Two years ago, when I started out as Hoyt Arboretum’s Collections Intern, I had never imagined that I would work with kids. I had done a practicum on Natural Dyes in college, where I created and presented educational content to my peers, but I never thought that I would go beyond educating my fellow college students. That all changed when I was asked to create a craft for our Pop-Up Nature! table on berries, which later launched me into my career as a Nature Educator.
The Start of it All
That summer, I put my natural dye knowledge to use once again, but this time with a much younger audience. Pop-Up Nature! crafts have to be doable and fun for all ages, and I thought what could be better than bundle dyeing with some of our local and native berries?
From the brilliant pinks created by thimbleberries, to the bright yellow created by Oregon grape bark, whose fruits also fade from a yellow-orange to purple as they oxidize, this craft allowed kids to explore some of the wonderful colors that nature can create. The best part? It was both messy and delicious!
Foraging for Education
When berries week finally arrived, I was so excited to bring this craft to life. I trekked through the Arboretum, hitting up the various berry patches I had come across during my off-trail-tree-survey adventures to collect materials.
NOTE: these patches will remain a secret, as foraging is strictly prohibited in public parks like Hoyt Arboretum.
By the end of the afternoon, I had two large bowls of blackberries, thimbleberries, salal, and Oregon grape ready to stain the white cotton bandanas and children’s fingers alike.
Berry Mush, Learning, and a Career Change, Oh My!
The two days of Pop-Up Nature! –we’re adding a third day this year– flew by that week! It was amazing watching both children and adults flock to our tables to learn about what berries are, their purpose (for the plant), to get acquainted with our native Oregonian species, and, of course, smash them onto bandanas to create beautiful, naturally dyed works of art.
I watched children’s faces light up as our educators and volunteers presented them with fun berry facts, asking them what they already knew, what they noticed, and what they thought about these fantastic fruits. It brought a smile to my face every time a kid asked “Can you really eat these?” as they added another berry to their squishy, natural dye goop. I had a grand old time, and was asked to join the Nature Education Team not too long after.
A Unique Summertime Learning Experience
After leading many field trips for kindergartners all the way to seventh graders, being a nature educator has become one of my favorite jobs, and Pop-Up Nature! will always hold a special place in my heart.
Unlike field trips, which typically run for an hour and a half, Pop-Up Nature! allows families to spend however long they want in the park, while kids harness their new knowledge on amphibians, butterflies, or whatever the week’s topic might bring– to explore to their heart’s content.
It also provides unique tools for them to engage with what they’ve learned, from color-coded pollinator crafts to nature searches featuring the six different ferns you can find at Hoyt Arboretum. This weekly summertime program also allows for families of all ages and backgrounds to build relationships with nature at Hoyt Arboretum and beyond.
This year (2025), we are expanding our Pop-Up Nature! dates, and we are adding an extra day!
Join us Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from June 26th until August 23rd.
Pop-Up Nature stations are completely FREE drop-in experiences, conveniently located right in the Visitor Center Courtyard. Some of our super exciting topics this year include bird nests, pollinators, and, once again, berries! Join us for multiple weeks, and collect stamps in a Pop-Up Nature! Passport. Collect 5 stamps and earn a super secret awesome prize! We hope you swing by!
About the Author
Rowan Moreno is the Community Engagement Coordinator with Hoyt Arboretum Friends. They graduated with a B.A. in Biology from Lewis & Clark College in 2023, where they studied plant biology and conservation, worked as the Student Herbarium Curator, and created a practicum focused on natural dyes and ethnobotany. Rowan began working at Hoyt as the Collections Intern following graduation, and later became the Collections Assistant and a Nature Educator before stepping into their current role. Their favorite part of the Arboretum is probably the Creek Trail since it’s a beautiful place to explore, especially on a hot day, but the Oak Collection also holds a special place in their heart since that is where their Hoyt career began.