Haw River State Park Summer Camps

2011 Summer Day Camps, Adventure Camp and Grandparent Camps
Haw River State Park, Browns Summit

Come to Haw River State Park for summer fun and adventure!  The Summit Environmental Education Staff at Haw River will be leading participants in many amazing park adventures.  Each week will have a theme in which programming will focus.  The Day Camps will be for children who will be rising 2nd – 6th graders.  For the first time ever, we will be offering an Adventure Camp for rising 7th - 8th graders.  Our Grand Camps will be for grandparents who would like to come to summer camp with a grandchild or two, or for children who would like to bring their grandparents to camp.  These are our only residential camps.

Download our Summer Day Camp Registration Form and/or the Grand Camp Registration Form and send them in by mail.  A $40 non-refundable deposit will be due upon registration to secure a space for each participant. Go to the Haw River State Park website for more information. 

Playing outdoors can supply a world of benefits

October 12, 2010By Julie Deardorff, Tribune Newspapers

Want to nurture a healthy, motivated student? Send your child outside for a daily dose of nature, say advocates of the No Child Left Inside movement.

Once the school year starts, kids tend to hibernate indoors, but studies suggest that giving children access to green spaces, sunlight and fresh air can do everything from reduce symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder to improve mood and academic performance. Spending time in nature makes us feel more alive, according to research published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology; some say this vitality can translate into increased motivation and capacity for learning.

Each day, try giving kids one hour of unstructured play in the natural world, suggests the National Wildlife Federation, an advocacy group. For children who live in areas where unsupervised outdoor play isn't safe or accessible, a "green" hour can take place in a park, backyard, even on a porch. Go here for the rest of the story and for tips to encourage outdoor play.

Family Hike

Saturday, Apr 2, 2011 9 AM to 1 PM
Foothills Equestrian Nature Center (FENCE), Tryon, NC
Free Event

This is an event for the whole family. Come explore our the plants in our woods. Children will create a navigator's necklace with a compass as they explore the woods and learn tree identification.

Check out other programs at FENCE.

Meet the Animals

Friday, Apr 1, 1 PM to 2 PM
Ages 5-12, fee $3
Brier Creek Community Center, Raleigh

Looking for something fun to do during Teacher Workday? Come meet some animals up close! Possible visitors include: snakes, lizards and insects. Learn about these animals and the ones living in this park.

Please pre-register four days in advance online at http://reclink.raleighnc.gov/ For more information call Nature Programs at 919-831-6856.

UNCW students write about their field trip for research

By Lindsay Key, Graduate student, Creative Writing
From the StarNews Online
Published: Thursday, March 24, 2011 at 10:12 a.m.

For a budding biologist, it’s the opportunity of a lifetime: an almost fully-funded trip to study the tropical ecosystems of Bermuda, one of Earth’s most mysterious places.

This spring break, eight University of North Carolina Wilmington students – Ashley Whitt, Heather Page, Jennifer Idol, Rachel Dixon, Renee Fucella, Zachary Siders, Robert McNeil and Laura Flessner – participated in “Field Methods in Tropical Marine Biology,” taught by biology faculty members Sean Lema and Alison Taylor.

The 10-day course, hosted by the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, is part of an exchange program with the University of Southampton’s School of Ocean and Earth Science in the United Kingdom, with students and faculty from both institutions involved.

Student teams explored the island’s rich variety of habitats, including coral reef, seagrass and mangrove communities. Each student was expected to identify a research topic, collect and analyze data, and present findings orally and in written form.
Read the Full Story

7 Pictures to Capture at the Children’s Museum

From Adventuroo
by Melissa on March 21, 2011

Where can your kids make a mess, giggle endlessly and expend all their energy with little to no effort on your part? Children’s museums, of course!

There are few things more fun than watching your kid go wild at places like this. Bringing a camera is a must so you can capture them doing what they do best- exploring, learning and laughing.

