STEM Stops
Our Saturday outdoor learning experiences are designed for families to explore, engage, learn and play! Find a program which may interest you and your child! Please check the Calendar of Events for dates and times.
• Date: Every Saturday
Participants will:
- • Gain a better understanding of what happens within an ecological community.
- • Explore what we can learn from nature’s structure and function.
- • Embark on a guided trail walk through our Tamaulipan Thorn Forest, discovering native flora and fauna.
Bringing Nature Home
October 25
You can create a home for wildlife in your own backyard! This hands-on program introduces the basics of native plant landscaping and how small gardens can provide big benefits for birds, butterflies, and pollinators.
- • Learn what makes a plant “native” and why native gardens are better for local wildlife.
- • Discover how to match plant needs with the right garden spaces, and how to layer plants for seasonal blooms.
- • Engage in designing a large-scale native garden blueprint!
Scents of the Shrub
November 8
Why do plants smell the way they do? In this sensory exploration, participants will make bracelets with flowers and leaves from fragrant native plants. Along the way, we’ll uncover the science of plant scents.
- • Learn why plants produce odors (pollination, defense, communication).
- • Discover which native plants of the thornscrub give off strong scents.
- • Engage in creating a wearable fragrance bracelet.
Scavengers of South Texas
November 22
Raccoons, Crows, Vultures, oh my! Do you know all the scavengers crossing by? Explore aerial and terrestrial animals known to eat left over scraps from other predators.
- • Learn about the different scavengers’ native to the RGV.
- • Discover scavenger behavior, where they live, and why they are essential to a healthy ecosystem.
- • Engage in a vulture stomach acid experiment!
Wood Wide Web
November 29
Explore the hidden mycorrhizal network of fungi beneath the soil and how it supports forest diversity.
- • Learn how the mycorrhizal network sustains forest diversity by connecting trees and plants.
- • Discover the mutualistic relationship between fungi and plants on a guided trail walk.
- • Engage in spore printing and fungi network mapping.
Show Your Support
Support Quinta Mazatlán by becoming a member, giving your time as a volunteer or a donation. Your gift helps us care for the conservation of plants, education for children & adults, programs for the community & the mission & goals of Quinta Mazatlán.