Adventures With Nature on the Hoosier
By Lisa Faulkenberg on Jul 7, 2011
A little girl with her cloud finder - compares types of clouds along the edge of her paper to the clouds in the sky above.
Volunteers from the Lincoln Hills RC&D Wildlife Committee help children make bluebird boxes.
Jarrett Manek shows one of his snakes to some small fans.
Two hundred and thirty people attended the 2011 Adventures in Nature Day at Tipsaw Lake Recreation Area on the Hoosier NF to participate in nature activities and learn more about the outdoors.
June 25th began with sunshine and a cool breeze, a perfect day to host the annual Adventures With Nature Field day at Tipsaw Lake on the Hoosier National Forest. Approximately 108 adults and 122 children attended the event highlighting many aspects of nature and how we can interact with it.
Presenting six different sessions were: Paul Dubois highlighted geology and how our area was formed; Hans Schmitz, Purdue Extension explained the differences in clouds while the children made 'cloud finders; Rev. Anthony Vinson, OSB brought a bee hive and showed how honey production works, David James, representing Domtar explained how trees grow then made paper with the children's help, Jarrett Manek, IDNR O'Bannon Woods presented snakes, discussing their habitat and habits; Brad Gilley, DNR Hardy Lake brought six birds of prey and explained how each of them live and feed.
Throughout the day, exhibitors were on hand to talk about a variety of 'nature' activities. Bluebird box were built with the help of Lincoln Hills RC&D Fish & Wildlife Committee; tree identification was explained by DNR Division of Forestry District Foresters Gretchen Herbaugh and Carl Hauser; David Grow, Consultant with a background in watershed management showed children how a tree grows; wood (actually soap) carving was done with the children and was explained by Anne Carey, Forest Service District Ranger and Ed Morey, Master Naturalist; Teena Ligman and Amanda Faulkenberg, Forest Service employees had many nature games to play; invasive species discussions were presented by Eric Eubanks with the Southern Indiana Cooperative Weed Management Area; and a nature store was on site sponsored by Eastern National Forest Interpretive Association. The wagon rides available were made possible by the Southern Indiana Draft Horse and Mule Association. Perry Central Band Boosters were on hand serving food for hungry visitors. And of course, the event was made special by a visit from Smokey Bear!
Adventures With Nature is sponsored by Lincoln Hills Resource Conservation & Development, Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry, Perry & Spencer Counties Soil & Water Conservation Districts, and the US Forest Service.