Leaflet
Summer 2019: SUSTAINABILITY
The Newsletter of Fontenelle Forest | fontenelleforest.org
Wetlands are an integral part of Fontenelle Forest and the earth’s ecosystem alike, especially in the wake of the recent flooding across the Midwest. Learn more about the importance of wetlands inside.
Explore more at fontenelleforest.org | 1
10
13 Snapshot of Spring in the News A brief recap of important highlights at the Forest and new volunteer opportunities
Contents Fontenelle Forest’s Leaflet Summer 2019: The SUSTAINABILITY Issue
14 Calendar Our upcoming programs and events. View more at fontenelleforest.org/calendar
Designed by Michaela Galeski Cover photo by Michaela Galeski
4 8
10 Wetlands Genius natural ecology and what you can do to protect it
04 Highlights Fire Fest, TreeRush, and photo exhibit
6
05 Diversifying Conservation Conservationists face a lack of diversity in their own ranks
06 Raptor Recovery How these unique birds are key players in our ecosystem
08 Education Volunteers Sustaining programming for decades 2 | FONTENELLE FOREST Summer 2019
Fontenelle Forest 1111 Bellevue Blvd North Bellevue, NE 68005 (402) 731-3140 fontenelleforest.org
Letter from the Director:
Not simply sustaining, but thriving at Fontenelle Forest
S
USTAINABILITY can be defined and applied in many ways. Most often SUSTAINABILITY is defined as caring for our natural resources in order to maintain healthy ecosystems. At Fontenelle Forest, we think of SUSTAINABILITY broadly. It applies to the land and animals that we are responsible for; the community that we exist to serve; and, the achievement of our mission and vision. In this edition of the Leaflet we share many examples of how SUSTAINABILITY takes form in our work every day and how you can become a part of this great endeavor. The Forest was founded to acquire land along the Missouri River and we have grown to nearly 2100-acres this year after acquiring Camp Wakon-da in January 2019. On June 28th we finalized the purchase of a new 20-acre parcel in the floodplain contiguous to Neale Woods thanks to the support of Ducks Unlimited and Back to the River. We are excited to restore this land to a vibrant wetland and waterfowl habitat. Following the historic flooding events this year our staff is also focused on SUSTAINABILITY as we work with FEMA and NEMA to mitigate the impact of future flooding. This year’s floods have reinforced how important a wetland is to sustaining the healthy ecosystems that we depend on. Even current nature-lovers have diverse interests. So, we are expanding the opportunities that we provide so that people can love nature their way at Fontenelle Forest. Finding new ways to engage and bring
community members together in nature contributes to a stronger, healthier community and a more sustainable natural world. Fontenelle Forest is also promoting SUSTAINABILITY by committing itself to serving the Metro Area’s ethnically and economically diverse community through efforts like our partnership with local libraries that allows families to visit the Forest for free. Achieving our mission means we must strive to continually engage more people who will actively care for the natural world. To do this Fontenelle Forest is welcoming and inclusive of all people and we strive to remove barriers that inhibit our ability to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion in the outdoors. Most importantly, the Forest also seeks to be sustainable in the way that it operates. We are building an organization that will thrive for 100 more years. We seek to operate with the efficiency of a turkey vulture’s flight; lifted and carried by the thermals in the air. Our members, donors, volunteers and the exciting, new partnership with TreeRush Adventures are the thermals sustaining Fontenelle Forest. Thank you! I hope that you enjoy this edition of the Leaflet!
-Merica Whitehall, Fontenelle Forest Executive Director
Explore more at fontenelleforest.org | 3
Upcoming Highlights
Summer is for trying something new This summer, Fontenelle Forest is diving into some events that we have never done before- experience them right along with us!
FIRE FEST
PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB GALLERY EXHIBITION
FIRST-EVER FIRE FEST IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE
Join us for a family-friendly event on July 13 including live prescribed fire demonstrations in a prairie, partners showing off their fire equipment, fire crafts, raptors, art exhibits, and more! Fire Fest is a family event promoting fire’s role in the ecosystem and other tools for habitat restoration and maintenance. We will have fire equipment to explore and activities to participate in, including habitat hikes and a visit by a raptor. Cool down in the nature center and meet artist and see various kinds of works from Anne Dovali, Harrison Martin, Joelle Wellansa, and Barber. This event is free for members or with daily admission. Bring your own water. No parking at Neale Woods. Shuttles available every 30 minutes from the Florence Mill at 9102 N 30th St.
4 | FONTENELLE FOREST Summer 2019
HIKE IN THE SKY WITH TREERUSH Designed to cater to all levels of outdoor enthusiasts, the 103-element adventure park will include two aerial trails for ages 4-6 and have seven trails for ages 7-adult. The seven trails are sure to excite beginners and experts alike. Our most advanced trails will allow guests to soar more than 50 feet in the air. Guests will make memories that will last a lifetime from a bird’s eye view in the trees. Tree Rush Adventures is expected to open at the end of July at Fontenelle Forest. Visit treerush.com for more information and tickets. *Tickets sold seperate from Fontenelle Forest.
Join us in welcoming the Fontenelle Forest Photography Club to the Baright Gallery Artist Series from August 31st to December 31st. Join us to see highlights of the club’s photos inspired by nature with an opening reception August 31st from 12 pm to 2pm. The Fontenelle Forest Photography Club is dedicated to the pursuit of photography and friendship with like-minded people from the Omaha Metro area. Our membership includes photographers of all levels, from beginner to advanced. Our photographic interests lean toward the flora and fauna of the natural world. Want to join the club? Prospective members may attend any meeting as our guest on the third Thursday of every month starting again in September. For more info, visit fontenelleforestphotoclub.org
Diversifying Conservation Originally published at prairieecologist.com
A
s strongly focused as we are on biological diversity, conservationists have done a pretty poor job of focusing on diversity within our own ranks. Quick – think of a famous conservationist. Got one? Chances are good the person you just visualized is a white male, or at least white. There are no downsides to including more voices and perspectives in conservation – only upsides. As conservationists, we had better successfully address our internal diversity problem so we can successfully address the world’s biological diversity problem. Here is a list of things I’m personally going to work on, related to this issue. I hope it’s helpful to others. Please visit prairieecologist.com for the entire article.
1
Be actively aware of the lack of diversity within conservation. Pay attention to who attends, leads, and is vocal at meetings, conferences, volunteer work days, fundraising affairs, and any other conservationrelated event. Share your observations with others.
2
Listen to understand. Talk to colleagues, partners, and others who are different from you, and learn about their stories, perspectives, and ideas. Make sure those are included in discussions, conservation-related or not. Amplify voices of those less well represented within the conservation field. Make sure their perspectives are heard and considered. This can take a lot of forms. It can include calling attention to points made by colleagues in meetings, sharing social media posts, helping to train and enable people to get in front of media cameras and microphones, and much more. While I’m on this topic, here’s just one small specific step on the social media front: I would encourage you all to check out the social media posts of Laura Connelly, who is on Facebook as Laura Lux and on Instagram as @prairie_godmother. Laura is a brilliant and engaging voice for conservation and ecology, and someone whose perspectives and stories need more attention.
3
Examine job descriptions and career paths from the perspective of underrepresented groups. Are you asking for skills that are found predominantly within certain demographic groups? As an example, many land management career paths in the central
4
U.S. start with seasonal positions, for which job requirements emphasize experience operating and maintaining tractors and chainsaws. Those skills tend to be much less prevalent among women than men, especially early in careers, and are less common in people who grew up in urban areas than in rural areas. By making those particular seasonal jobs the primary entry point for land management jobs, we’re cutting out a lot of people who have many other skills and perspectives. Why can’t we build more training into those positions or develop multiple entry points for land management careers – or both?
