Menu
Log in
Log in

Over 60 Years of Community Service 

ADULT Group Programs

Adult nature enthusiasts will find these "hands on" interactive field trip programs informative and also a chance to explore the trails and unique habitats of the nature center. Join one of our Environmental Educators to discover what our 380 acre living museum has to offer! Consider scheduling your next retreat at TNC!

Can't come to the Tenafly Nature Center? Through our TNC to Go Adult Speakers Bureau, our adult Traveling Naturalists offer a variety of presentations and programs that can be brought to your location and tailored for your particular organization.

Are you just interested in renting space at the Tenafly Nature Center? Tenafly Nature Center rents the Education Pavilion & Campfire Circle to its members for meetings, workshops, or parties.

Field Trips for Adult Groups 

Field Trip programs are designed to be taught at Tenafly Nature Center, however you can also schedule a TNC to Go at your location to participate in some of these same experiences.

 Sample Schedule

 Half Day
 (One 90-minute program)

 Full Day
 (Two 90-minute programs)

 9:15 am

 Groups arrive at TNC

 Groups arrive at TNC

 9:30 am-11:00 am

 Program #1 (ex. Maple Sugaring)

 Program #1 (ex. Maple Sugaring)

 11:00 am-11:45 am

 Lunch Time in reserved space

 Lunch Time in reserved space

 11:45 am-1:15 pm

 Group departs TNC

 Program #2 (ex. Outdoor Survival)

 1:15 pm

 

 Group departs TNC


Available All Year (All programs are 90 minutes) 
Click title to view description


Perfect for a corporate event or staff retreat, our team-building challenges will engage your team with different hands-on activities. These games and challenges will stimulate a part of the brain that isn’t often used at work, while getting creative juices flowing and cultivate cooperative skills.


Learn about the major factors that threaten animals with endangerment and extinction worldwide. Through use of artifacts and live animals, participants will learn the status of select native New Jersey fauna. Activities are designed to raise awareness of New Jersey’s over 60 endangered species, and inspire participants to practice how they can help prevent threats to local wildlife.


“Herps” (reptiles and amphibians) are among the most under-appreciated and misunderstood species of the animal world. This program will introduce participants to live snakes, frogs, salamanders and turtles and highlight the characteristics which distinguish between reptiles and amphibians.


Discover how the earth's magnetism can be utilized to help locate directions and learn how to use a compass properly. Learn about pacing and then apply all newly learned skills on an outdoor course and work as a group to complete a magnetic and direction finding challenge.


Learn about orienteering, a competitive international sport that combines racing with navigation. Discover how to analyze and interpret data from maps to identify natural and man-made features. Learn how to orient a map and then participate in a timed race in which individual participants use topographic maps to select routes and navigate their way to find hidden control points along TNC trails.


Discover the essential things people need to survive and learn about the "rules of three". Generate and compare solutions and develop a plan to construct a survival shelter or other tools needed to aid in wilderness survival.


Participants will observe several live raptors up close and learn about their behavior, physiology, adaptations, ecological importance and natural history. Hands-on artifacts and demonstrations will capture the imagination of everyone.


Seasonal Field Trip Programs
(All programs are 90 minutes)
 
Click title to view description


Investigate plant parts, their uses, and simple machines by using an old-fashioned screw press to make and sample fresh apple cider. In the process, participants learn about the history of the cider making from colonial times to the present.


Discover what plants need, and how their main parts function to help with their survival. Explore how daylight affects a plants seasonal cycle and what that has to do with Maple Syrup. Learn how to identify a Maple tree and discover how to make maple syrup as we journey through the entire process of sap to syrup. Find out how those processes have changed over time and take the syrup challenge where participants taste and try to distinguish 100% maple from other syrup.


Examine the living macro-invertebrates found in a freshwater pond system and discover how each animals external parts help it to meet their needs. Learn about the diverse life cycles found within TNC's freshwater habitats, the interrelationships found within, and how human activity impacts these.


Observe and learn about the characteristics of each season and how the amount of daylight relates to any changes. Discover how plants and animals respond to seasonal changes and what factors trigger that response. Learn why the leaves fall in the autumn, what signs animals leave in the winter, and how plants and animals prepare for changes and new growth in spring.

