Carpenter Nature Center

Minnesota Campus Public Bird Banding
2025-04-25 08:30 - 12:00, 2025-06-27 08:30 - 12:00, 2025-07-25 08:30 - 12:00 (America/Chicago) | Carpenter Nature Center – Minnesota Campus, 12805 St. Croix Trail S., Hastings, MN, 55033, United States
Location: 12805 St. Croix Trail S., Hastings, MN 55033 – back patio of the Administration Building
Program Fee: Free
See birds up close and watch the experts band birds at CNC. Banding runs continuously, so come and go as you please. Donations of bird seed and suet are appreciated in place of a program fee. In case of inclement weather such as heavy rain or snow banding may be canceled.
All banding, marking, and sampling is being conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey’s BBL.

Minnesota Campus Hastings Bird Festival
2025-04-26 08:00 - 16:30 | Carpenter Nature Center – Minnesota Campus, 12805 St. Croix Trail S., Hastings, MN, 55033, United States
Celebrate birds and conservation at the CNC MN Campus. Attend classes that introduce you to raptors, birding, bird banding, and go on guided bird trips through the Hastings area.
Learn more about when events are taking place by checking out the Event Page.
Email Jennifer@CarpenterNatureCenter.org or call 651-437-4359 ext. 108 for further questions.

Earth Day Planting Party
2025-04-27 09:00 - 12:00 | Al & Laurie Hein Visitor Center, 279 South Cove Road, Hudson, WI, 54016, United States
Help us celebrate Earth Day & Arbor Day by planting a tree! We will be planting 300 native trees and shrubs as a part of our ongoing habitat restoration projects at Carpenter Nature Center’s Wisconsin Campus.
All ages are welcome! Shovels and gloves are available or bring your own. Come dressed for the weather, with sturdy footwear and a water bottle.
No registration is required. Stay for the whole day or drop in when you can.

Where: Carpenter Nature Center – Wisconsin Campus
279 South Cove Road, Hudson, WI 54016
When: Sunday, April 27 9 AM – NOON or until all the trees are planted

Wilderness First Aid
2025-05-03 - 2025-05-04 | Al & Laurie Hein Visitor Center, 279 South Cove Road, Hudson, WI, 54016, United States
Registration: Pre-registration required – Click Here to Register Online
Location: Al & Laurie Hein Visitor Center 279 South Cove Road, Hudson, WI 54016
Program Fee: $250 per person
Prepare for the unexpected with this engaging, hands-on introduction to wilderness medicine, taught over two days. This is a great course for anyone who recreates outdoors whether you are family camping, scouting, solo or with a group of friends. People of all experience levels will learn Wilderness First Aid, Adult + Pediatric CPR/AED, and patient assessment through hands-on learning. At the end of the course, you will know to to provide effective first-aid treatment for injuries and illnesses common outdoors and how to make evacuation decisions when medical help may be hours or days away.
Class times for both days. You must attend both days to be certified.
SATURDAY, MAY 3 | 8:30AM – 6:00PM
SUNDAY, MAY 4 | 8:30AM – 6:00PM

GOOD TO KNOW
Class is 20 hours over two days, which includes meal breaks.
This class is hands-on. You’ll be touching other people and in close proximity of others. Masks are optional. Instruction will be provided through lecture and skills practice. We will be both indoors and outdoors (weather depending). You may need to stand, lift, lay down or kneel. Please reach out and let us know how we can accommodate your needs. All class materials are provided.
Have your CPR/AED certification but only need the WFA portion? No problem. Please contact us for details on attending the WFA portion of the course.
Important: Your certification will be based on attendance, class participation and demonstration of your understanding of the material. You will receive the certificate 2-5 business days after class. The certificate is good for 2 years. This course is for ages 18+.

INSTRUCTOR
This course is taught by Red Cross Instructor, Pam Wright. She has over 25 years of experience adventuring outdoors. When she’s not teaching, she works as a wilderness guide in northern Minnesota taking people on remote canoe trips. She also enjoys backpacking, trail running and winter camping.