5
Look for ways to build up conservation interest and outdoor skills within communities you want to recruit from so candidates from those communities will be more competitive. That can mean volunteering to speak about nature and conservation in schools or other venues, but it can also go much deeper. It might mean reaching out to community leaders and advocates to learn more about those communities and their challenges, regardless of whether you see an immediate tie to your conservation work. The conversations that ensue might lead to some surprising potential partnerships.
6
At a broader scale, don’t exclude poverty and other social issues from conservation discussions – they are often tightly linked. Many global issues are strongly tied to poverty, for example. It’s hard to stop deforestation when local people are cutting down trees for basic cooking and heating needs, or to clear space for subsistence farming. It’s also pretty foolish to expect people and their leaders to support species and habitat restoration projects if their primary concerns revolve around basic healthcare and food/water/ shelter needs. Of course, conservation can sometimes be relevant to those basic needs, but other times, addressing those primary concerns can be a necessary preamble to conservation discussions. See numbers 2 and 5 above…
- Chris Helzer, Nature Conservancy’s Director of Science in Nebraska
Explore more at fontenelleforest.org | 5
Raptor Recovery
Turkey Vultures are ‘gross-ly’ under appreciated See how these incredibly unique birds help everyone and contribute to a healthy ecosystem.
How can you ID a Turkey Vulture in flight? Turkey Vultures are large dark birds with long, broad wings. Bigger than other raptors except eagles and condors, they have long “fingers” at their wingtips and long tails that extend past their toe tips in flight.
P
eople don’t like vultures. Even naturalist Charles Darwin described the Turkey Vulture as a “disgusting bird,” but consider the more pleasant Latin term Cathartes aura, meaning “purifier.” We at Fontenelle Forest love this unique and important bird. Allow us to explain why. First, they clean the Forest for us! In the absence of vultures, rotting meat would be consumed by other creatures that many humans find undesirable, such as maggots and bacteria. Most people would prefer one vulture over millions of bacteria or several pounds of maggots. As a large bird, they are easily spotted making lazy circles in the air, often tilting from side to side with others. They are migratory in Nebraska, heading south in the fall, conserving energy as they ride thermals in the air. Adults have a bright red featherless head, and young birds have grey heads, which is how they got their names. Turkey Vultures have the best sense of smell of any
6 | FONTENELLE FOREST Summer 2019
bird, so good that they’ve helped natural gas companies detect gas leaks. Natural gas contains the same chemical found in a dead animal, which attracts the vultures to the leak. Some people are even looking into using Turkey Vultures’ sense of smell to help first responders find people trapped after a major disaster. Their unbeatable sense of smell could save your life one day. Vultures are an ecologically vital group of birds that face a range of threats. Populations are under pressure internationally, and some species are facing extinction. So how can we sustain Nebraska’s Turkey Vulture population? We see a dozen or so turkey vultures come through our rehabilitation program each year, with car collisions being the top reason for admittance. As they feast on roadkill on highways, they are sometimes too slow to fly away safely, so slow down for roadkill. We also see them with electrocution issues and lead poisoning.
Turkey vultures in our care will also eat leftovers – food fed to other raptors that hasn’t been eaten. Nothing ever goes to waste when we have Turkey Vultures on hand! At Fontenelle Forest, anyone can learn about vultures from Helios, our Turkey Vulture ambassador who lives in the Raptor Woodland Refuge, but we also have two educational vultures: Squirtsey, who lives at the rehab center and does programs in the Lincoln Metro area and Sundance, who previously resided in the Grand Island area. Sundance will soon reside at Fontenelle Forest and join our other educational hawks, falcons, and owls in programs throughout the state. WHAT YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT LIFE FROM A TURKEY VULTURE? Family: Vultures roost communally with large extended families in a group called a “kettle.”
Sundance entered life as an educational ambassador in 2003 as a youngster when he was found between the floors and walls of a collapsed and abandoned building. Although he was fostered by adult Turkey Vultures and released in the wild, he soon began returning to the recovery program looking for food. It became obvious that he was a human imprint, meaning he never learned self-awareness as a vulture, and it would not be safe for him to be released again.
Self-Defense: Without the talons or temperament of hawks or eagles, vultures have a non-violent form of self-protection: throwing up on their attacker.
On Saturday, September 7th, we will be celebrating International Vulture Awareness Day to help spread the message of the Turkey Vulture. Come meet one up close and help us celebrate these misunderstood birds!
Go with the flow: Spending most of their time soaring on wind currents, flying turkey vultures use only slightly more energy than they do when standing on the ground doing nothing!
- Denise Lewis, Director of Fontenelle Forest’s Raptor Recovery program
This Turkey Vulture came to us after his egg rolled out from under a hay bale and a farmer incubated it. See how he grew over the first eight weeks. He resides at the Lincoln Children’s Zoo where you can meet him!
Explore more at fontenelleforest.org | 7
Education
Since the 1960s, volunteers have programs, bringing nature and le
Our education volunteer programs are expanding this ye F
A
t Fontenelle Forest, our volunteer Teacher Naturalists (TNs) and Teen Naturalist Trainees (TNTs) have played an integral part in sustaining forest education programs over the past 40 years. TN and TNT volunteers teach environmental education programs at the Forest and promote appreciation of nature for a wide range of visitors, from toddlers to seniors. You may recognize the names of several of our regular TN-led programs such as Dirt Time, Night Hikes, Yoga in the Forest, and Forest Therapy. In 2018 alone, our TNs and TNTs volunteered over 1,200 hours, helping to inspire current and future generations to care for the natural world. With nearly 70 years of volunteer education, that’s thousands of hours of serving our community. In the 1960s, an Omaha city forester named Jim Malkowski started to lead educational tours through the forest. They were so popular that a nature center was built in 1966, and Malkowski became its first director. Since that time, Fontenelle Forest’s educational offerings have expanded, as have the Nature Center, its staff, and its programs. The forest itself is one of the largest natural deciduous forests in Nebraska, and it is listed as a National Natural Landmark and a National Historic District by the Department of the Interior. This year, we will be expanding our TN and TNT
8 | FONTENELLE FOREST Summer 2019
volunteer programs. Training will begin for new and returning volunteers in September 2019, with a focus on Fontenelle Forest’s natural history and how to facilitate discussions with visitors using the bountiful forest resources. We will continue to hold monthly volunteer meetings the first Saturday of the month for both TNs and TNTs. Our monthly volunteer meetings include guest speakers and updates on Fontenelle Forest, volunteer opportunities, and training. Currently, our TNs (ages 19 and up) primarily help with special events, weekend programs, and guided hikes. Beginning this summer, you may also see TNs leading hikes for families attending Wild Summer Days and facilitating new education stations inside the Nature Center. After the September training, our TN program will offer a more diverse range of volunteer opportunities for TNs, including assisting educators with school programs, day camps, and senior outreach programs. Wanda Pendley has been a TN education volunteer at Fontenelle for 15 years. Pendley has been coming here since 1962 and grew up enjoying what the Forest has to offer. “I like it, I want others to like it, and most importantly, I want people to respect it,” she says. Pendley tells the story of one of her experiences leading Dirt Time in 2011. When their group walked past Child’s Hollow, a little boy confidently exclaimed “The Grinch lives here!” “We look at it and we see
e sustained our education earning to thousands of people
ear, and you can be a part of it.
Now Hiring Part-Time Educator Starts at $10.25/hour DOE Benefits: membership privileges. Start date August 19, 2019
duckweed,” Pendley says, “but a five-year-old boy sees the Grinch.” Children appear to immediately connect with nature when exposed to it, and nature seems to elevate childrens’ innate wonderment and imagination. This is one reason why Pendley keeps coming back to volunteer at Fontenelle. “You learn twice as much from them,” she says. The TN program is designed to be adaptable to each individual’s availability and lifestyle. We encourage each volunteer to find the right fit for themselves in terms of how often they would like to volunteer and what programs they would like to facilitate. TNs are able to engage and teach visitors in many different ways, including in the classroom, on the trails, or at an education station.
