The Sofar Trident Underwater Drone diving beneath the surface.
Program Leader: Melanie Meade, SOFO Education & Outreach Coordinator
Drones are robots that can go places scientists cannot, like the surface of Mars or the bottom of a muddy pond. If we walk around in the pond it will be too muddy to see anything. But, if we use an underwater drone with a video camera we can see what the pond bottom looks like, and maybe meet a frog or turtle as well! On this exploration, we will learn how drones work and how machines like these help scientists learn more about our Earth. Limited enrollment.
There is a $15 fee for Adults and $10 fee for children for this program. Members are free.
Advanced reservations are required for all events. For more information, reservations, and directions to meeting places, please call: (631) 537-9735.
SOFO’s Young Environmentalist Society (YES!): Ages 10-16
Club Leader: Mare Dianora, an educator and the mother of two young sons, is an interdisciplinary artist whose practice involves building community and exploring connections to home and place.
The mission of SOFO’s new Young Environmentalists Society, known as YES!, for ages 10 to 16, is to engage young minds in developing a fuller awareness and understanding of the current state of our environment. The group works together and, through experience-based learning, place-based learning, critical thinking processes, and local activism, develops strategies for individuals and the community that are designed to shape how we live on this planet now and in the future.
The Club meets the last Saturday of each month, from 10am to 11:30am. This is a free program, thanks to the generosity of a foundation which prefers to remain anonymous. There is bilingual support for Spanish speaking participants. The date may change for this program. Please contact SOFO at (631) 537-9735 or info@sofo.org for up-to-the-minute information.
Advanced reservations are required for all events. To register for this program, which has limited enrollment please contact us at info@sofo.org or call 631-537-9735.
The Unloved, Unusual, & Unknown— An Introduction to Reptiles, Amphibians, and Invertebrates with Jungle Bob: All Ages
Program Presenter: The One and Only Jungle Bob
Take a walk on the wild side with Jungle Bob as he brings the wonders of nature to life with a live animal show of some of the world’s ‘unloved, unusual and unknown’ creatures. Encounter snakes, lizards, turtles, crocodilians, frogs, toads, salamanders, tarantulas and more! Interact with these amazing creatures as we examine and discuss habitats, location, diets, defense mechanisms and more! Recommended for families.
There is a $15 fee for Adults and $10 fee for children for this program. Members are free.
This program will he held outdoors and is weather dependent.
Birding with Frank—Shorebirds at Shinnecock: Adults/Children 8+
Walk Leader: Frank Quevedo, Executive Director, South Fork Natural History Museum
Summer is the best time to view some of the fifty or more species of shorebirds that comb the beaches, sand flats, and marshes of Long Island. On this walk, we will visit Shinnecock Bay in Southampton and focus on plovers, yellowlegs, oystercatchers, and sandpipers as they feed by wading in shallow waters.
There is a $15 fee for Adults and $10 fee for children for this program. Members are free.
Advanced reservations are required for all events. To register for this walk, please contact us at info@sofo.org. Spots will be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis, and we will confirm your reservation by email.
SOFO Cleans the Beach—Help Needed!
Cleanup Crew: South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO) Environmental Educators
If you have ever been to the museum and spoken to any of our educators, you know how much we care about preserving the natural environment of the South Fork. The mission of the museum itself is to stimulate interest in, advance knowledge of, and foster appreciation for the natural environment. Our staff has decided that in order to uphold the mission of the museum we need to take direct action to help keep Long Island habitats healthy. That’s why we have decided to continue our “SOFO Cleans the Beach” program throughout the seasons. We hope you will join us on our mission to pick up as much trash as possible. Our plan is to go to a different beach each month and clean for one hour. During our cleaning session we will tally up what type of trash we are finding and, when we are finished, weigh it out. Over time we will be able to get an idea of the kind of trash that is washing up on our beach, and we can knowledgeably advocate avoiding those materials in the future. We’re excited to continue this program and be one step closer to our goal of keeping our hometown beaches clean.
This is a free program for all ages.
Advanced reservations are required for all events. To register for this program, which has limited enrollment please contact us at info@sofo.org or call 631-537-9735. Spots will be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis.