inside grant through the Minnesota DNR.

Dates for Ages 16+
Session One
Thursday, August 4th – Intro to Archery
Thursday, August 11th – Competition Archery

Archery Session 2 (ages 8-15)
2022-08-16 10:00 - 11:00
Fee: $20/member, $30/non-member
Structure: 2 part program, One-hour sessions
Time: 10:00 – 11:00 am
The NASP archery equipment provided for this program was sponsored by a No Child Left Inside grant through the Minnesota DNR.

Session Two
Tuesday, August 16th – Intro to Archery
Tuesday, August 23rd – Competition Archery

Family Archery
2022-08-16 18:00 - 19:00
Family Archery
August 16, 6-7:00pm
ages 8+ Cost: $5member/$20member family; & $10person/$40 family; * A family is 2 adults & up to 4 children under 18
Learn the basics of archery and have fun practicing with a compound bow. The NASP archery equipment provided for this program was sponsored by a No Child Left Inside grant through the Minnesota DNR.

Archery Session 2 (ages 16+)
2022-08-18 10:00 - 11:00
August Archery Month
Fee: $20/member, $30/non-member
Structure: 2-part program, One-hour sessions
Time: 10:00 – 11:00 am
The NASP archery equipment provided for this program was sponsored by a No Child Left Inside grant through the Minnesota DNR.

Session Two
Thursday, August 18th – Intro to Archery
Thursday, August 25th – Competition Archery

Ramble: Building Community through Nature
2022-08-26 17:30 - 20:00
You can purchase tickets online, over the phone at 507-332-7151, or in person at the interpretive center. If you are unable to attend you can purchase raffle tickets in person at the interpretive center, bid on auction items, or make a donation.
