Dallas Sierra Club is offering its popular, interactive class for never-ever backpackers and those who want to refresh backpacking knowledge and skills. Leaders with decades of experience will present a comprehensive overview of backpacking topics, including packs, boots, tents, sleeping bags, food and cooking, clothes, wilderness ethics, sanitation and more. Learn tips to make your time in the wilderness more comfortable, less expensive and fun. 

Meet in upstairs classroom of Whole Foods Market. Complete details and cost/sign up information on DSC website.

Walk the parks and campuses of Dallas' Hospital District, including the Bird Sanctuary on UTSW Campus.

Some of the wildlife in Mansfield is only active during the evening and night. Join a naturalist as we try to identify some of the sounds and sights of natural night life! Wear weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable shoes. No need for a flashlight; our eyes adjust to the darkness. All participants over 2 years of age must pre-register for this program. Each child must have at least one adult attending and registered for the program. We encourage this program for the whole family! $10. $8/early registration.

There is always lots of varied and interesting urban wildlife to be found in and around this park. Josey Ranch Park has two small lakes, a hidden pond, a nice little creek, some woods and a great little wild flower area. Meet in the parking lot of the Carrollton Senior Center at 6:00pm, near the north end of the park. After we muster, we'll do the usual – walk and talk and take pictures.

Wayne Meyer from Austin College will show us how to associate sounds with words we know and train our ears to recognize which bird we are hearing. The program is sponsored by the Bluestem Chapter of Texas Master Naturalists and is free and open to the public.

Learn about Native American Marker Trees from Steve Houser, Dallas-based coauthor of Comanche Marker Trees of Texas.

Want to improve your outdoor skills for camping and hiking? Want to hike beyond the paved trails of the Trinity River or River Legacy Park with confidence? Spend the second Saturday of August with the Sierra Club to improve your outdoor skills by attending our Camping 101 class. There, our experienced and patient Sierra Club outings leaders will conduct the Camping 101 class, demonstrate equipment, answer questions and provide advice on trip planning.

Learn to identify the edible plants that surround us. Led by Mark Suter of Primitive Texas, the class will consist of wild plant identification walks through the natural habitats at LLELA. Emphasis will be placed on physical plant characteristics, edible plant parts, proper plant preparation, and available season of harvest. Some poisonous wild plants will also be covered, since these often grow right with the edible ones. Come join us as we explore the world of edible wild plants, and expand your diet to include these nutritious wild resources! 

Visitors to Oliver Nature Park are often focused on the plants and animals that live there. But what lies beneath our feet when we visit? Join a naturalist for a geology‐related lesson and a walk to explore the inorganic side of nature. Pre‐registration required. 

Paleontology (8‐13Y) ‐ Thursday, June 8th, 12:30 – 2 pm 

How are fossils formed, and what can they tell us about the history of the Earth? Rocks and 

Minerals (8‐13Y) ‐ Thursday, August 3rd, 9 – 10:30am How are rocks formed, and how do they change over millions of years? 

Join us for a photo‐filled morning and learn about becoming a citizen scientist. This program is geared towards students 13‐16 years old who want to learn more about iNaturalist and build their knowledge of nature. Students need to download the iNaturalist app to their smartphones prior to camp. Pre‐registration required. $20/$25 per child. Register online.

Info: olivernaturepark@mansfieldtexas.gov.