Conservation Education Center
Upcoming Events
We are happy to provide our regularly scheduled hikes along with special events. Please check back regularly for updates or follow us on social media for more frequent updates.
"A Walk in the Woods"
SVMS Fungi Foray
Saturday, May 17th
10:30am
Join members of the Susquehanna Valley Mycological Society as we hold a foray and walk with attendees through some of the wooded areas on and off the trails at the Waterman Center in Apalachin New York. Learn about fungal habitats, how to gather fungi for identification purposes, and where and when to look for fungi. We hope to gather a variety of species and will bring our finds back to display outside on the picnic tables. A question and answer session will take place after the walk.
This is a rain or shine event, so dress appropriately. Consider hiking shoes or boots as there may be wet areas. Bring your enthusiasm, your water bottle and/or a snack and a small basket for gathering, and a lawn chair for comfortable seating.
Car pool if at all possible. We hope to see you there!
$5/person at the door
Free for Waterman & SVMS Members
Registration is required
Sit with the Birds:
An Accessible Birding Event
Saturday, May 24th, 2025
1:00pm - 3:00pm
Are you interested in birds, but maybe a walk in the woods isn’t quite your style? Join Naturalist Michelle Knuepfer for an afternoon stationary birding event at the Waterman Center! This is a beginner-friendly birding event that is intentionally designed to be accessible to people with a variety of disabilities. No previous knowledge of birds is required; just bring your excitement to observe & learn about birds!
This program will take place between the parking lot and the field in front of the building. We will be observing birds around the field and parking lot, as well as birding by ear for birds that may be hanging out in the surrounding woods or down the hill. Some common species include: Gray Catbird, Eastern Bluebird, Eastern Phoebe, Tree Swallow, House Wren, Brown-headed Cowbird, House Sparrow, and American Robin, as well as a variety of warblers & sparrows in the surrounding fields.
While this event is scheduled to run from 1 pm until 3 pm, participants are welcome to stay for as little or as long as they wish. We will be compiling an eBird list for the entire duration. There will be a spotting scope available for participants who wish to get a particularly close-up view of any birds. Field guides will be available through the Waterman Center library. Five sets of loaner binoculars are available for participants, with a quick tutorial provided for anyone new to using binoculars.
This program is free for participants, with a suggested donation of $5 to support the Waterman Center. All ages are welcome.
Registration is required. Attendance will be capped at 20 participants.
Feel free to contact Michelle at programs@watermancenter.org or call the Waterman Center at (607) 625-2221 with any questions! In the event of adverse weather, registered participants will be notified by 3pm on Friday, the day before the event.
Facilities Notes:
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There are 2 accessible all-gender bathrooms available inside the building, which will be open during the program.
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Parking lot is paved & directly adjacent to the meeting area, with one section of sod cells (a type of permeable pavement made of a hard plastic grid filled in by dirt & grass). It includes 2 dedicated accessible parking spots, both of which are van accessible.
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Shade is available inside the building or at the green roof pavilion with a concrete base near the accessible parking spots. There is a larger pavilion near the field where the event is taking place that has picnic tables and a gravel floor.
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Surfaces: 35 foot concrete path from parking area to building front door, 24 foot grass path from end of parking area to wooden bleachers.
What to Bring:
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Sunscreen, water (bottled water may be available during the event)
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Lawn chair or picnic blanket (if preferred to wooden bleachers)
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Binoculars, if you have them (not required - just let us know if you need a loaner pair)
Description of Bleachers: wooden bleachers with 3 risers to sit on, with grass underneath and wood chips behind them between the bleachers and parking lot. The bottom riser is 16 inches high, the middle one 22 inches high, and the top one is 35 inches high. There are 2 foot rest board in between the risers: one level to the ground between the 1st and 2nd risers, and one at 16 inches high between the 2nd (middle) and third (top) riser.
The Susquehanna Series
LAST TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH AT 7PM
Join us for presentations by local experts about different aspects of the Susquehanna River! Our fourth presentation will be Tuesday, May 27th, 2025 at the Waterman Center. Join local naturalist and author Rick Marsi for For The Love of Wetlands. Drawn from the pages of Rick’s book, “For The Love Of Wetlands: A Field Journal,” this program chronicles a year in the life of Rick’s favorite Southern Tier wetland. From ice-out in late February to freeze-up in late November, this watery ecosystem boasts an impressive diversity of flora and fauna. Herons, turtles, frogs, wood ducks – the list of species dependent on local wetlands seems endless. Get to know how wetlands work and what creatures inhabit them through Rick’s educational and entertaining narrative. His magazine-quality photos illustrate the program.