Lake Erie Islands Nature and Wildlife Center

DISCOVER ISLAND NATURE FAMILY PROGRAMS

PO BOX 461
PUT-IN-BAY, OH  43456

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                             CONTACT: Lisa Brohl 419-285-5811

Discover Island Nature Family Programs

Put-in-Bay, Ohio

PUT-IN-BAY, Ohio (May, 2009)….

Caves of South Bass Island - Thursday, July 9, 2009

Share a grand adventure with your family as you explore the caves of South Bass Island. With local cave experts, investigate the rock formations and the islands deepest caverns.

Your Discover Island Nature session begins with an introductory slide show on the island’s caves and natural history. With cave expert Erin Hazelton, enjoy a private tour of an historical cave which is open to tourists, then move on to a privately owned cave which is one of the island’s largest. Have lunch with Amy Newell Huston, author of Caves of South Bass Island. It is required for this tour that there be one adult per child.

Nature, Up Close and Personal! - Friday, July 17, 2009

A relaxing family day with Kate Ptak observing the diversity and wonder of our natural world.  Our first activity has everyone looking closely at a patch of land and noting the diversity of organisms found there.  Next, each participant will choose an organism in the area to sketch or photograph, and take careful, detailed notes describing it, just as a real biologist does.  After each of these activities we’ll have a sharing session discussing what we’ve discovered.  We’ll take a quiet leisurely walk in the woods observing the wonders of a woodland habitat, have a picnic lunch, and finish our day just silently sitting by ourselves for about 15 minutes and letting Mother Nature communicate with us through our senses.  At the end of this session each participant is asked to share their response to this activity, perhaps with a poem, a song, a sketch, a paragraph, or even just of list of what they discovered during this quiet time.

Snakes of the Lake Erie Islands - Saturday August 8, 2009

Spend a family day with “Island Snake Lady” Kristin Stanford and gain a new appreciation for snakes! Explore the habitat of snakes in Lake Erie and participate hands-on in the conservation efforts made to improve their numbers. The day begins with a presentation on Lake Erie Water Snakes (LEWS), providing insight into the history and conservation of this state endangered species. Learn about the habitat and identifying characteristics of the LEWS and then roll up your sleeves for a hands-on experience.  Walk the beach, capture LEWS, and learn to tag and record their physical data.

All programs are held on South Bass Island (Put-in-Bay). Registration begins at approximately 9:30 am and sessions conclude no later than 3:30 pm.  Schedule times, itinerary, ferry schedules, and maps will be sent with your registration materials or may be found on our website www.lakeerieislandsbsc.com. Programs are appropriate for all age levels but do require some walking, standing and lecture time. The cave program requires the use of a ladder to access the private cave. Registration is $45, lunch is included.  Vegetarian lunches are available upon request one week prior to the event.  For more information call 419-285-8301 or 419-285-5811.

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