LEAPP®
Adult Education Program

TAKE THE LEAPP®!

The LEAPP® (Learn, Enjoy, Appreciate, Preserve, and Protect) program offers Northern Virginians the opportunity to learn more about the natural world and be informed, active stewards for its care and protection. Since its inception in 1999, students have found that LEAPP classes are fun and personally rewarding. To register or for more information, please call the ASNV office at (703) 256-6895, check out the web site at http://www.audubonva.org/, or e-mail info@ audubonva.org. Note: Our instructors require a minimum of 10 students. Don’t miss out – register early! Please note that registration is not complete until payment is received.

Raptors

Join local hawkwatcher Nolan Britt in a workshop to increase your hawk identification skills and understanding of conservation issues concerning North American raptors. Topics covered include the history of Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, the history of DDT in the Americas, major migration routes of hawks, and flight identification. The workshop culminates with an all-day trip to Waggoner's Gap Hawkwatch near Carlisle, PA, one of the best sites in the Eastern U.S. for hawk migration!

Class dates: 7 – 9:30 p.m., Tuesday, September 16 and 23

Field trip: 9 a.m., Saturday, September 27 to Waggoner’s Gap, PA (approx. 2 hours away)

Location: Oakton High School, 2900 Sutton Rd., Vienna, VA

Cost: $50/members; $60 non-members

Instructor: Nolan Britt teaches environmental science and biology at Bishop O’Connell High School. He has been an active participant in regional Christmas Bird Counts and hawk watches and serves as co-leader of the Northern Virginia Teen Bird Club.

Audubon At Home and Beyond

Fall is a great time to assess your landscaping, make plans for the coming year, and purchase and plant native perennials. Carol Hadlock's backyard will be your classroom for this workshop, where you will learn to put the principles of Audubon at Home to work in your yard, creating a healthier environment for you, your family, and pets, while also giving birds and pollinators a helping hand. Outdoor activities will make this a fun and informative day.

Class date and time: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Saturday, September 13

Location: 515 Alabama Drive, Herndon, VA

Cost: $20, covers class materials and a light lunch (maximum number of participants: 10)

Instructor: Carol Hadlock is an ASNV Master Naturalist and National Wildlife Federation Habitat Steward.

Fall Tree ID Workshop

We live in and amongst trees. In this mini-workshop, we will learn how to become familiar with trees during the winter through characteristics such as bark, buds, growth patterns, and others. The workshop will also cover tree ecology, uses, and lore and deepen our understanding of how our lives are interlinked with those of trees.

Class dates: 1-3 p.m., Thursdays, Oct. 2, 16, and 23

Field trips: Included as part of the class time.

Location: Potomac Overlook Regional Park, 2845 N. Marcey Rd., Arlington

Cost: $50 ASNV members; $60 non-members

Instructor: Martin Ogle has been Chief Naturalist for the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority since 1985. He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Wildlife Biology from Colorado State University and Virginia Tech, respectively. Mr. Ogle's interests cover a wide range of local human and natural history and also the new ecological science of the Gaia Theory.

Beginning Birding Workshop

This workshop is an “entry level” introduction to birding in the Northern Virginia area. We’ll go over some birding basics, including field guides and binoculars, as well as seasonal information on what birds to look for and where to look for them. The workshop includes one, two-hour classroom session and one half-day field trip at a local park. If you already have binoculars and a field guide, be sure to bring them to class! Class date and time: 7 – 9 p.m., Wednesday, October 1 Location: Falls Church Community Center, 223 Little Falls St., Falls Church, VA 22046 Field trip: 8 – 11 a.m., Saturday, October 4, Huntley Meadows Park, Alexandria, VA Cost: ASNV Members – Free!; Non-members - $20 Instructor: Carl Kikuchi is an ASNV Master Naturalist and a Fairfax Master Naturalist (and an expert beginning birder!).

Digital Nature Photography

Digital Nature Photography will provide an overview of the basics of Nature Photography. The course will address composition, exposure, workflow, and printing. The field trip will provide an opportunity to use the techniques discussed in class and learn from our own photographs.

Class date and time: 7 – 9:30 p.m., Tuesdays, Oct. 7, 14, and 21

Location: Fairfax High School

Field trip: Sunday, October 19 at Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Rd., Alexandria

Cost: $50/members; $60 non-members

Instructor: Craig Heizer is president of the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia.