Click here to see our full calendar of events below
February 2019 - June 2019
Volunteer Opportunities
Paradise Creek Nature Park offers a variety of volunteer opportunities throughout the year. Over 2,000 adults and children have helped remove invasive plants, planted native trees, weeded garden beds, removed trash from the trails and wetland, and helped maintain education zones throughout the park.
Click Here for volunteer opportunities, dates, and times.
Guided Ranger Walks
Enjoy winter at Paradise Creek! Take a walk through the park with Urban Ranger Kat Fish to learn about our native plant and wildlife and identify some of your favorite wildflowers. All ages; children under 12 must be accompanied by adults.
Dates: Saturday, February 23; Saturday, March 16 and 30
Time: 2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
FREE – Registration Required
Contact Ranger Kat Fish, kfish@elizabethriver.org or 757-392-7132
Family Mindfulness Tuesdays
Date: Tuesday April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30. May 7, 14, 21, 28. June 4, 11, 18, 25.
Time: 3:15 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Join Wellness Professional Neve Fletcher, from April to June on Tuesdays from 3:15-4pm for yoga and a mindful exploration in nature. Weather permitting, on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays we will have a family yoga class outdoors in nature. On the 2nd and 4th Tuesday we will have family meditation and forest bathing. Forest bathing is where we will walk through the forest and practice breathing techniques while discovering the park’s natural beauty.
Cost: Donations accepted online at https://elizabethriver.org/
Volunteer Appreciation Day
Date: Saturday, April 6
Time: 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Come and enjoy a morning at the park! Have a cup of coffee, mix and mingle with old and new friends, and go on a guided tour with one of the rangers. This is for ALL volunteers from the past year.
Cost: FREE – Register contact Kat Fish, kfish@elizabethriver.org or 757-392-7132
Spring Migration Bird Walks
Date: Tuesday April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30; May 7, 14, 21, 28. Saturday April 6, 13, 20, and 27; May 4, 11, 18, 25.
Time: 8 a.m. – 9 a.m.
Join park guides on weekly bird walks to watch the spring migration. Held weekly on Tuesdays and Saturdays April through June.
Cost: FREE – Registration Required - Contact Marlee Morris, mmorris@elizabethriver.org or 757-392-7132
Spring Break Bird Walks
Date: Tuesday- Saturday April 16, 17, 18, and 19
Time: 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Join our Ornithologist in Residence for a daily bird walk. Spring migration will be occurring, and over 160 bird species have been seen at Paradise Creek, come help us find more! Children 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
Cost: FREE – Registration Required - Contact Marlee Morris, mmorris@elizabethriver.org or 757-392-7132
Kids Spring Break Day
Date: Wednesday April 17
Time: 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Schools out and fun is in! Join us for games, river critters, activities, and help create a piece of natural art. Free. Children 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
Cost: FREE
River Star Homes Workshops
Elizabeth River Project’s River Star Homes program is free to residents of the Elizabeth River area who commit to 7 simple steps (riverstarhomes.org). Join your fellow “stars” to learn the latest on how you can help the river at home.
Organic Lawn Care
Join us to learn all about the benefits of organic lawn care methods. Learn how to take a soil test, manage common weeds, and apply compost or fertilizer in river-friendly ways. Learn how to identify grass species and choose the right grass for your property. Rain or shine inside the Beazley River Academy classroom.
Date: Saturday, March 2, 2019
Time: 10am-Noon
FREE – Registration Required
Contact Barbara Gavin, bgavin@elizabethriver.org
Vermicomposting
Join us to learn the ins and outs of vermicomposting – using earthworms to convert organic waste into compost. Champion River Star Home Lynn Gilbert will show us how to start and maintain a thriving vermicomposting container, along with how to use the compost on your property. Rain or shine inside the Beazley River Academy classroom.
Date: Saturday, May 4, 2019
Time: 10am-Noon
FREE – Registration Required
Contact Barbara Gavin, bgavin@elizabethriver.org
Invasive Plant Identification & Control Workshop
Join Perry-Lee West, Garden Horticulturist with Norfolk Botanical Garden, to learn about identifying and controlling invasive plant species and how they can impact our environment. Workshop is rain or shine inside the Beazley River Academy classroom.
Weather permitting, we'll do some strolling botany to ID some of the invasives we are working to eradicate at Paradise Creek Nature Park.
Date: Saturday, May 18, 2019
Time: 10am-Noon
FREE – Registration Required
Contact Barbara Gavin, bgavin@elizabethriver.org
Natural Mosquito Control Workshop with Tim DuBois
Date: Saturday June 8
Time: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Join Tim DuBois from the City of Portsmouth Public Works Department and learn how to naturally and safely protect yourself from mosquitos. Interact with the pesky pests, learn how to identify them, and how to naturally reduce mosquito populations in your yard!
Cost: FREE – Limited seating! Register contact Kat Fish, kfish@elizabethriver.org
Below is a list of events coming up at Paradise Creek Nature Park!
Programs and Activities | Volunteer Opportunities