Discover Nature Programs
Through a partnership with the Louisiana Master Naturalist of Greater Baton Rouge (LMNGBR) we are proud to offer exciting new Discover Nature programs featuring local and national experts who are in touch with nature and are eager to share their experiences. All programs will be held in the Imo Brown Complex in the Beverly Brown Coates Auditorium at Hilltop Arboretum. Discover Nature programs are free for Members Magnolia Level ($250) and above. Advance registration is encouraged.
Overwintering Habitats for Beneficial Insects
Featuring Teri Gegenheimer:
Tuesday, September 22, 2026 | 6:30–8:00 PM
Insects are the unsung heroes of healthy ecosystems, yet many struggle to find the habitat they need to survive the winter. Join Louisiana Master Naturalist, Xerces Society Volunteer Ambassador, and Wild Ones Pontchartrain Basin founding board member Teri Gegenheimer as she explores the fascinating ways insects overwinter and how gardeners can create beautiful landscapes that support them.
Learn about the diverse habitats these remarkable creatures depend on during the colder months and discover simple, practical ways to incorporate insect-friendly features into your own landscape. Whether you're new to native gardening or looking to enhance an existing habitat, you'll leave inspired to create an outdoor space that supports pollinators and other beneficial insects year-round.
About the Speaker
Teri Gegenheimer became a Louisiana Master Naturalist in 2018 and has served as a Volunteer Ambassador for the Xerces Society since 2023. She is also a founding board member of Wild Ones Pontchartrain Basin, established in 2022. Through her work promoting native plants and insect conservation, she enjoys helping others discover the important connections between healthy landscapes and the wildlife they support.
Bats & Brews
Featuring Dr. Aaron Ashbrook, Dr. Mo Christman, and Katherine Gividen
Tuesday, October 27, 2026 | 6:00–8:00 p.m.
Celebrate Bat Week with Bats & Brews, a one-of-a-kind evening of science, stewardship,
and locally crafted beer at LSU Hilltop Arboretum.
Discover the bat species that call Louisiana home, where they live, what they eat, and the remarkable adaptations that allow them to navigate and hunt in darkness. Our featured speakers will explore encounters between bats and people, bat biology and behavior, the legal requirements surrounding bat removal in Louisiana, appropriate exclusion practices, and potential disease risks.
We’ll also dispel common myths, examine the threats bats face, and uncover why these often-misunderstood mammals play such an important role in Louisiana’s wildlife and ecosystems.
Featured speakers
Dr. Aaron Ashbrook, LSU AgCenter
Dr. Mo Christman, LSU AgCenter
Katherine Gividen, Louisiana Master Naturalist and former bat technician with the
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
Rally Cap Brewing Company will round out the evening with tastings of locally crafted beers, giving guests an opportunity to raise a glass to the unsung heroes of Louisiana’s night sky.
Bats & Brews is equal parts science, stewardship, and social gathering—a chance to discover why bats matter, how we can protect them, and why they deserve to be celebrated.
Come curious. Leave inspired...and maybe a little batty!
Registration
$15 – Students, Friends of Hilltop members, and Louisiana Master Naturalist members
$20 – General public
Free - Friends of Hilltop members Magnolia level and above
Advance registration is encouraged.
Program Details
Overwintering Habitats for Beneficial Insects
September 22, 2026 | 6:30-8:00 PM
OVERWINTERing HABITATS REGISTRATION
Bats & Brews
October 27, 2026 | 6:00-8:00pm
Questions? Email or call 225-767-6916.