So, what kinds of shots should you try to get at a children’s museum? Here are seven to get you started: (Read the rest of the story)

Coalition Aims to Make "Go Outside and Play" a State Policy

From: Be Out There
National Wildlife Federation

The simple notion that you need to dedicate a week to encourage kids to go outside and play would have seemed preposterous just a decade ago. Yet with the proliferation of video games, smart phones, and enticing TV series, coupled with parents becoming increasingly fearful of threats real and perceived, kids are now staying inside in record numbers.

The North Carolina Children and Nature Coalition, a collection of groups that share an interest in health, development and education of young people, is determined to change our culture, embrace and value time spent outside while connecting with nature. Based in Asheboro, North Carolina, the group is working to gain support from the State Legislature to endorse their campaign by passing a "Children's Bill of Rights." The proposal, which requires no funding or policy changes, aims to protect a variety of opportunities that every North Carolina child should have including activities such as "camping under the stars, learning to swim, riding a bike."

The Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights will be discussed at the coalition's annual conference March 23rd. Read More About the North Carolina Children's Bill of Rights

Kayak Tour at Lake Rim Park

Saturday, Mar 26, 2011 2 PM to 4 PM
Location:Lake Rim Park, Fayetteville
Ages 10 and up with a participating adult

Lake tours are perfect for those trying kayaking for the first time and seasoned paddlers looking to relax on the water. All the equipment and basic instruction for beginners is provided. We recommend beginners participate in a lake tour before going on a kayak river trip.

Registration deadline is the business day before the tour Admission: $15, $5 w/own boat
Parking fee: None
Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks and Recreation

Bird Banding at Prairie Ridge

Saturday, Mar 26, 2011 7:30 AM to 11 AM
Prairie Ridge Ecostation, Raleigh
Children of all ages are welcome to attend.

Join us for a bird banding demonstration (weather permitting). We will be capturing songbirds and putting numbered aluminum bands on them. We will explain, and demonstrate, the process.

Bring your cameras for some good close-up shots of hand-held songbirds. Some folks will be permitted to release birds.

Space limited to 30. Dress for weather and wet grass on paths. Held jointly with the NC Museum of Natural Sciences.

Discovery Club - All About Amphibians

Saturday, Mar 26, 2011
2 PM to 4 PM
Ages 5 and up.

Little River Regional Park
Rougemont, NC 27572

Find out about frogs, toads, salamanders and newts as we explore the vernal pools of the park. On our trek we will search for some of the park’s special residents. Wear shoes that can get a little muddy.

Cost: $5.00 per family.
Pre-registration required. Registration deadline: 3/24/11.
Phone: 919-732-5505

UNCW grad student wins acclaim for nature blog

By Lindsay Key, Graduate student, Creative Writing
From the StarNews Online
Published: Sunday, March 20, 2011 at 11:10 p.m.
Anne-Marie Hodge, a UNC Wilmington biology graduate student, is receiving national attention for her scientific research as well as her science communication skills. As part of a prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, Hodge studies carnivores in the Ecuadorean jungle at UNC Wilmington and Francis Marion University's new biological research station.

Meanwhile, she manages a blog titled "Endless Forms" for the Nature network, a social networking group affiliated with Nature magazine. Focusing on emerging data in the fields of ecology, biology and wildlife conservation, Hodge gets blog ideas from scientific journals, magazines and newspaper articles. She started her first blog as a freshman at Auburn University.
"I would read an exciting science news story or journal article and then want to talk about it, so it was a way for me to do that and to get to know other people interested in similar topics," Hodge says.

Her blog attracted the attention of Bora Zivkovic, senior blog editor at Scientific American.

Read the Full Story

Photo courtesy of UNCW

Earth Day Celebration in Greensboro

Kathleen Clay Library in Price Park
April 2nd, 1 – 5 p.m.

Join us for a fun free event for families. Enjoy hayrides, face painting, nature crafts, hands-on activities, nature/environmental exhibits, bounce house, gardening displays, alternative vehicles, entertainment by the Latin Rios, eco-art, alternative energy displays, nature photo contest and more!

