Spring 2026 Updates

Pancake Breakfast 10am-1pm

$10/person

$5/kids age 3 & under

sausage, coffee, juice, and REAL maple syrup made at Helmer!

Maple Sugaring Tours 11am-1pm

$5/person

HNC members and kids 3 & under are FREE!

Tour entry is first come, first served and there is no need to register!

NEW THIS YEAR!

Blacksmith Demonstrations with Jonathan Bernard.

BACK AGAIN THIS YEAR!

Story telling and Maple history with Indigeous Peoples Day of Rochester.

If you are interested in voulunteering, email us for more info.

HelmerNatureCenter@gmail.com

These FREE talks brought to you by High Falls Tree Service are educational, approachable, and designed to give attendees practical information they can actually use.

WHEN:

Session 1- April 6th, 6-7pm

Session 2- April 27th, 6-7pm

WHERE:

HNC Classroom @ 154 Pinegrove Ave.

Amy Knickerbocker holds a B.S. in Botany from SUNY ESF, an M.S. in Forest Ecology from Oregon State University-Corvallis, and an M.S. in Education from the University of Rochester

This talk will discuss the importance of trees in our personal ecosystems, meaning our yards, as well as in their natural settings as witnessed in our abundance of parks and greenspaces. We will learn how to assess the health of trees and what a healthy ecosystem looks like, focusing on how we can personally create and maintain healthy habitats for all critters, including us humans.

Native & Invasive Species

We will discuss how healthy ecosystems function and the benefits and consequences of native habitats and introduced (non-native) species. We will examine the ways in which humans have, in most cases inadvertently, altered the face of the landscape and disrupted the naturally-occurring food web. There are actions we can take as inhabitants of these same ecosystems to promote the resilience and the health of our environments.

Join us on Friday, April 24th to celebrate Arbor Day here at Helmer Nature Center.

More details coming soon... check out our Facebook for updates.

A fun night was had by all!

Thank you to all who joined us in support of Helmer Nature Center. All funds raised advance the mission and directly support community centered programs, trail upkeep, and on-site animal care.

Join us again next year!

Helmer Nature Center is an outdoor classroom and trail system conserved and preserved by the West Irondequoit School District since 1973. Our trails are open dawn to dusk 7 days a week; please note that dogs are not allowed on our sports fields or trails.

Email: HelmerNatureCenter@gmail.com
Website: https://www.westirondequoit.org/parents_community/helmer_nature_center
Location: 154 Pinegrove Avenue, Rochester, NY, USA
Phone: 585-336-3035
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HelmerNatureCenter