Details
$650 Members | $700 Nonmembers
Join regionally renowned naturalist and educator Walt Anderson for an immersive eight-week exploration of the Central Highlands designed to deepen your understanding of the plants, animals, landscapes, and ecological relationships that make this region so remarkable.
Created for beginners, new residents, and seasoned naturalists alike, this course emphasizes direct experience in the field. Participants will learn through observation, guided exploration, reflective journaling, and meaningful discussion while cultivating ecological literacy and a deeper connection to the natural world.
Whether you are beginning your naturalist journey or have spent years exploring these landscapes, you will gain fresh insight into the distinctive ecosystems of the Central Highlands.
Course Format
Sessions will be held on Thursdays from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Highlands Center for Natural History. Most of each session will take place outdoors on the Center’s campus and surrounding landscapes.
Indoor instruction will provide context and orientation, while the primary focus remains on learning through direct contact with nature.
In addition to on-campus exploration, the course includes two special off-site field experiences to some of the region’s most iconic landscapes:
Granite Dells
Willow Lake
Retreat Experience
Tuition includes a special three-day, two-night retreat held October 27–29, 2026 at a private forest lodge near Heber-Overgaard.
This all-inclusive retreat offers participants an opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the rhythms of the natural world while learning alongside fellow participants in a beautiful montane setting.
- What You’ll Experience
- Guided exploration of riparian areas, grasslands, chaparral, woodlands, and montane forests
- Development of naturalist skills, including observation, journaling, and ecological interpretation
- Insight into the geology, flora, fauna, and seasonal patterns of the Central Highlands
- Off-site field study experiences at Granite Dells and Willow Lake
- Meaningful connections with a community of curious and dedicated learners
For more than twenty years, Highlands Center has offered transformative natural history courses for adults seeking to better understand and care for the landscapes they call home.
Sense of Place in the Highlands: A Naturalist’s Journey is our most comprehensive learning experience for those who wish to discover the wonders of nature and become wise caretakers of the land.
