Field Trips & Group Programs

Follow the path of maple syrup production from the sun to our hillside “sugarbush” of maple trees to our Sap House where we boil sap into syrup.

What is a farm? Why are farms important? What does it mean to “manage” the land? Who is on the farm at Merck Forest? Come learn and explore these questions through an interactive guided walk through Merck Forest’s 62 acre farm. Meet the animals, visit the pastures and barns, and participate in some seasonal farm activities.

Merck Forest & Farmland Center sits at the top of not one, but two different watersheds. From this exciting landscape, learn about watersheds and the water cycle, follow the path of water through the ecosystem, and get a chance to explore some of the habitats it creates along the way (ponds, streams, and more) to the Atlantic Ocean in our very own region.

Trees are an extremely important part of our ecosystem and our daily lives. Come along as we explore the role of trees in the forest, and how we balance that vital role with our use of trees as a resource. How are trees harvested sustainably? How do we turn them into timber and building material? How is wood ingrained (hah!) in our lives?

Put on your tree sleuthing hat, and join us as we explore the forest at Merck Forest. We’ll learn about the life cycle and anatomy of trees, which types of trees are found in our region and how to identify them, and what we can learn about a landscape and its history by looking at trees.

What is a pollinator? What do pollinators do? How do humans and pollinators impact each other? We will walk through the pollinator meadows at Merck Forest and look closely for the small insects doing a big job.

Spring Focus: Learn about the special early bloomers at Merck Forest, spring ephemerals, and experience the diversity of pollinators found at Merck Forest.

Fall Focus: Monarch butterflies and migration! We will learn about their life cycles and habitats, what foods in our regional and global food system rely on pollinators, and why they are so important to our survival.

Step into the role of a wildlife detective at Merck Forest. Participants will explore varied habitats to uncover the hidden stories of local animals through three main tracking clues: footprints, feeding signs, and scat. Along the way, they’ll learn to identify animal movement patterns and interpret behaviors from the signs left behind. The program blends observation, problem-solving, and natural history in an engaging, hands-on experience.