Interpretive naturalist and photographer John Green will lead a walking tour of the often-overlooked wonders of nature in our urban surroundings on Saturday, July 14, from 10:30 a.m.-noon. The tour will begin and end at the Springfield Museums on the Quadrangle at 21 Edwards Street.
Peregrine falcons, songbirds, insects and many types of trees are present in and near downtown Springfield. The tour will take participants "off-road" through grasses and hills and feature hands-on demonstrations for children and families. Green is skilled in bird and plant identification, and is familiar with mammals, insects, reptiles and amphibians. He has run a field schools on nature photography for the Massachusetts Audubon Society for more than 15 years and leads photographic excursions all over the country. The tour is part of the Second Saturday Walking Tour series, co-sponsored by the Armoury-Quadrangle Civic Association and the Springfield Museums. Walking tour tickets will be sold in the museum Welcome Center on Edwards Street on the day of the event. Tickets are free for members of the civic association or of the museums. Tickets for non-members are $5 per person. All proceeds will go toward improvements to the neighborhood. The walking tour ticket will also provide $2 off the price of an adult admission to the Springfield Museums on the day of the tour. For additional information, call the Armoury-Quadrangle Civic Association at 413-747-1830 or email aqca@kimballtowers.com.