Minnesota Campus Bird Hike
2025-05-03 08:00 - 10:00, 2025-06-07 08:00 - 10:00, 2025-08-02 08:00 - 10:00 | Carpenter Nature Center – Minnesota Campus, 12805 St. Croix Trail S., Hastings, MN, 55033, United States
Pre-registration required – Call 651-437-4359
Location: 12805 St. Croix Trail S., Hastings, MN 55033
Program Fee: $5 per person or FREE for ‘Friends of CNC,’ SCVBC and students.
Learn to identify birds with local experts. Binoculars and field guides available or bring your own.

Birds & Bison Bike Tour 2025
2025-05-03 09:00 - 12:00 | WI

Birds & Brews: Spiral Taproom Takeover & Rooftop Birding
2025-05-03 10:30 - 16:00 | Spiral Brewery, 111 2nd St E, Hastings, MN, 55033
Location: Spiral Brewery, 111 2nd St E, Hastings, MN 55033 Join us in downtown Hastings at Spiral Brewery for a day of birds and brews! There is no registration required for this FREE event. Stop by and spend time with friends, both feathered and not!
11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Taproom Takeover
In the family-friendly taproom, learn more about CNC and get up close to some of Carpenter’s live raptor ambassadors. Spiral Brewery will be donating $1.00 of every beer sold during that timeframe back to Carpenter Nature Center.
10:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Rooftop Birding
Catch the spring migration with local birding experts Ben, Jen, and Sharon, and test your eagle eyes with spotting scopes and binoculars on the Brewery Rooftop.

This is also the official stop and after-party of the Birds & Bison Bike Tour! Learn more about this FREE event head to Bike Tours – Visit Hastings MN

Wisconsin Campus Wellness Walk
2025-05-14 10:00 - 11:30 | Al & Laurie Hein Visitor Center, 279 South Cove Road, Hudson, WI, 54016, United States
Pre-registration required – Call 651-437-4359
Location: The Al and Laurie Hein Visitor Center / 279 South Cove Rd., Hudson, WI 54016
Program Fee: Free

Join us at the Al and Laurie Hein Visitor Center and take a leisurely nature walk. Connect with others and nature. The group will walk about 1 mile over unpaved, wood chipped paths, and some hills. Tennis shoes or hiking shoes are encouraged. After the hike, the last 30 minutes will be spent socializing with refreshments, puzzles and coloring.

Minnesota Campus Big Day Bird Count
2025-05-16 04:00 - 21:00 | Carpenter Nature Center – Minnesota Campus, 12805 St. Croix Trail S., Hastings, MN, 55033, United States
Join expert birders Ben and Liz for a day full of birding on what is estimated to be one of the busiest times of year for birds at Carpenter Nature Center. Drop by for a couple of hours, or stay and help identify birds for the majority of the day. More details to come closer to the program date.
This program will be outdoors. Please dress for the weather. We recommend you bring binoculars, however rentals are available at the Visitor Center.
Program Fee: This program is FREE, however donations are always appreciated!
Click here or call 651-437-4359 to register

Wisconsin Campus Preschool Story Time - Springs Sprung
2025-05-21 10:00 - 11:00 | Al & Laurie Hein Visitor Center, 279 South Cove Road, Hudson, WI, 54016, United States
Pre-registration required – Call 651-437-4359
Location: 279 South Cove Rd., Hudson, WI 54016
Program Fee: $6 per child or $4 for ‘Friends of CNC.’ No charge for adults.
These programs introduce children ages 2-5 to nature in a fun and safe environment. Listen to stories, spend time outdoors, make a craft and meet CNC’s live animals. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Minnesota Campus Public Bird Banding
2025-05-23 08:30 - 12:00 | Carpenter Nature Center – Minnesota Campus, 12805 St. Croix Trail S., Hastings, MN, 55033, United States
Location: 12805 St. Croix Trail S., Hastings, MN 55033 – back patio of the Administration Building
Program Fee: Free
See birds up close and watch the experts band birds at CNC. Banding runs continuously, so come and go as you please. Donations of bird seed and suet are appreciated in place of a program fee. In case of inclement weather such as heavy rain or snow banding may be canceled. Please call 651-437-4359 to check.
All banding, marking, and sampling is being conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey’s BBL.

