Join us for an intentional walk along the trails with Frances Pollitt. Moments of silence and moments of discussion about discoveries will punctuate the walk. All ages welcome. Children will have a special scavenger hunt along the way. Anticipate delight and learning.

Wear long pants and waterproof shoes, expect mosquitoes, and prepare for ticks. Anticipate delight and learning. Bring a favorite writing to share about the natural world

Dr. Jon Way, founder of Eastern Coyote/Coywolf Research, returns to SVT to share his expertise eastern coyotes in Massachusetts. This photo and video presentation will cover coyote ecology and behavior, and hybridization with western coyote and wolves. Not an SVT member?Join now!

Presented in partnership with WayDOG

Location change: To accomodate more participants, this program is now being held at First Parish Church in Sudbury.

Learn more about our local dragonflies in an indoor presentation by naturalist Greg Dysart. Using stunning photographs taken of live, wild dragonflies, Greg will review the different groups of these ancient and fascinating insects.

Program Full. Please register to be added to the wait list. 

Come walk our new trails at Wayside Forest and learn about the variety of habitat types on the property (fields, wetlands, and uplands), why we need these habitats, and which species they support.

Program Full: Please register to be added to wait list. 

Street trees and urban forests don't just create a backdrop to our daily lives, they provide many tangible benefits. Learn the history of urban trees, the benefits of trees, and why we should be planting more trees.

Note: Location change to Wolbach Farm in Sudbury. This program has been expanded beyond Urban Trees to discuss the benefits of trees to our wellbeing. If weather permits, participants will also go outside to observe some of the trees at Wolbach Farm.

Come learn more about SVT, what we do and how we do it, and how you can be a part of our volunteer community. This session is for those who recently started volunteering and those who want to learn about our volunteer opportunities, both on our properties and in our office.

Local writer John Hanson Mitchell, author of Ceremonial Time: Fifteen Thousand Years on One Square Mile, will share insights on the interrelationship between nature and human cultures. In his current work, Mitchell explores the plants and animals that can be found along one small section of Beaver Brook, just north of the Great Road, in Littleton. Over the centuries, four different cultures have lived along the shores of the brook, each of which had its own stories of the animals and the plants  — until now. when all these once well-known legends have been forgotten.

Learn how to prioritize and plan a project to maximize fundability. CISMA (Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area) experts will be presenting three case studies of invasives management projects detailed from start to finish. Examples will cover a range of site conditions and methods. We’ll talk about project prioritization, identifying goals, and following through on management. Participants will break into small group discussions where they can work on their own project ideas within the context of these principles. Funding sources and tips will be reviewed.

Attendees should bring a map and basic site information to be used in the working groups at this training.  Attendees will have 30 days after the workshop to submit their final proposal for review and comment by our team.

This workshop is being sponsored by CISMA, www.suasco-cisma.org, part of the Metrowest Conservation Alliance.

Interested in helping out in the SVT office? We are seeking a group of volunteers to help prepare our Spring Appeal for mailing. Folding, stuffing, etc. You know what they say about many hands! 

A light meal will be provided. Bring a friend!

Join us to work on trails at SVT's newest property, Smith Conservation Land in Littleton. We'll be working to trim branches, rake the new trail surface, and close some informal paths to prepare for public access at the property. Tools will be provided, unless you have favorites that you'd like to bring. Registration is required.

Help manage buckthorn at the beautiful and ecologically significant Memorial Forest! We will be manually pulling this invasive species, working to ensure that it does not take over and crowd out native plants, reducing healthy wildlife habitat. 

Memorial Forest and the Desert Natural Area have undergone significant restoration work to ensure the health of the rare ecosystem found there. See first hand what is being done to protect this area. 

No experience necessary. This work day is appropriate for families, if parents would like to involve children ages 7+ in the effort.

Explore the beautiful landscape of Upper Mill Brook with Frances Pollitt, who has been enjoying this land since she was a girl. Caregivers and children will participate in a scavenger hunt of the natural world, encouraging closer observation. All ages welcome!

Join us for a morning spring bird walk through the woodlands of Mainstone Farm. This area will be teeming with birds returning from their winter migration. New birders welcome! Co-sponsored by Wayland Conservation Commission. SVT members: Free, Non-members $10

Get tick safety tips from Dan Wolff, inventor of the TickEase device for removing ticks from humans and pets. Inspired by his love of the outdoors—and his dogs—Dan researched ticks, tick removal, and tick-borne illnesses to become a “tick expert.” TickEase devices will be available for purchase. Presented in partnership with WayDOG.

Most of us appreciate trees for their aesthetic benefits or for the shade they provide on a hot day. But there’s more to know about the incredible impact trees have on our climate, our economy, and our psyches. Discover the many reasons trees— whether in urban, suburban, or wilderness settings—are important for the well-being of our planet and our species, and learn some of the fascinating strategies that healthy trees and forests use to survive and thrive. Co-sponsored by the Bedford Arbor Resource Committee.

Join us for a taste of forest therapy with Pam Frederick, Certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide. This introduction to “forest bathing” will slow us down and open our senses to the healing power of nature. See with the eyes of a child, feel the breeze on your face, and settle into the stillness and beauty of nature.

Program Full: Please register to be added to the wait list.

Garlic mustard, an invasive threat to ecosystems, is also tasty and nutritious! Participants will get their hands dirty foraging for this invasive herb before gathering together to prepare simple and flavorful recipes. Katy Allen of Open Spirit will also discuss the spirituality of eating invasive plants.

Co-sponsored by Open Spirit.

Learn techniques to make your paintings come alive! This six-week workshop introduces you to materials, and explores how to lay a wash, mix colors, create textures and highlights, build glazes and design a palette. Materials not included.  

