To anyone who grew up in Darien, the Nature Center was always a core childhood memory. Days of exploring Cherry Lawn Park in the woods, by the pond, on the field or in the Nature Center building. However, the Darien Nature Center is starting to do more with everyone in Darien, and wants to become a resource for people of all ages.

This spring, I interviewed Molly Robertson, the program director at the Darien Nature Center. She has been working there for ten and a half years, and absolutely loves what the Nature Center does.

Darien Nature Center Animals

The Darien Nature center boasts a wide array of native and non-native species. Karma the Chameleon is just one of the many I met. 

Me: What are some of the best aspects of the Darien Nature center?

Robertson: Our animals here, our animal collection. You know, we have really terrific, interesting, friendly animals if anyone wants to meet some of them… We have three native turtles in [these tanks], and it just gives you a sense of their natural habitat. We have a spotted turtle… they’re Connecticut’s smallest turtle and they’re actually endangered.

Two screech owls, three turtles, snakes, ferrets, a chameleon, and so many more! Almost all of them are rescues that Robertson herself found.

Programs for Children

Robertson: Some of these people are just so lovely, and I really just get joy out of [working with] these cute little kids. Also, you know, just letting them experience what I did as a little kid, which is just being outside.

During the interview, I was fortunate enough to be able to meet a group of children in the Animal Encounters after-school program. The children were undoubtedly fascinated with the animals that the Darien Nature Center takes care of.

Robertson: So these guys are part of a class called Animal Encounters, and they learn about the wildlife around here and they spend some time taking care of the animals. They always love to go outside.

The Nature Center has several different programs for children that have ranged from preschool to middle school age, always focused on “[fostering] a sense of wonder and respect for all living things,” as said by Robertson. They teach kids survival skills, like how to build a shelter and purify water. Robertson says, “We’re also trying to find a way to reach the population that was here when they were little that have gone.” The Nature Center has summer camps where children have the opportunity to discover the wonders of nature and learn how to be curious.

Events

Over the course of the year, the Nature Center hosts several events. They had a Spring into Nature Festival, where families could enjoy activities like story time with the animals, camping demonstrations, s’mores, and a new story walk. When I was visiting, they were setting up for a showcase of environmentally friendly alternatives to commonly plastic products.

Robertson: We had all of the staff bring in their favorite [environmentally conscious] products… We just use so much plastic! Just these little changes can make a difference, there’s so much plastic in the world.

Code of Conduct

An issue that has been brought to the Darien Nature Center’s attention is something most people are guilty of: idling. Idling is when you spend time doing nothing in your car, but leave the engine on. Usually people do this to listen to the radio, or sit in the air conditioner, but this problem is more serious than it seems. The Darien Nature Center’s new code of conduct includes rules against it. 

Robertson: Actually, I just wrote this code of conduct for the Nature Center. Most of it is just about how… people just get irritated more when they’re driving or really doing anything, I don’t know what it is. People have been showing less compassion to one another, and so our code of conduct is just how you can be respectful to each other, but part of it is also no idling. You see [idling] wastes three billion gallons of gas a year and three million tons of carbon dioxide. And [idling] is when you’re not driving anywhere you’re just sitting in your car putting carbon in the air… So that’s just one little thing I’m going to work on this year!

What Teenagers Can Do

Me: What advice would you give to people who are in high school or still young on how they can help [the environment]?