Minnesota Campus Preschool Story Time - Springs Sprung
2025-05-23 10:00 - 11:00 | Carpenter Nature Center – Minnesota Campus, 12805 St. Croix Trail S., Hastings, MN, 55033, United States
Pre-registration required – Call 651-437-4359
Location: 12805 St. Croix Trail S., Hastings, MN 55033
Program Fee: $6 per child or $4 for ‘Friends of CNC.’ No charge for adults.

These programs introduce children ages 2-5 to nature in a fun and safe environment. Listen to stories, spend time outdoors, make a craft and meet CNC’s live animals. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Wisconsin Campus Preschool Story Time - Rocks that Roll
2025-06-04 10:00 - 11:00 | Al & Laurie Hein Visitor Center, 279 South Cove Road, Hudson, WI, 54016, United States

Minnesota Campus Preschool Story Time - Rocks that Roll
2025-06-06 10:00 - 11:00 | Carpenter Nature Center – Minnesota Campus, 12805 St. Croix Trail S., Hastings, MN, 55033, United States

Wisconsin Campus Books and Benches
2025-06-11 10:00 - 11:00 | Al & Laurie Hein Visitor Center, 279 South Cove Road, Hudson, WI, 54016, United States
Location: The Al and Laurie Hein Visitor Center / 279 South Cove Rd., Hudson, WI 54016 Program Fee: Free Celebrate art, nature and reading this summer with the Books and Benches! Join us at Carpenter Nature Center for one of the many Art Bench Trail spots this summer. Kids will to listen to stories, participate in art & nature activities, and take home FREE new and gently used books! All ages welcomed! Children must be accompanied by an adult. Books & Benches is a project of the Somerset Elementary Family Book Drive in partnership with the Phipps Center for the Arts and local libraries to increase summer reading and promote community art in the St. Croix Valley. To learn more, go to whobooks.org The Art Bench Trail is a program of the Phipps Center for the Arts, Hudson, WI, in partnership with the St. Croix Valley Foundation and the National Park Service.

Wisconsin Campus Bird Hike
2025-06-14 08:00 - 10:00, 2025-08-09 08:00 - 10:00 | North End – Wisconsin Campus, 300 East Cove Road, Hudson, 54016
Pre-registration required – Call 651-437-4359
Location: North End – Wisconsin Campus 300 East Cove Road, Hudson WI, 54016
Program Fee: $5 per person or FREE for ‘Friends of CNC,’ SCVBC and students.
Learn to identify birds with local experts. Binoculars and field guides available or bring your own.

Wisconsin Campus Nature Sketchbooks *FULL*
2025-06-21 09:30 - 15:00 | Al & Laurie Hein Visitor Center, 279 South Cove Road, Hudson, WI, 54016, United States
Pre-registration required – This program is full. Please call 651-437-4359 for questions.
Location: Al & Laurie Hein Visitor Center, 279 South Cove Rd, Hudson, WI 54016
Program Fee: $20 per participant

With the trails and prairie as our classroom, please join us for a reflective artful day in search of connection to the natural world through art and journaling. Journaling sessions will be led by Nature Sketchbook artist Pam Luer. Through guided sketching, writing prose or poetry, we will take our inspiration from nature and find a deeper, more holistic understanding of place and personal exploration.
Small journal, pencil, watercolor pencils and water brush will be provided. You are welcome to bring any other materials you like to work with.
Please bring the following:

Lunch – bring bag lunch for a picnic style break
Portable seating in order to work in the field not a classroom – please note there are council circles and benches so portable seating is your choice
Bug spray
Sun screen
Water bottle
Curious minds and open hearts

Weather permitting, a majority of the program will be held outside. This workshop is intended for adults 18yrs+.

