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SUMMARY:Learning the Language of Nature | Wind Cave National Park
DESCRIPTION:“When anything moves through the wild\, the forest announces it. And once you learn the language\, you will realize how much was always there\, just out of sight.”Tom Tonkin\, BHPFA Education Specialist \nThe forest around you is never silent. It is speaking. Every chirp\, alarm call\, and sudden hush carries information that birds\, deer\, and predators already know how to read. In this guided hike through Wind Cave National Park\, Education Specialist Tom Tonkin will teach you to do the same. We meet at the Wind Cave Visitor Center at 9:00 a.m. \nYou will learn the difference between animals at baseline and animals in alarm\, and how to use what you hear to detect hidden wildlife\, track predator movement\, and read the living pulse of the landscape around you. \nThe deer already knows something is out there. So do the squirrels. So do the birds. This hike teaches you to know it\, too. \nThis is a skill\, not a lecture. You will practice it in real time\, on the trail\, in one of the best birding habitats in the Black Hills. \nCome ready to hike about 1.5 miles on uneven terrain\, and leave with an understanding you will use for the rest of your life. \nDetails: Spots are limited. 15 dollars per person\, or 40 dollars for a family of up to four.
URL:https://blackhillsparks.org/bhpfa-event/learning-the-language-of-nature-wind-cave-national-park-2/
LOCATION:Wind Cave National Park\, 26611 U.S. Hwy 385\, Hot Springs\, SD\, 57747\, United States
CATEGORIES:BHPFA Premium Programs (Paid),Wind Cave National Park
ORGANIZER;CN="Black Hills Parks & Forests Association":MAILTO:bhpf@blackhillsparks.org
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20260814T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20260814T183000
DTSTAMP:20260701T221119Z
CREATED:20260701T221119Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260701T221119Z
UID:10000174-1786726800-1786732200@blackhillsparks.org
SUMMARY:Field Notes | Custer HQ
DESCRIPTION:Spend a Friday evening at the BHPFA Nature Shop in Custer learning to read the landscape like a naturalist. Join Education Specialist Tom Tonkin for Field Notes: An Introduction to the Art of Nature Observation\, an engaging 1.5-hour look at how naturalist skills can deepen your understanding of the natural world around us\, told through photos\, videos\, and stories. \nWhat we’ll explore\n\nAnimal tracking and survival techniques explained through real-world examples\nThe plants and wildlife of the Black Hills and surrounding ecosystems\nHidden meanings behind animal calls and signs\nInteractive Q&A where you can test your knowledge and curiosity\n\nWhy attend\nThis class is designed for anyone who loves the outdoors or wants to begin looking at nature in a new way. Whether you are a family\, student\, or lifelong learner\, Field Notes offers fresh perspectives and practical insights into local flora and fauna\, and helps you gain the skills to connect with them. You will also learn what you can do to help protect and care for the public lands around the Black Hills.\n \nGetting there\nField Notes meets at the Black Hills Parks and Forests Association Nature Shop\, 833 Mt Rushmore Rd in Custer. \nDetails\n\nLength: 1.5 hours (5:00 to 6:30 p.m. Mountain)\nCost: $10\nFormat: interactive presentation with personal stories\, visuals\, discussion\, and audience participation\n\nAbout the instructor\nTom Tonkin is the Education Specialist for Black Hills Parks and Forests Association. With over 30 years of experience teaching naturalist skills\, Tom has worked with Wilderness Awareness School\, Tracks and Trees Learning Center\, and numerous state and county programs. His teaching blends storytelling with practical skill-building to inspire connection to the natural world. \nAbout Black Hills Parks and Forests Association\nFounded in 1946\, BHPFA is a nonprofit dedicated to interpretation\, education\, and stewardship in partnership with the National Park Service\, U.S. Forest Service\, and other public land agencies across the Black Hills and Nebraska Panhandle.