Contact Melanie Buckingham for more information: 336-373-2923 or email at
melanie.buckingham@greensboro-nc.gov
http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/

Merchants Millpond Camping/Paddle Adventure

Friday, Mar 25, 2011 until Saturday, Mar 26, 2011 1 PM to 6 PM
Hosted by Museum of Natural Sciences
For ages 14+ (minors must be accompanied by a registered adult)

We will paddle through the millpond by moonlight on Friday before retiring to our campsite, then paddle by daylight on Saturday, making our way up Bennett’s Creek, through the “enchanted forest” of gnarly cypress and gum trees decorated with Spanish moss and mistletoe.

Registration required. Print, fill out and mail the Museum’s Registration Form along with payment. For more information contact Debbie Huston at 919.733.7450 x555 or debbie.huston@ncdenr.gov.

Admission: $50 ($40 for Friends of Museum; includes transportation, canoe rental and campsite fees)
Parking fee: Free
Event Phone: 919-733-7450

Meet the Animals

Friday, Mar 25, 2011 1 PM to 2 PM
Location:Marsh Creek Community Center
Raleigh, NC

Looking for something fun to do during Teacher Workday? Come meet some animals up close! Possible visitors include: snakes, lizards and insects. Learn about these animals and the ones living in this park.

Ages 5-12, fee $3. Please pre-register four days in advance online at http://reclink.raleighnc.gov/.
For more information call Nature Programs at 919-831-6856

Super Skulls and Scat!

Join us for the scat-tastic program at Crowder District Park! Apex, NC

The program will take place on Sunday, March 20, 2–3:30 p.m. for All Ages!
Fee: $3/person or $5/family

Eyes in the front, I hunt. Eyes on the side, I hide. An animal‘s skull gives us clues about how the animal is adapted for survival in its environment. Animal scat also tells us who has been there without ever seeing it. Learn to identify some cool local wildlife by its skull and scat. Meet at the Heron Shelter.

To register, complete and sign the registration form and return it with payment (made out to Wake County Parks) to the park office. Payment and registration form must be received to confirm your spot in the programs. For more information about the following programs, contact the park at 919-662-2850 or e-mail crowderdistrictpark@wakegov.com.

Irish Campfire - St. Patrick's Day Celebration

Saturday, Mar 19, 2011 6 PM to 7 PM

The song of the Irish is in the air tonight. Bring your loved ones and learn about the history of St. Paddy’s day while warming up by the fire with this ranger led fireside fun event.

Event Phone: 910-646-4748
Location:Lake Waccamaw State Park
1866 State Park DrLake Waccamaw, NC 28450

Spring Canoe Trip

Saturday, Mar 19, 2011
10 AM to 12 PM
Lake Crabtree County Park - Morrisville, NC
1400 Aviation Parkway

Want to work on your upper body strength? There isn’t a better or more fun way than to paddle a canoe for a couple of hours! Come join park staff as we take an energetic, calorie burning canoe trip across Lake Crabtree. Appropriate clothing is required.

All safety equipment will be furnished. This program is subject to weather conditions. $5/person or $10/canoe (maximum 3 people per canoe). Parking Fee: none. 919-460-3390.

Frogs! at the Outer Banks

Saturday, Mar 19, 2011 2 PM to 3 PM
Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education - Corolla, NC, Currituck Heritage Park

All Ages. Tree frogs, chorus frogs, bullfrogs, leopard frogs… 30 species of frogs and toads call NC home.

Find out about these fascinating amphibians. Learn how to identify a few of the common calls heard at night in the Outer Banks and explore some of their habitat in our own backyard.

For reservations, book online http://ncpaws.org/. free.
Parking Fee: free. 252-453-0221.

Family Pond Dipping

Saturday, Mar 19, 2011
11 AM to 12 PM
Laurel Hills Community Center - Raleigh, NC
3808 Edwards Mill Road

Do you and your children love to get outside and explore? In this program we’ll get our hands muddy discovering the critters that call the pond home. We will talk about the food chain and metamorphosis.