This 6-week series starts on April 30 and runs through June 4, Tuesdays, 10:15 am - 12:15 pm

Cedar Hill is a welcoming environment for birds due to a variety of habitats types as well as SVT’s efforts to restore habitats on the decline. Join SVT Board President and expert birder Andy Magee for this spring morning bird walk. New birders welcome!

Want to learn more about birding? Join us for our first Discovery Day of the year to learn essential skills, like how to use a scope, identifying birds by habitat, and birding by ear. Bring binoculars and a healthy sense of curiosity.

All participants will be invited to take part in our All Day BioBlitz on June 22.

This is the second session in our Conservation Options Series. Chapter 61 programs lower property taxes on forests, farms, and open spaces as long as they are kept undeveloped and productive. (A town has the right of first refusal to purchase a Chapter 61 property if development is proposed for it.) At this session, you’ll learn whether Chapter 61 is right for you. Guest speakers will include a local woodlot owner and foresters from the Mass. Dept. of Conservation & Recreation. A site walk at

Wilder Road woodlot will follow the presentation. Residents of all towns are welcome.

The Conservation Options Series is a joint effort of SVT, the Bolton Agricultural Commission, the Bolton Conservation Commission, and the Bolton Conservation Trust.

Future sessions will cover Conservation Restrictions (August) and Agricultural Preservation Restrictions (October). 

Plocka: Swedish for “to pick up.” Join us for a walk at Forty Caves and enjoy the scenic view of the ravine and its fascinating rock formations. Along the way, we’ll clean up the trails by picking up trash! This event was inspired by SVT members Sophie Glasser and Richard Kramer, who frequently “plocka” and thought it would be fun to do it with other environmental enthusiasts.

Help us eradicate garlic mustard from the woods at Wolbach Farm. Learn about invasives while getting your hands dirty. Garlic mustard is particularly noxious because it disrupts soil microbial processes and displaces native plants. Tools provided. Free.

Explore the land behind the historic Longfellow’s Wayside Inn with Ron McAdow. Learn bird songs and calls, identify a variety of bird species, and enjoy a short hike along Carding Mill Pond.  Bring binoculars and wear dull colored clothing

Spring is a special time in New England when wildflowers grace our woods with delicate and ephemeral splashes of color and beauty. Join us for a walk along the trails and you will get to know spring wild flowers, their habitats, and pollinators.

Join us for an evening walk to listen for whip-poor-wills at Memorial Forest. These rare birds are more likely to be active under the light of the full moon.  

Program Full: Please register to be added to wait list. 

Ever wondered how to better identify plants? Ever wish you could figure out what species of butterfly just flitted past? Come join us for this Discovery Day and learn to observe and identify butterflies and how to find clues that will help you differentiate various species.

All participants will be invited to take part in our All Day BioBlitz on June 22.

Visit one of the most scenic areas in Sudbury with landowner Carole Wolfe. You will have the opportunity to view historic buildings, farm fields, stone walls, and Pantry Brook, and learn about the history of life on the farm.

Program Full: Please register to be added to wait list. 

Native Americans have lived in southern New England for 10,000 years. Tonya Largy of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology will discuss how archaeologists learn about ancient peoples from several lines of evidence—including stone tools, ceramics, and the remains of animals and plants found during excavations—and will also explain how dates are obtained from these materials.  She will also discuss several archaeological projects carried out in Metrowest communities.  Artifacts excavated in Wayland will be available for viewing. 

Monarch butterflies are popular seasonal visitors with a fascinating story. Join us to see their incredible transformation from egg to butterfly, and learn how this prepares them to undertake the journey to their winter home in Mexico. Learn about the challenges they are facing, how conservation efforts are attempting to strengthen their numbers, and how you can make a difference in your own backyard.

Have you always been curious about what is going on in vernal pools? Ever wondered about the different types of salamanders? Did you rummage through leaf litter as kid marveling at the wondrous variety of organisms?

Join us on our 3rd and final Discovery Day and learn how to identify salamanders, aquatic, and terrestrial invertebrates. We may also have some special guest turtles! Each Discovery Day is designed to help you build the skills to identify species and more deeply interact with the natural world. Bring shoes that can get wet, hand lens or binoculars if you have them, and a healthy sense of curiosity.

All participants will be invited to take part in our All Day BioBlitz on June 22.

This All Day BioBlitz is a culmination of our three BioBlitz Discovery Days

BioBlitz Discovery Day: Birds on Saturday, May 4

BioBlitz Discovery Day: Plants and Pollinators on Saturday, May 18

BioBlitz Discovery Day: Herps and Aquatics on Saturday, June 1

Participants in the Discovery Days and expert naturalists are invited to take part in a BioBlitz across the High Ridge. The High Ridge is an area of high ecological importance at the borders of Harvard, Littleton, and Boxborough.

We need your help to document all the special species that are in the area. Anytime during the day, come to one of our designated sites and use the iNaturalist app or a pen and paper to document what you find! At the end of the day, you will be invited to come share your observations for the day 

SVT is proud to host Drumlin Farm's (Mass Audubon) Wolbach Wonders program series in our barn and along the trail. Sessions are 10:00 am - 11:30 on select Wednesday mornings this summer. 

Gather for story time and a beautiful view at Wolbach Farm in Sudbury. Listen in as a Drumlin Farm Teacher Naturalist reads one of our favorite children’s books, meet an animal from the story, and venture outside for a nature walk. Join us for one, some, or all sessions.

To receive the member rate, SVT members are asked to call Drumlin Farm at 781-259-2220 to register. 

Rock-a-Bye Baby on July 10

Little Mouse on July 17

Turtle Time on July 24

Go, Bunny, Go! on July 31

Bug Hunt on August 7

Farm Friends on August 14