The Educator facilitates nature-based programs during the school year (January-May, August-December) with additional summer work (JuneJuly) available. Successful candidates should be available to facilitate a minimum of 4 programs per week (1216 hours). Find out more about this position and our internship position at fontenelleforest.org/careers
Our TNT volunteer program (ages 13-18) will be ramping up in the fall and spring as we train a new team of high school students to lead education stations located along the forest boardwalk. As visitors hike the trails, they will encounter several stations where our trained TNTs will engage them with various educational activities. The September TNT training will focus on how to educate visitors on forest ecology and the fascinating plants and animals that live in the forest. This is an invaluable opportunity for high school students who are interested in the natural world and would like to work on their public speaking skills. Beginning in spring of 2020, we will also provide several professional development opportunities for our TNT volunteers, including workshops on resume building and college preparation. We are so excited to expand our TN and TNT programs at the forest and thrilled to welcome new volunteers to our team. -Jocelyn Harrison, Adult Programs Manager
Explore more at fontenelleforest.org | 9
Land Stewardship
What’s in a wetland?
Just how important are wetlands to our natural ecology and to human prosperity?
W
etlands are often referred to as the “kidneys” of the earth, and for good reason. Just like our own body, the earth as a whole is a functioning unit, with each part or “organ” playing an influential role in its prosperity. Just as kidneys filter out waste from our blood, wetlands act as a giant filtering system, trapping pollutants and purifying toxins from our ecosystem. “Wetlands are an integral part of human life, providing a filtering service, some flood and erosion control, and a source of enjoyment for people and other animals,” says Michelle Foss, Manager of Stewardship and Research at Fontenelle Forest.
What are wetlands? Plants growing in wetlands, along with the surrounding soil, absorb toxins through their roots, according to Foss. The toxins are held in the soil or the plant until they are diluted and released in a slower manner. Because of this, make sure that you don’t eat plants from recently flooded wetlands!
WETLANDS FILTRATION
This is invaluable because once this flooded water finally becomes groundwater or enters the water supply after passing through a wetland, it has been naturally filtered and is much, much cleaner. Wetlands also function as a breeding ground for a variety of wildlife and a rest stop for migratory animals. Have you ever seen pelicans flying overhead in Nebraska? They are stopping in our local wetlands along their migratory route. (You can see them twice a year at Fontenelle Forest.)
Effects on the Missouri River Basin Aside from functioning as a filter for toxins and waste, wetlands act as a much-needed buffer between bodies of water, in this case, the Missouri River, and human settlements in floodplain areas like some Bellevue and Omaha neighborhoods. Fontenelle Forest’s wetlands “allow for the [Missouri] River to go where it wants to go without causing as many problems,” says Foss. During the recent flooding in March, however, the wetlands were not able to absorb the flooded water like they normally would because the ground was still frozen when the flooding began. Currently, the wetlands are in the process of decontaminating the toxins in the flooded water, recalibrating conditions to their natural state. “Our wetlands are what keeps our water
10 | FONTENELLE FOREST Summer 2019
healthy,” Foss says. Since most drinking water in Omaha comes from the Missouri River, wetlands’ ability to filter contaminants “only helps our water filtration system.”
What can you do about it? Wetland acreage has decreased by a staggering 53% from 1780 to 1980, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Services. Without widespread understanding of this ecosystem, wetlands will continue dimishishing. This is primarily due to human development, as people love living close to water, more settlements are being built over wetland areas, and cities are expanding over floodplains to our own detriment. Since concrete cannot absorb water like soil can, this means that the effects of flooding in these areas will only be magnified. Additionally, channelization of the Missouri River that started in the early 1900s has significantly decreased the surrounding wetland areas. To help preserve this ecosystem, Foss encourages everyone to educate themselves about wetlands. If you are ever in a position to wonder, “Do we need this wetland?” the answer is yes! It can be tough for humans to understand that the best thing we can do as communities grow is to simply leave wetlands alone and let them work for us.