Field Trip Add-Ons
Click title to view description


Help support the animal ambassadors that live at TNC, in conjunction with a scheduled field trip. Enjoy a 30 minute up close visit and Q&A session with your sponsored animal. All school & summer group sponsorship's receive a thank you package which includes: a group photo with the animal, certificate, photograph of sponsored animal, recognition in our newsletter, species information and animal's biography.

Fee: $60


Come visit our beloved seasonal exhibit filled with live native butterflies. This add-on showcases beautifully colored butterflies sipping nectar and taking flight, offering students the opportunity to better understand and appreciate their life cycle and importance to the ecosystem. Inside you will be welcome to chat with staff or volunteers, ask questions, and enjoy the space while butterflies flit and fly about. Observe butterfly chrysalis in the chrysalis box. Maybe you will be lucky enough to see a butterfly emerge!

Fee: $2 per participant (15 min. per 10 students)

*butterflies are less active when temperatures are below 70 F or if it is overcast and/or raining.


Before or after your scheduled programs, enjoy a guided trail walk along one of our trails, led by a TNC staff member.

Fee: $50-$75 (30-60 minutes)


Before or after your scheduled programs, grab a trail map and guide your students along one of our trails.

Fee: Free

Adult Field Trip Pricing


Half Day (One 90-minute program)

Full Day (One 90-minute program)

Per student
$15$25
Minimum
$225$375
  • Maximum group size is 30 children per TNC educator.
  • A maximum of 120 participants can be accommodated at TNC at one time. Larger groups can be divided between morning and afternoon, or scheduled over several days.
  • In order to obtain adequate staff, advance notice of additional participants required. We reserve the right to limit the number of non-registered participants on the trail to the number originally registered on the confirmation form.
  • Groups choosing the full day option have bathroom/lunch time included (total field trip time 3.5 hours)
  • If your funds are limited, please consider applying for a scholarship (we strive to make nature accessible to everyone).

Accessibility at TNC

Many of the programs Tenafly Nature Center offers can be altered to accommodate participants with special needs. We ask that you disclose pertinent information with a minimum of two weeks notice about any students that have any special needs (particular educational requirements resulting from learning difficulties, physical disability, or emotional and behavioral difficulties). This information enables us to make the necessary accommodations needed to meet the needs of your group.

TNC TO GO ADULT SPEAKERS BUREAU

TNC to Go programs are designed to be taught at your location, however you can also schedule a field trip to Tenafly Nature Center to participate in these same experiences.

All TNC staff are experienced public speakers and experts in their field. We offer interesting and lively presentations for all group sizes. Appropriate for any adult audience, including meetups, senior groups, special needs facilities, service clubs (Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions), garden clubs, college classes, professional organizations, homeowners associations and non-profits, we offer something special for your next meeting.

Available All Year (Unless otherwise noted, programs are 45-60 minutes):
Click title to view description


Discover the fiction, folklore, and facts about Bats and learn what Bats live in New Jersey. Discover how dogs and bathtubs are more dangerous as we discuss some of the amazing adaptations of bats and how they can make our lives better.


Although they look cute and cuddly black bears are an animal that demands respect and space. Discover how this large mammal has adapted as people have moved into their neighborhoods and what impacts they have had here in New Jersey.


Learn about backyard birds and how to recognize them. Discover which birds might visit backyard feeders and which ones stay for the winter. Learn which types of food attracts different species. Take a closer look at our colorful feathered friends and investigate their irresistible lure.


Discover how various creatures are shaped or colored to blend into their surroundings. Meet live animals that survive by using this technique and see how well you can spot the un-spottable!


Do you know if you are nocturnal, diurnal, or crepuscular? Join educators from the Tenafly Nature Center and find out! Through live animal demonstrations, learn about local species that inhabit the dark. From owls to opossums, learn about the amazing adaptations creatures possess to roam the nighttime landscape.


Deer have long been admired for their beauty and grace, but White-tailed Deer are also despised for devouring gardens and for transporting ticks to our yards. This program will offer ideas on how to deal with deer in the environment we share.