All ages, fee of $3 applies to each participant. Children under 10 must be accompanied by an adult. 919-831-6856.
Event Link: http://reclink.raleighnc.gov/

Local Food in Local Schools

Ever thought cafeteria food could taste so good or be so local? Come to the Carrboro Farmers' Market this Saturday, March 19th, and taste cafeteria food fit for a king, or a kid.

In honor of National Nutrition month, Head Chef of the Chapel Hill Elementary Schools, Ryan McGuire, will be cooking a Dr.Seuss inspired, Stir Fried Green Rice, Eggs, and Ham dish using local produce found at the Market that day. Stop by the gazebo and taste the meal that is being served in the cafeteria, using local ingredients, and already getting National attention. This recipe, which he developed with Lantern's Andrea Reusing, has been submitted in to the National Recipes for Kids Contest by Culbreth Middle School, and is currently voted a semi-finalist! Chef McGuire will provide free samples to taste as well as copies of his original recipe using farm fresh eggs and beautiful spring spinach.

Featuring Ryan McGuire, Culinary Trainer for Chapel Hill Elementary Schools
Carrboro Farmers' Market
Saturday, March 19th @9am

The event starts at 9am and will run until the green eggs and ham are gone, so come early!

States Pushing Green Education in the Classroom

Forty-seven states are in the stages of developing "environmental literacy plans," which could help student engagement and achievement.

Can learning about the environment improve students’ lives? State education leaders hope so. In fact, 47 states are in varying stages of developing “environmental literacy plans” that they say could improve student engagement and achievement, and even help lower childhood obesity rates. The plans provide guidelines for teaching students about the environment and the effects humans have on it.

BY: RYAN HOLEYWELL MARCH 2011
Governing Magazine Full Story

UNCW's new kids camps focus on fairy tales and history

By Cece Nunn
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Full article

In addition to sessions that focus on the outdoors and athletic activities, summer camps that enrich children’s minds are available throughout the Cape Fear region this year.

The University of North Carolina Wilmington has added several new camps to its list of offerings, including three that focus on fairy tales and two that bring history to life. The camps with fairy tale themes are spun from the university’s Literacy Live programs, free monthly events that have become so popular that there’s a waiting list of people who want to register their children for them.
(StarNews File photo)

Click here to search a database of area kids summer camps

Recess Makes Kids Smarter

The benefits of recess are clear. Why are so many schools cutting back?
By Caralee Adams

Today in the classroom kids are being told: "Be quiet. Sit still. Be quiet. Sit still," says Nelly Torres, a parent of a first and a fourth grader in the Chicago Public Schools. "That's because they need their recess."

From Scholastic. Read the full story at http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3755758

Saturday Safari - Frog Festival

Agape Center for Environmental Education

Saturday, Mar 19, 2011 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM

It’s time for the annual amphibian concert series. Spring peepers! Chorus frogs! American toads! And more! Learn to identify the “instruments” in the amphibian orchestra, and then make some frog instruments of your own to take home.

**This Safari is 6:30-8:30 p.m. with the option to stay later.
Registration deadline: March 16. Admission: $7.00/person, $35.00 family maximum. Preregistration required.
Limited to 24. Event Phone: 919-552-9421 x 210
Event Link: www.agapekurebeach.org/aceabout.htm

North Carolina Arbor Day Celebration

Raleigh, Saturday, Mar 19, 2011 9 AM to 2 PM

Celebrate North Carolina's Arbor Day with a seedling give-away, exhibits, static displays, kids events, and Smokey Bear!

You are invited to participate in North Carolina’s Arbor Day Celebration to be held at the State Farmers Market in Raleigh, March 19, 2011, 9am to 2pm. Exhibitors from a wide variety of forest-related organizations will be on site in the Farmers Building to share information and materials about how trees heighten our quality of life.

In addition to exhibits, demonstrations, and hands-on activities for youth, the Triangle Chapter of the Society of American Foresters will be giving away 1000 redbud seedlings. Youth will also be able to "adopt" a plant to take home. At noon, the winner of the NC Arbor Day Poster Contest will be announced and presented with their award. NC State University faculty, staff, and students will provide information on educational and career opportunities in forestry and environmental resources. Even Smokey Bear plans to join the celebration!