More tangibly, you can responsibly use recreational sites, donate your time through volunteering, and donate your money, if possible. “It costs money to protect and preserve land, whether it be wetlands or forest or prairie,” Foss says. “There needs to be a dollar amount associated with anything that people do because that’s how things are valued.” The driving force behind a decrease in wetlands is simply a general lack of understanding. Why invest in preserving something you dont understand? Foss sees Fontenelle Forest as a means to combat this lack of understanding, creating an opportunity for people to explore the wetlands and discover firsthand what wetlands are all about. In doing so, we can more fully comprehend their indispensable value to humans and the natural world alike. When programming begins again, trails open, or volunteering in our wetlands commences, take it as an opprotunity to educate yourself and the next generation. -Michaela Galeski, marketing intern
Explore more at fontenelleforest.org | 11
ZIP & CLIMB TREETOP TRAILS
WALK & WANDER FOREST PATHS PURCHASE PRE-LAUNCH PASSES AT TREERUSH.COM
FONTENELLE FOREST MEMBERS: PURCHASE PRE-LAUNCH PASSES & RECEIVE A WELCOME GIFT WHEN YOU CHECK IN!
(402) 316-7038 info@TreeRush.com
TreeRush.com
12 | FONTENELLE FOREST Summer 2019
1111 Bellevue Blvd N, Ste A Bellevue, NE 68005
(402) 731-3140 info@fontenelleforest.org
fontenelleforest.org
A brief snapshot of Fontenelle Forest’s 2019 Spring season in the news
Fontenelle Forest Recovering from Flood Damage One third of the trails on Fontenelle Forest property are closed due to either flood damage or high waters. The Wetlands Learning Center was also damaged in the flood and is currently closed, and many educational resources were lost as a result. Although nature continues to sort out itself in the flood’s aftermath, some of the flooded out trails and may not be open fully until spring of 2020. Read the full story at 3newsnow.com.
VOLUNTEER! Best Trail in Nebraska Prevention Magazine listed our Riverview Boardwalk on the “50 Best Walks in America That Every Traveler Must Explore” Read the full story at prevention.com.
Our dedicated volunteers are vital to our ongoing educational programs, land stewardship, special events, administration, and many other areas. Apply at fontenelleforest.org/support or call (402) 731-3140. Raptors: Transport injured raptors, clean up after them, or actually handle them. Land Stewardship: Get outdoors, get dirty, and feel satisfied at the end of your workday with the sweat you have poured into your work. Drop in monthly or get on the list for specific projects. Education: Teens and adults both are welcome to become volunteer naturalists educators. Lead public hikes and stations and help out with a variety of educational programming at the Forest.
Workers band Woodmen Tower falcon chicks
On Monday, June 3, Nebraska Game and Parks and Fontenelle Forest Raptor Recovery workers banded three falcon chicks atop the Woodmen Tower. The work continues an effort to conserve the species’ population. Biologists began releasing the falcons from urban buildings after a dip in population in the 1950s, recognizing that the falcons had adapted to urban settings. The Woodmen Tower released its first falcons in 1988. Since then, they have banded and released more than 85 falcons with the help of Nebraska Game and Parks, the Audubon Society, and Raptor Recovery, which is now part of Fontenelle Forest. Read the full story at omaha.com.
Building maintenance: Know a thing or two about how to keep facilities running? We are always looking for folks who can help us repair our properties. Administrative: More of an indoor cat? We are always looking for people to help us input data, stuff envelopes, and organize years-worth of files. Apple pies: Do you love to bake? We are looking for a few extra volunteers to help this fall to make our fabulous apple pies. All pies are sold in the Fontenelle Forest gift shop.
Explore more at fontenelleforest.org | 13
Regular Programming Wild Summer Days & Mud Pies Looking for a unique setting to have fun with your child while learning about the natural world? Wild Summer Days and Mud Pies is a drop-in-and-play program that encourages interaction between adult and child. Each week, a natural science topic is explored through station-based activities and free play. Come discover the joy of sharing nature with your child!
