If you live south of Boston, I want to invite you to a workshop I’ll be giving on Sat., Jan. 31:
Woody Plants in Winter: An Intro to iNaturalist
Saturday, Jan. 31, 10-12 noon. Led by Dan Harper, sponsored by the Cohasset Conservation Trust.
Come explore the winter woods using iNaturalist, a nonprofit online platform that helps you learn about nature while connecting you with other nature lovers. We’ll start indoors with an introduction to iNaturalist. Then we’ll head outdoors, to identify trees and shrubs in Great Brewster Woods and Dean’s Meadow, a 25-acre tract of woodland next to Cohasset Common.
10 a.m., Introduction to iNaturalist, Carriage House Nursery School, 23 N. Main St. Cohasset. Learn the power of the iNaturalist platform, which offers computer vision identification suggestions that are checked by human experts who volunteer their time. If possible, install the iNaturalist app on your smartphone in advance.
11 a.m., Woody Plants in Winter, start at Carriage House Nursery School, 23 N. Main St. Cohasset. After an introduction to identifying woody plants in winter, we’ll go out and find some plants to identify. We’ll use the classic field guide Woody Plants in Winter by Earl L. Core and Nelle P. Ammons, as well as other field guides. If you have a 10x hand lens, or a macro lens for your phone, please bring it along.
All ages are welcome, but persons under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Please note that iNaturalist users under the age of 12 must obtain parental permission to use the platform here.
Weather cancellation: Major winter storm cancels. Otherwise, dress for the weather. If it’s super cold or wet, we’ll spend minimal time outdoors, and bring samples indoors to identify in comfort.
As a professional educator for 25 years, Dan Harper developed curriculum for a weekly ecojustice class (gr. 6-8), a week-long ecology day camp (gr. 2-8), and week-long half-day workshops for children and adults. He currently is co-director of Ecojustice Camp South Shore.
The Cohasset Conservation Trust is a volunteer, non-profit organization whose mission is the protection of areas of ecological importance, such as marshes, woodlands, and seashores; the promotion of public interest in conservation and smart development; and the preservation of properties of unique historic interest or unusual beauty.