URL:https://blackhillsparks.org/bhpfa-event/field-notes-custer-hq/
LOCATION:BHPFA Custer Headquarters\, 833 Mt Rushmore Road\, Custer\, SD\, 57730\, United States
CATEGORIES:BHPFA Premium Programs (Paid)
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://blackhillsparks.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/aug14-fieldnotes.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20260819T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20260819T110000
DTSTAMP:20260724T195559Z
CREATED:20260724T195559Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260724T195559Z
UID:10000190-1787130000-1787137200@blackhillsparks.org
SUMMARY:Learning the Language of Nature | Wind Cave National Park
DESCRIPTION:“When anything moves through the wild\, the forest announces it. And once you learn the language\, you will realize how much was always there\, just out of sight.”Tom Tonkin\, BHPFA Education Specialist \nThe forest around you is never silent. It is speaking. Every chirp\, alarm call\, and sudden hush carries information that birds\, deer\, and predators already know how to read. In this guided hike through Wind Cave National Park\, Education Specialist Tom Tonkin will teach you to do the same. We meet at the Wind Cave Visitor Center at 9:00 a.m. \nYou will learn the difference between animals at baseline and animals in alarm\, and how to use what you hear to detect hidden wildlife\, track predator movement\, and read the living pulse of the landscape around you. \nThe deer already knows something is out there. So do the squirrels. So do the birds. This hike teaches you to know it\, too. \nThis is a skill\, not a lecture. You will practice it in real time\, on the trail\, in one of the best birding habitats in the Black Hills. \nCome ready to hike about 1.5 miles on uneven terrain\, and leave with an understanding you will use for the rest of your life. \nDetails: Spots are limited. 15 dollars per person\, or 40 dollars for a family of up to four. BHPFA members receive a 15 percent discount.
URL:https://blackhillsparks.org/bhpfa-event/learning-the-language-of-nature-wind-cave-national-park-3/
LOCATION:Wind Cave National Park\, 26611 U.S. Hwy 385\, Hot Springs\, SD\, 57747\, United States
CATEGORIES:BHPFA Premium Programs (Paid),Wind Cave National Park
ORGANIZER;CN="Black Hills Parks & Forests Association":MAILTO:bhpf@blackhillsparks.org
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20260828T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20260828T190000
DTSTAMP:20260724T195600Z
CREATED:20260724T195600Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260724T195600Z
UID:10000191-1787938200-1787943600@blackhillsparks.org
SUMMARY:The Secret Life of Mammals | Custer HQ
DESCRIPTION:Coyote howls\, yips\, and barks: they are actually saying something. And that is just the start. Pronghorn can run 55 mph with more stamina than any other animal alive. They picked up that speed running from an American cheetah that went extinct thousands of years ago\, and never lost it. A mountain lion can clear the length of a school bus in one jump. \nJoin us for a 90-minute look into the hidden lives of the mammals sharing the Black Hills and the rest of North America with us. We will walk through what these animals are actually doing out there\, backed by slides and video\, and you will leave with a few stories you did not have before. \nWhether you grew up here or you are visiting for the first time\, The Secret Life of Mammals will leave you looking at the wildlife around you a little differently. \nPresented by BHPFA Education Specialist Tom Tonkin at the BHPFA Nature Shop\, 833 Mt. Rushmore Rd\, Custer. \nDetails: 10 dollars per person\, or 35 dollars for a family of up to four. BHPFA members\, enter your code at checkout for a 15 percent discount. Walk-ins are welcome\, but seats are limited\, so reserving ahead is the safer bet: donorbox.org/events/950665
URL:https://blackhillsparks.org/bhpfa-event/the-secret-life-of-mammals-custer-hq/
LOCATION:BHPFA Custer Headquarters\, 833 Mt Rushmore Road\, Custer\, SD\, 57730\, United States
CATEGORIES:BHPFA Premium Programs (Paid)
ORGANIZER;CN="Black Hills Parks & Forests Association":MAILTO:bhpf@blackhillsparks.org
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