Land Stewardship Volunteer Days The volunteer Land Stewardship crew meets on selected Saturdays mornings to work on various projects from 8:30 a.m. to around noon. Interested in joining our land volunteer crew? Contact Michelle Foss at mfoss@fontenelleforest.org or give us a call at 402-731-3140.
Keeper Talks This new series is comprised of 30-minute programs in the Raptor Woodland Refuge with raptor specialist Suzanne Hasiak. She will discuss a different species in each installment. Drop in for this mini lecture or stop by when you see it happening! Hear their stories, learn about their history, their habitats, and the ways you can help our hawks and all raptors in the wild.
WILD SUMMER DAYS ENDS AUGUST 7 MON - WED 9:30 - 11:30 A.M. AGES 10 & YOUNGER MUD PIES BEGINS AUGUST 19 MON - THURS 9:30 - 11:30 A.M. AGES 5 & YOUNGER MONTHLY 8:30 A.M. -12 P.M. JULY 20 AUGUST 17 SEPTEMBER 21
JULY 14 : GREAT HORNED OWL JULY 28: RED TAILED HAWK AUGUST 11: FERRUGINOUS HAWK AUGUST 25: BARN OWL SEPTEMBER 1: SWAINSON’S HAWK
Seniors Understanding Nature Many seniors grew up in a time when nature was a big part of everyday life; SUN (Seniors Understanding Nature) programs enhance that experience. Join us to learn about a different topic every month. Refreshments are served for the presentation, and a nature walk follows for all who are interested.
BEGINS SEPT. 10 2ND TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH 9:45 - 11:30 A.M.
Yoga in the Forest Join us for an hour-long vinyasa style yoga class, surrounded by nature, designed to de-stress and relax you. This class is accessible for all levels of yogis, from beginner to experienced, and will feature the sounds of the forest as your soundtrack as you move towards complete wellness. This program is free for members or with daily admission.
14 | FONTENELLE FOREST Summer 2019
SUNDAY MORNINGS 9:00 - 10:00 A.M. & WEDNESDAY EVENINGS 6-7 P.M.
Calendar Highlights JULY 13 11 AM-2 PM AT NEALE WOODS
Short JULY 13 Interview AUGUST 10
8-11 PM AT THE NATURE CENTER
Fire Fest Join us for family-friendly event including live fire demonstrations, partners showing off their fire equipment, crafts and more! Fire Fest is a family event promoting fire’s role in the ecosystem, as well as other tools for habitat restoration and maintenance.
Butterfly Hike AUGUST 17 9-10:30 AM SEPTEMBER14 1-2:30 PM AT CAMP BREWSTER
Have you ever been up close to a butterfly? Join us at Camp Brewster as we hike the trails and observe prairie butterflies. During the program, you will get the chance to use nets to catch some of our butterfly residents and observe the variety of butterfly wing colors and patterns up close. *Must pre-register.
Summer Night Hike (ages 13+) Join us on a 3-5 mile night hike. We will be watching for animal activity as sunlight disappears and discussing the nocturnal life of the forest in the summer. *Must pre-register.
AUGUST 17 1-2:30 PM AT CAMP BREWSTER
Summer Wildflower Hike Search for woodland wildflowers at Camp Brewster. *Must pre-register.
Fontenelle Forest History Hike Writing Hike for Beginners JULY 20 9-10:30 AM AT THE NATURE CENTER
Explore the sights/sounds of the Forest with a journal and notebook! Designed to help naturalists of all ages write and sketch about the forest, whether you’re a poet or a scientist. Develop your field journaling skills, and celebrate nature in a supportive community.
