WEST BRATTLEBORO-On Thursday, Oct. 1, from 5 to 7 p.m., Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center (BEEC) invites the community to raise a glass, have a snack, tour the farmhouse, and engage in other ways to mark the 35th birthday of the regional hub for nature connection, community science and wildlife rehabilitation.
The event will culminate with a procession and drum circle on Heifer Hill to celebrate the sunset.
Established in 1991, BEEC serves more than 800 students through their environmental education programs in public schools, offers 250 camp slots throughout the year, runs 50 public programs focused on nature connection, fields hundreds of wildlife emergency phone calls, and maintains 3 miles of trails open dawn to dusk year-round.
BEEC has been offering high quality camps and child care since its inception, and the nonprofit become a state-licensed program in 2025 "to ensure greater equity and access to their programs," a news release explains.
With funding from multiple foundations, the center will launch an afterschool program in January 2027 and build a nature playscape for children. Through a partnership with the Vermont Master Naturalist (VMN) program, BEEC will lead and host the first such program in southern Vermont.
Led by BEEC's head naturalist and wildlife rehabber, Patti Smith, this program will allow interested adults a credentialed pathway toward becoming a master naturalist. Registration opens in January 2027, and Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC) advancement grants are available to fund the tuition.
This offering is a key component in BEEC's "forest to workforce pipeline" program.
For more information, visit beec.org.
This Town and Village item was submitted to The Commons.