Learn about the major factors that threaten animals with endangerment and extinction worldwide. Through use of artifacts and live animals, participants will learn the status of select native New Jersey fauna. Activities are designed to raise awareness of New Jersey’s over 60 endangered species, and inspire participants to practice how they can help prevent threats to local wildlife.


Learn how amphibians play and important role in wetland ecosystems as indicators of environmental health and serve as both predator and prey. Discover how to tell the difference between New Jerseys local frogs by listening to their calls and the adaptations that make these animals amazing.


“Herps” (reptiles and amphibians) are among the most under-appreciated and misunderstood species of the animal world. This program will introduce participants to live snakes, frogs, salamanders and turtles and highlight the characteristics which distinguish between reptiles and amphibians.


Participants meet several live specimens as they learn what makes an insect different from other invertebrates. By observing life stages and adaptations, participants will learn how unique each creature is and why they are important to the environment and people alike.


Participants will observe several live raptors up close and learn about their behavior, physiology, adaptations, ecological importance and natural history. Hands-on artifacts and demonstrations will capture the imagination of everyone.


Squirrels, mice, and moles all have something in common, they are all rodents. Learn what adaptations these creatures share that make them related and what makes them different from other mammal species.


Learn how salamanders differ from lizards and what species can be found in New Jersey. Discover why people spend a night every year stopping traffic for these small amphibians and how they in turn help us.


Participants discover the differences between snakes as they learn about the 21 species of snakes that reside in NJ. An interactive presentation emphasizes the importance of these legless reptiles by identifying and exploring their adaptations. Artifacts and up-close encounters with several live snakes make this a memorable educational experience.


Determine what could and should be done if you find one of these four legged speedsters on the road and learn how slow a turtle really is and what they can do to defend themselves from predation. Discover what species should reside in New Jersey and which can now be found throughout the state. Artifacts and up-close encounters with several live turtles make this a memorable educational experience.


From the arctic to the tropics and everywhere in between, Owls are everywhere! Through stunning photos, real owl calls, and hands-on owl artifacts, and a visit from a live owl you can discover how these efficient predators thrive in one of the most challenging environments on Earth – your backyard. Learn what Owls call New Jersey home and how you too can find, observe, and enjoy your neighborhood owls.


A hole in the ground is always mysterious as it invites curiosity and wonder. Learn about the creatures that live underground as we shed some light on the mysteries under our feet. Discover what other unseen organisms might share this world and how they affect our lives from below.

TNC To Go Add-Ons

Animal Sponsorship
Help support the animal ambassadors that live at TNC, in conjunction with a scheduled TNC to Go program. 

Enjoy an additional 15-30 minute up close visit and Q & A session with your sponsored animal. All adult group sponsorship's receive a thank you package which includes: a certificate, photograph of sponsored animal, recognition in our newsletter, species information and animal's biography.

TNC to Go Pricing

TNC to Go programs are designed to be taught at your location. Set up a speaker series and receive a discount.

Optional Add-Ons:

Animal Sponsorship (add-on): $60


 1st Hour  Consecutive Hour
 Bergen County    
 Up to 30 participants  $250  $150
 More than 30 participants  $375  $300
     
 Up to 1-Hour Away    
 Up to 30 participants  $275  $150
 More than participants  $400  $300
     
 NYC Boroughs    
 Up to 30 participants  $375*  $150
 More than 30 participants  $500*

 $300

  • *Additional fee is included to the first program fee for all New York City boroughs visits to cover NYC permit requirements.
  • A mileage charge of the current IRS rate per mile round trip is added to the program fee if the location is outside of Tenafly.
  • One parking space must be provided near the entrance of your location (if no parking is available at your site then a fee will be added to cover any associated garage fees).
  • Consecutive programs are programs held one right after another, for different groups, in the same location with no more than a 60 minute break between two of the programs.
  • Groups with more than 30 participants will be charged the assembly fees. An assembly program is one program, held for multiple groups, in one location, and at one time.
  • Host organization must provide electrical source and screen.

  • If your funds are limited, please consider applying for a scholarship (we strive to make nature accessible to everyone).
Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software