Forest Animal Families JULY 21 1-3 PM AT THE NATURE CENTER
JULY 27 AUGUST 31 SEPTEMBER 28 9-11:30 AM AT THE NATURE CENTER
AUGUST 13 8:30-10:30 PM AT NEALE WOODS
It’s summer and the forest is full of new life! Many of the young animals in the forest are learning what it means to survive with the help of their families. Join us on a hike from the Nature Center as we look for animals in the forest and learn about their families.
Dirt Time Have you ever wanted to learn how to interpret clues left behind by animals in the forest? This is your chance! Join us on the trails as we learn about animal tracks and scat. All participants will receive a free animal track guide to use during and after the program.
Meteor Shower Viewing & Walk Join us for the Perseid meteor shower, the most popular meteor shower of the year, with up to 60-70 meteors per hour at its peak. *Must pre-register.
AUGUST 18 1-2:30 PM AT CAMP WA-KON-DA
AUGUST 24 9-10:30 AM AT THE NATURE CENTER
AUGUST 31 12-2 PM AT THE NATURE CENTER
SEPTEMBER 2 10 AM-12 PM AT THE NATURE CENTER
SEPTEMBER 7 12-2 P.M. AT THE NATURE CENTER
Guided history trail hike. Learn how the land was shaped by glaciers, how Native Americans lived amongst the forest, and how fur traders and explorers settled in the hills. *Must pre-register.
Oak Savanna Hike
A naturalist will guide you through our oak savanna and woodlands, discussing the past, present, and future of the oak trees that live in our forest.
Photo Club Exhibit Opening Meet artists from the Photo Club and hear them talk about this new exhibit. On display thorugh December, 2019.
Raptors...Live! Drop in and spend some time with our amazing birds of prey and learn more about them. You can see and take photos of them up close with their handlers right here in the Nature Center! We’ll have many raptor ambassadors and experts on hand for you to meet.
Int. Vulture Awareness Day
We will highlight the conservation of vultures, introduce you to a live Turkey Vulture in the Nature Center, play games and celebrate this great brid. Explore more at fontenelleforest.org | 15
Calendar Highlights SEPTEMBER 8 9-10:30 AM AT THE NATURE CENTER BEGINS SEPTEMBER 9 9:30-11:30 AM & 1-3 PM AT THE NATURE CENTER SEPTEMBER 12 12-1:30 PM AT THE NATURE CENTER
Fall Bird Migration Hike Search for birds migrating through the forest on their journey south with an expert guide. Binoculars will be provided for participants during the hike.
* DUE TO CONTAMINATED FLOODING IN THE WETLANDS, ALL CANOEING HAS BEEN CANCELED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
SEPTEMBER 21 12-2:30 PM AT THE NATURE CENTER
Homeschool Science Introduces students to different natural science topics each session. Recommended for studnets from 3rd-6th grade. *Must pre-register.
Lunch & Learn about Bats!
Fontenelle Forest volunteers... Save the date for our annual celebration of the amazing work you do every day here at the Forest! We’ll enjoy lunch and celebrate all of the great things you have accomplished so far in 2019!
Hiking for Seniors SEPTEMBER 25 10-11:30 PM AT THE NATURE CENTER
Bring your lunch and learn about bats. Expect a brief lecture about a species, a Q&A, and a live animal to observe. *$5 with your membership.
SEPTEMBER 14 7-10 PM Fall Night Hike (ages 13+) SEPTEMBER 21 3-5 mile night hike where we will FOR BEGINNERS: watch for animal activity as the sunlight 16 | FONTENELLE Summer 2019 7-9 PM AT THEFOREST disappears. *Must pre-register. NATURE CENTER
Volunteer Appreciation
SEPTEMBER 28 6-9 PM AT THE NATURE CENTER
For seniors, walking offers numerous health benefits. Join us on the last Wednesday of each month for our senior hike. Each hike will be 1-2 miles with some hills, and at a pace that accommodates all participants.
Beer on the Boardwalk
Enjoy tasting locally-crafted beers from favorite breweries in the fresh air along our ADA boardwalk at Fontenelle Forest. Visitors will enjoy beer tasting, music, fire pits, raffles, and of course, nature!