SATURDAY, June 15, 10:30 a.m. LIFE AROUND THE LAKE. Amphibians who live in and around the lake is the focus for this week’s topic. Discussion about their adaptations and survival skills are meant to enhance the walk . MEET AT BRAY LAKE.

SATURDAY, June 15, 1:00 p.m. HIKE THE McCOOL TRAIL. This 1 ½ hour hike on the McCool Trail travels on mostly easy terrain at a moderate pace.  Nature at its finest is amazing on this trail. Bring water and bug spray.

SUNDAY, June 16, 10:30 a.m.  BIRDING FOR BEGINNERS. This one hour program is meant to help beginners learn the basics of birding. The use of bird guides, lists and binoculars are used to learn about the local feathered inhabitants of Mt. Tom

SUNDAY, June 16, 1:00 p.m. SUNDAY AFTERNOON FAMILY PROGRAM. This week’s program is titled “TOOLS AND TASKS” Every animal and plant has adaptations (TOOLS) in order to survive. This fun activity connects everyday household items to animal adaptations.

MONDAY, June 17, 10:30 a.m. NATURE FOR THE BEGINNING NATURALIST. Children ages 6-8 can learn about nature and how to observe from a Naturalist’s point of view. Habitats, plants and animals species are explored through games, crafts and observation in this one hour program.

MONDAY, June 17, 1:00 p.m. ADVANCED HIKE FOR SENIORS. Seniors and others who want more of a challenging hike can join in on this one-two hour hike up one of the more strenuous trails. The hike on these trails will be at a slower pace to accommodate this age bracket. Bring water.

TUESDAY, June 18, 10:30 a.m. SENIOR HIKE. Seniors can join in on this easy paced one hour hike. The terrain will be mostly easy and the nature talk will be abundant. Bring water.

TUESDAY, June 18, 2:00 p.m. SO YOU WANT TO BE A RANGER. Children ages 9-14 have the opportunity to learn how to present a nature topic to friends and family. Through hiking. guide books and interactive exploration children learn the fundamentals of program creation and presentation. At the end of this 5 week program everyone has a chance to present a topic of their choice through whatever means of expression they desire (verbal, art, music, poetry, photography etc.)

These programs are sponsored by the Department of Conservation and Recreation and are free and open to the public. For more information please call 527-4805. Mt. Tom State Reservation is located on the Holyoke/Easthampton, MA. line with entrances on Rts. 5 and 141. UNLESS NOTED ALL PROGRAMS START AT THE STONE HOUSE VISITOR CENTER WHICH IS ABOUT 2 MILES FROM EITHER ENTRANCE. There is a FIVE dollar per car fee on weekends and holidays.