Native American Talking Sticks:

A Hands-On Workshop in Storytelling, Respect & Earth Connection

with Tonito Valderrama

Sunday, June 7

2:00 pm

Long Pond Greenbelt Nature Center

1061 Bridgehampton/Sag Harbor Turnpike, Bridgehampton

Step into the rich traditions of Native American culture through the art of the talking stick—a powerful symbol of respectful communication and shared wisdom.

In this engaging workshop, participants will create their own unique talking sticks using North Fork driftwood, colorful beads, natural pigments, and feathers.

Inspired by an authentic display of Native American art and musical instruments, students will learn the cultural significance of the talking stick and how it was used in circles to ensure that every voice was heard with honor. As a meaningful conclusion to the class, students will be invited to raise their talking sticks and share words of gratitude and ideas for caring for our Mother Earth.

A creative and reflective experience for all ages and abilities.

About Tony Valderrama

Tonito Valderrama is an internationally recognized environmental artist and educator. He studied art education at CW Post L.I.U. and has held prominent roles, including Director of Museum Education at Hillwood Art Museum and Lead Environmental Educator and Artist at the Quogue Wildlife Refuge where he worked for over 14 years. Founder of The Artist's Nest, Valderrama continues to share his art and education worldwide. He is now the Director of the Wilderness Traveling Museum, promoting indigenous arts and culture across Long Island.

Sundays at Two events are free and open to the public.

NEW EXHIBIT: WILDFLOWERS OF THE LONG POND GREENBELT

On view for the season are the very fine botanical prints of forty-eight wildflowers spotted in the Long Pond Greenbelt. They are on display at the Long Pond Greenbelt Nature Center, open Saturday and Sunday, from 10:00 to 2:00. The show, curated by Sandra Ferguson, features selected botanical prints of watercolors by Edith Farrington Johnston as found in The Macmillan Book of Wildflowers (1954). As an aside: in preparing for her remarkable goal of painting over 250 flowers for the book, Mrs. Johnston visited a famous wildflower garden in East Hampton, established by S. Leroy King, a wildflower enthusiast. Mr. King’s garden was sufficiently illustrious to merit a New York Times article in 1949. Special thanks to Josh Dayton for his help in hanging the show.

LONG-AWAITED VIDEO “AN ODE TO THE LONG POND GREENBELT” NOW AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING ON YOUTUBE!

Scripted and narrated by Sag Harbor poet, author, and Greenbelt-lover Scott Chaskey with drone footage and video editing by Board Member Ted Chu, with the assistance of Board Member Peter Wilson, this gorgeous video introduction to the Long Pond Greenbelt is now available on FLPG’S YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@longpondgreenbelt. A version of the video, reworked to include footage and images showing ATV trail damage, was shown to the Southampton Town Board at its May 28^th work session. LTV also has the video, so a wider audience may be seeing it soon, and it is also available at the FLPG website. A tremendous thank you to Ted, Scott and Peter for bringing this beautiful video to fruition.

Vineyard Field Welcomes the Sensitive Fern

Please say hello to a new resident of Vineyard Field – the sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis), seen here in a prolific bright green patch in the middle of the field. Prior inventories of Vineyard Field’s plant life have not noted its presence, so it’s appearance this year is definitely noteworthy. A happy event indeed!

Great East End Cleanup Removes 640 Pounds of Garbage from the Long Pond Greenbelt

Our focus this year was Little Long Pond and we got a huge jump start from FLPG Member Michael Speicher who took his canoe around the shoreline of Little Long Pond (more exposed than normal due to the low water levels) and collected 10 tires! We were then able to haul them out along with wood from an old duck blind and other garbage along the trail and shoreline. Thank you to Dai Dayton, Jackson Dodds, Dayton Mc Dermott, Jean Mc Dermott, and Michael Speicher who all pitched in to remove 640 pounds of garbage (weighed at the North Sea transfer station).

Bottini Kicks Off 2026 Sunday at Two Programming with Updated Otter Report

Mike Bottini joined us again to share an update on his Otter conservation research project. Afterward he brought participants to a known Otter latrine sight just outside the Long Pond Greenbelt where they found some recent scat. Mike ended his program with a request for help to report any Otter sightings or roadkills (as well as mink, weasel, woodchuck, flying squirrel or skunk) to support the Long Island Mammal Study. Text Mike at 631-819-0484 - photos preferred. If you missed the presentation, you can watch it courtesy of LTV at https://youtu.be/5H1f7ygu6VI

152 Bird Species Recorded in the Northern Section of the Long Pond Greenbelt

During our May Sunday at 2 presentation Chris Gangemi shared some of his favorite birding spots in the Long Pond Greenbelt along with many beautiful pictures taken by Jay Rand, and a few amazing stats. 152 bird species have been recorded in the Northern portion of the Long Pond Greenbelt alone. This includes 24 species of Warblers, 16 ducks species, and 10 different types of shorebirds among others. The last new species was just found on May 8th - a least sandpiper.

Video link to the presentation will be provided in next month's newsletter.