Copyright Clay Bolt | www.claybolt.com

Our Mission

The mission of Backyard Naturalists is to inspire a lifelong appreciation of the natural world in children through educational programming that integrates science, art, and technology. The program will draw from the considerable educational resources of the Highlands Nature Center, where staff has provided hands-on science-learning opportunities to help educate the community and promote conservation for over 60 years. Backyard Naturalists has been developed in partnership with Meet Your Neighbours, an international photography project designed to help connect people with [...]

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Register Your Child Today!

Why should you consider enrolling your child in Backyard Naturalists?  Environmental education is crucial to establishing a connection with the natural world.  Studies show that spending more time outdoors is linked to fewer incidences of behavioral problems in children and leads to a healthier lifestyle. In addition, experiential education supplements classroom learning and is a good way to explore different learning styles to see how your child learns best. Backyard Naturalists participants will learn the essentials of how to be [...]

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Pilot Program: March 19th!

We’re pleased to announce that our pilot program will kick-off March 19 in Highlands, North Carolina as an eight-week after-school program for 24 local middle school children. The curriculum will introduce children to a new way of looking at the natural world in their own backyard and expand their knowledge of local biodiversity. Each lesson will have four components: a short lecture on nature, an outdoor discovery component, journaling, and an art project. Topics are wide-ranging, from bird morphology to [...]

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Cool Animals!

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A collection of some of the amazing animals photographed so far by the Meet Your Neighbours team, an international environmental photography project, developed to encourage an appreciation of the wildlife within our own communities. Featuring amazing photos by Niall Benvie, Paul Harcourt Davies, Piotr Naskrecki, Paul Marcellini, Clay Bolt, Seth Patterson, Sandesh Kadur, Mac Stone, Carsten Krieger, David Hunter, John Tiddy, Dirk Funhoff, Marko Masterl, Jerry Monkman, and Denis Palanque. The Meet Your Neighbours project is an integral part of [...]

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Our Mission

The mission of Backyard Naturalists is to inspire a lifelong appreciation of the natural world in children through educational programming that integrates science, art, and technology. The program has been developed through a partnership between The Highlands Biological Foundation and Meet Your Neighbours, an international nature photography project designed to help people to learn more about the wildlife in their own community. Backyard Naturalists is made possible through the generous support of The Eckerd Family Foundation, which provides leadership and support for innovative educational, preventative, therapeutic and rehabilitative programs for children, youth and their families.