Wisconsin Campus BioBlitz
2025-06-27 - 2025-06-28 | Al & Laurie Hein Visitor Center, 279 South Cove Road, Hudson, WI, 54016, United States
Registration: Register Online or call 651-437-4359 ext. 0
Location: The Al and Laurie Hein Visitor Center / 279 South Cove Rd., Hudson, WI 54016
Program Fee: Free
Learn from bird, reptile, amphibian, invertebrate, and plant experts in a fun day of citizen science. Join us at the Wisconsin Campus and help inventory teams in restored prairies, riparian habitats, and wooded bluff lands to discover and document plant and animal species. All ages and skill levels welcom!
Schedule of Events:
Friday, June 27

2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Dragonflies & Damselflies with Jeff Fischer.
3:00 – 4:00 p.m. Dendrology and Tree ID with Sam Behrends
3:00 – 8:00 p.m. Bird Banding Demonstration
4:00 – 5:00 p.m. Intro to Birding – Family Friendly Bird Hike with Jessie Eckroad
5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Anything and Everything Hike with Steve Weston
8:00 – 10:00 p.m. Moths with John Jonas

Saturday, June 28

7:00 a.m. Bird Hike with Ben Douglas.
9:00 – 10:00 a.m. Butterflies with Dr. Kevyn Juneau
10:00 – 12:00 p.m. Bees with Chris Smith
11:00 – 11:45 a.m Snake Boards with Abbey Holden
11:45 – 12:00 p.m. Species Tally and Wrap Up

Minnesota Campus Bird Hike
2025-07-05 08:00 - 10:00 | Carpenter Nature Center – Minnesota Campus, 12805 St. Croix Trail S., Hastings, MN, 55033, United States
Pre-registration required – Call 651-437-4359
Location: 12805 St. Croix Trail S., Hastings, MN 55033
Program Fee: $5 per person or FREE for ‘Friends of CNC,’ SCVBC and students.
Learn to identify birds with local experts. Binoculars and field guides available or bring your own

Wisconsin Campus Preschool Story Time - Amazing Ants
2025-07-09 10:00 - 11:00 | Al & Laurie Hein Visitor Center, 279 South Cove Road, Hudson, WI, 54016, United States

Minnesota Campus Preschool Story Time - Amazing Ants
2025-07-11 10:00 - 11:00 | Carpenter Nature Center – Minnesota Campus, 12805 St. Croix Trail S., Hastings, MN, 55033, United States

Wisconsin Campus Bird Hike
2025-07-12 08:00 - 10:00 | Al & Laurie Hein Visitor Center, 279 South Cove Road, Hudson, WI, 54016, United States
Pre-registration required – Call 651-437-4359
Location: Al & Laurie Hein Visitor Center, 279 South Cove Rd, Hudson, WI 54016
Program Fee: $5 per person or FREE for ‘Friends of CNC,’ SCVBC and students.
Learn to identify birds with local experts. Binoculars and field guides available or bring your own.

St. Croix Scramble
2025-07-21 | Hastings Golf Club, 2015 Westview Drive, Hastings, 55033
The St. Croix Valley Scramble is a fundraising golf event benefiting Carpenter Nature Center. Each year business and community golfers gather at a local area golf course for this popular fundraiser, which includes many prizes, catered lunch and dinner, and hole contests. It’s a wonderful day of golf and friendship.

Learn more or register online on the St. Croix Scramble Event Page

Wisconsin Campus Preschool Story Time - In Style with Reptiles
2025-08-06 10:00 - 11:00 | Al & Laurie Hein Visitor Center, 279 South Cove Road, Hudson, WI, 54016, United States

Minnesota Campus Preschool Story Time - In Style with Reptiles
2025-08-08 10:00 - 11:00 | Carpenter Nature Center – Minnesota Campus, 12805 St. Croix Trail S., Hastings, MN, 55033, United States
