Nature Programs

The Burlington County Parks System offers many educational nature programs.  Taking place both indoors and outdoors, a vast array of topics are covered for all age groups throughout the year.  Whether you're enjoying a guided walk in the park, a lecture series, butterfly walk, or canoeing, there's always something to learn about nature! You will find these and other programs on our website calendar, seasonal booklet of programs, and in our online registration catalog.  Some examples of recurring nature programs are:
 

Click here for a list of Nature Programs happening in September-November

VIRTUAL NATURE PROGRAMS

The following presentations are applicable to the current season and offered as a part of our regular nature program schedule.  For a full list of all the virtual nature programs, please see our Virtual Programs Page.

Species Spotlight Series

In this video series, you will learn about various species that call Burlington County Parks home!  Naturalist Kate will highlight a local species every two weeks to help better understand their behaviors, natural history, and significance in the surrounding environment.  

Oct 27: Big Brown Bat

Oct 13:  White-breasted Nuthatch

Sept 29: Eastern Cottontail Rabbit

Sept 8: Monarch Butterfly

In the summer months the Burlington County Parks System provides special youth programs: The Young Naturalist Program and the Junior Ranger Program.

Junior Ranger Program photos

Junior Ranger Program

The Junior Ranger Program is a free summer program for children ages 5-12. When you register online, you will be given a link to download the activity packets for the appropriate age group. The activities in the program packets can be completed on your own time throughout the summer. There are also many individual events led by park staff that coincide with the Junior Ranger Program.

Young Naturalist Program photos

Young Naturalist Program

The Young Naturalist Program (YNP) is a free summer program for teenagers. This program will allow teens with an interest in the environment to develop a greater appreciation of the outside world.  We meet once a week for a 7 week series in the summer.

Programs for schools and scouts

Customized programs for school groups and scout groups are available by appointment.   Email Parks@co.burlington.nj.us to request a program.  At this time due to in-person COVID-19 limitations, we cannot accommodate groups over 20 people at a time. Virtual options are available upon request.

Indoor Programs

Please see our listings of virtual programs at the top of this page, as well as our archived presentations on the Burlington County Parks YouTube channel. At this time, due to COVID-19 limitations, the following presentations are potentially available live via an online platform for your group or organization:

Click here for a full description of each presentation (PDF).

To request information or to schedule one of the listed programs, please contact us at 609-265-5858 or request by email.

Rancocas Nature Center

The Rancocas Nature Center offers programming and a summer day camp! Visit www.rancocasnaturecenter.org
for more information.

Rancocas Nature Center

Park data

WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS LOG

The Wildlife Sightings Log is where we post significant sightings of birds and other animal species that are not seen on a regular basis.  If you see something that is not a regular resident species in one of the Burlington County Parks, please submit it using the form on the wildlife log page. To see which species have been reported in the parks, you can go to the individual Park's webpage to see a cumulative summary of species. For birds, you can also view the overall cumulative bird checklist to see which birds are present at different times of the year, and their resident vs migratory status.

Burlington County Parks cumulative bird checklist
​This is a current list of all the bird species that have officially been documented in the Burlington County Parks and what time of year they can be found.  For complete species lists for individual County Parks, please go to the corresponding park page on our website.
great horned owl

Nature-related activities & INformation

Backyard Birding - an interactive visual and audio guide to birds you're likely to see right in your backyard!  Listen to their calls and see which ones you recognize!  

Backyard Habitats - information on the benefits of using native plants and a variety of ways to help attract pollinators and other beneficial wildlife to your yard.

Do-it-yourself Bird Feeder Ideas:
Pine Cone Feeder
Plastic Bottle Feeder

Spotted Lanternfly Resources for homeowners


Burlington County Parks Crossword Puzzle

Crossword Puzzle Answer Key

Coloring Pages from Park Rangers

Crafting with Nature

Crafting with natural objects is a great way to learn about wildlife and appreciate its beauty. Naturalist Kate Forte's craft tutorial uses resources right from nature! Create a unique craft that can be done with objects found right in your backyard. 

Dragonfly and samara craft

Turkey and owl pine cone craft

Tree-mendous Craft