Waterman Conservation Education Center

10/23/2026

Get your tickets now! This is your last chance to enjoy this uniquely local experience this year. Grab a mug of cocoa and a cozy jacket and get on the river to enjoy the fall colors and incredible history in our backyard!!!

Earlier this week, we welcomed travel writers from the New York Times, Forbes, BBC, and the Washingtonian to Tioga County on a press trip organized by KHM Agency. It was a wonderful opportunity to show off our amazing county and community. One of the highlights was a morning on the Susquehanna with our friends at the Waterman Conservation Education Center.

We set out in early morning fog with plenty of conversation and laughter. Then the sun burned through and revealed the fall color along the riverbanks. Bill Bitner of Wander & Ponder shared the history of Hiawatha Island. Captain Steven Thomas guided us along the river and shared his deep knowledge of Mary and Cooper, the Hiawatha eagles. The pair made a perfectly timed appearance on the Big Island, as if they knew they had an audience.

We absolutely recommend this boat ride, for visitors and locals alike. It’s one of the best ways to experience the Susquehanna, and a big thank-you goes to the Waterman Center for the incredible work they do caring for and sharing these special places.

There are only two weekends left in the boat season, and the foliage is at its peak. These trips are a wonderful family-friendly, educational outing, and the evening cruise makes a great date night.

🌅 Early Bird Wildlife Cruise. Wildlife is most active in the early morning. Sat, Oct 24 and Sat, Oct 31, 7–9 AM.
🏝️ Hiawatha Island Experience. A boat ride around the island, followed by a guided hike through its history. Sat & Sun, Oct 24–25 and Sat, Oct 31, 2–5 PM.

🎟️ Get your tickets from the Waterman Center: https://www.watermancenter.org/event-list

Thank you to Captain Steve, Bill, and the entire Waterman team for showing our guests why Tioga County is worth the trip. 💛

10/23/2026

Are you curious about what wildlife do at night, and how human senses have our own adaptations to the dark?

Join us on Friday, November 13th at 6:30pm for the Waterman Center's annual fall Night Hike! If we are lucky we might even hear owls or other animals hiding out in the darkness!

Note: This program will take place in full darkness as much as possible, with only red light sources permitted. Colored light filters will be provided. The purpose of this program is to learn about how our eyes dark adapt to low light conditions. Red light is the least disruptive to how our eyes adapt to the dark, while also being less disruptive to nocturnal wildlife.

Suitable for ages 12 and up.

REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED and limited to 15 participants. Register through our website or the link in our bio.

$5/person for non-members and FREE for Waterman Center members

10/22/2026

It's that time of year! The leaves turn colors and fall to the ground, and plants die off as the nights grow colder. While you might be inclined to gather up those leaves and bag them up, your local insects will thank you for leaving them in your yard.
Insects like moths and fireflies overwinter in leaf litter, dead plants, and logs. Leaves create a blanket of insulation and moisture that protects these insects from the cold.
That said, leaving the leaves doesn't have to mean sacrificing your entire yard to to wilderness. Instead, pick one corner of the yard as a "wild area" to rake plant matter into where the leaves and sticks remain. You can even try packing the leaves into towers inside tomato cages, providing space for insects while taking up less area of your yard. Avoid mulching this "wild area", as mulching destroys to sleeping insect larvae and pupae that develop into many colorful and charismatic species.

10/20/2026

Are you interested in nature and art? Come to our Introduction to Nature Journaling Workshop on Saturday, November 7th from 2-4pm at the Waterman Center! Experience how nature journaling can serve as a way to deepen your understanding and appreciation of the natural world!

When we draw for understanding, it trains our skills in observation as well as helping us learn to see things that we may otherwise overlook with observation alone. This sort of drawing is not about making a pretty picture, although that may happen; its purpose is to learn about putting detailed visual observations of what we see on paper. Writing, diagrams and sketches are all part of that.

This event is rain or shine, and there will be indoor observation options in case of inclement weather.
REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED, through our website at watermancenter.org/events . Please see registration page for full event info and recommended supplies.
This program is limited to 12 participants, and is recommended for ages 16 and up.
This program is $10/person for non-members and $5 for Waterman Center members.

About the Instructor: Michelle Tulumello is a former art teacher and local artist whose work is on display in various locations in Owego, as well as at regional shows. She has been nature journaling for many years, and her preferred mediums are watercolor and pen and ink.

10/20/2026

Busy late-fall life at Brick Pond (ducks and frogs not pictured). Jeff was host to more than one pair of mating dragonflies! - J/J

10/11/2026

Obviously we love nature centers 😀 and Lime Hollow Nature Center is another great one to visit! For some of the surprising things we found yesterday, check out the photo descriptions - J/J

10/09/2026

A couple of fall insects to look out for -J/J

10/08/2026

We're super excited to announce some brand-new improvements at our main Waterman Center Trails in Apalachin!

In partnership with the Upper Susquehanna Coalition, Tioga Soil and Water Conservation District, and with funding from the NYS DEC CoRe (Community Reforestation) initiative, we are increasing the biodiversity and wildlife value of about 20 acres along our West Loop Trail. As an added bonus, we're creating some fresh trail that will explore new areas in our preserve and removing substantial amounts of invasive shrubs like Autumn Olive, Bush Honeysuckle, and the bane of every outdoor enthusiast - Multiflora Rose! When the invasive shrubs are gone, over 3,000 native trees and shrubs will be planted in their place which will be a huge improvement for our native wildlife, wildflowers, and mushroom species!

Over the next several weeks, you might hear or see heavy equipment working on and around our trails. While this project might be loud and messy at first, it will ultimately result in improvements to our nature preserve and increased biodiversity!

We hope you're excited and invite you to visit, but please keep a safe distance from any active work zones! We would like to express our deepest appreciation to the project partners: The Upper Susquehanna Coalition, The Tioga County Soil and Water Conservation District, and the NYS DEC!