Summer Outside at Five Rivers 

Enjoy your summer with a visit to Five Rivers Environmental Education Center at 56 Game Farm Road, Delmar, Albany County. Five Rivers is your place for exploring the sights and smells this season brings. Our grounds are open daily from sunrise to sunset. Our visitor center is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except state holidays.

Reminder: Pets are not permitted at Five Rivers. If you are looking for a natural area to walk with your pet, we are happy to recommend nearby locations where they are welcome. Call us at 518-475-0291.

Programs are free of charge unless otherwise noted. Outdoor programs may be canceled due to inclement weather. Call to confirm. Organized groups should call ahead to ensure we can accommodate your group. If not, we are happy to make alternate arrangements. You can also review our online calendar on our programs and events page. Call 518-475-0291 if you have questions.

We welcome those who have any type of physical challenges to our programs. Call ahead to let us know your needs. We will be happy to learn how we can accommodate you.

Friends of Five Rivers: Friends of Five Rivers (FOFR) is the year-round citizens’ support group for the Center. Members receive a 20 percent discount on purchases at the FOFR bookstore, complimentary snowshoe loans, reduced fees for some programs, and a subscription to the newsletter River Ramblings. Membership levels and volunteer information are available at FriendsofFiveRivers.org or call 518-475-0295.

Wednesday, July 25 and August 1

1:00 p.m. Citizen Science: Monarch Larva Monitoring Project (MLMP)

Join us for our weekly survey as part of ongoing research on monarch butterflies. For more than 15 years, Five Rivers have collected and contributed data to a continent-wide citizen science project conducted through the University of Minnesota. The goal of the MLMP is to better understand how and why monarch populations vary, with a focus on their distribution and abundance during the breeding season in North America. Volunteers in the United States, Canada and Mexico aid in conserving monarchs and advance understanding of butterfly ecology and migration in general. Meet at the Nature’s Accessible Backyard Trail kiosk at the south end of our parking lot. Go to www.mlmp.org to learn about the project.

Saturday, July 28

10:00 a.m.  Minerals, Minerals, Everywhere

Minerals sustain us as well as plants and animals. This indoor talk will focus on our dependence on minerals and how life on our planet is recorded in some of the fossils you see at Five Rivers. Guest speaker Richard Hartnett has studied geology and paleontology for many years and has collected fossils and minerals from all over the world. He is a former member of the Boston Mineral Club, a past president of the Capital District Mineral Club, and a current member of the Southwest Vermont Mineral Club. He has also led field collecting trips throughout the region.

Saturday, August 4

10:00 a.m.  Family Fun: Turtle Trek 

Five Rivers is a great place to watch turtles! Visitors will enjoy a short indoor presentation followed by a guided walk around Beaver Pond, where visitors often observe a variety of turtles. Appropriate for all ages.