For more information, go to http://go.ncsu.edu/arborday2011

National Wildlife Week

Sunday, Mar 13, 2011 until Sunday, Mar 20, 2011

National Wildlife Week is a signature event of National Wildlife Federation’s Be Out There™ campaign, an initiative to connect families and communities to nature, raise healthier kids, instill a conservation ethic, and inspire a life-long appreciation of wildlife and the environment. Held annually since 1938, National Wildlife Week is National Wildlife Federation’s longest-running education program.

Celebrate National Wildlife Week by doing what comes naturally. Whatever you do—at home, school or play—do it outdoors and have fun! Climb trees, chase butterflies, dig in the dirt and celebrate nature. You’ll become healthier, happier and more connected to the world around you.

http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Activities/National-Wildlife-Week.aspx

GIS Explorer Camp for Rising 10th, 11th and 12th Graders

Centennial Campus Center for Wildlife Education, Raleigh, NC

June 27th - 30th
Free Day camp from 9am-4pm
For Rising 10th, 11th and 12th graders

GIS (Geographical Information Systems) is a technology that combines hardware, software and data to help view and understand mapped information. It is not just used by map makers but also by biologists, city planners, hydrologists, health officials, emergency response teams, and in many more careers around the world.

Participants will explore careers by meeting Wildlife Resources Commission biologists and by exploring the city's greenways by bike and experiencing the thrill of collecting data and discovering results.

Fore more information, contact Kelsey Obernuefemann at kelsey.obernuefemann@ncwildlife.org or (919) 707-0202.

Girls in Science Coastal Ed-venture

N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences

Program Type: Youth Science Program
Date: Aug. 1, 1 pm - Aug. 7, 11 am

Requirements: For rising 7th and 8th grade girls
Location: In the field - Trinity Center, Salter Path, NC

Fee: $375* (includes all lodging, meals, transportation during camp, instructional supplies, activities and t-shirt)

Come explore North Carolina's Crystal Coast! From our base at the Trinity Center, an ocean-side conference center located in Salter Path, we will enjoy a week of coastal ed-venture! We will cruise, sail, snorkel and explore North Carolina's coastal habitats, test water quality, learn about coastal ecology and work with female scientists along the way.

For more information, contact MT Fore, coordinator of student outreach and distance learning, at mary.tyler.fore@ncdenr.gov or 919.733.7450 x621.

The Edible Schoolyard at the Greensboro Children's Museum

The Edible Schoolyard is a teaching garden and kitchen where children and their families can learn how to grow healthy food and create delicious snacks and meals using fresh, local, organic ingredients. The Edible Schoolyard offers children a chance to build practical gardening and cooking skills, to connect with the natural world and to enjoy nourishing food.

The Greensboro Children's Museum has been selected to be the first children's museum in the country to have an licensed Edible Schoolyard, a program created by Alice Waters and the Chez Panisse Foundation!

The Edible Schoolyard at GCM is expected to serve as a national model for other museums and children’s institutions nationwide promoting health and wellness in young children and families.
Fore more information, visit the Greensboro Children's Museum at http://www.gcmuseum.com/edible-schoolyard/esyhistory.php

Girls in Science Summer Outdoor Ed-venture

N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences
Program Type: Youth Science Program
Date: Jul. 11, 1 pm - Jul. 16, 11 am
Requirements: Rising seventh-grade girls
Location: In the field - Blue Jay Point County Park, Raleigh
Fee: $325

Exploring local rivers and lakes, participating in an overnight camping adventure and experiencing nature at night will highlight the Girls in Science summer camp, which will be based at Blue Jay Point County Park in Raleigh, NC. Field trips to local research and science centers, such as the NCSU School of Veterinary Medicine and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences' Research Laboratory, will introduce the girls to career opportunities in science. In addition, as they explore North Carolina's waterways and the rich wildlife those waterways support, campers will design a natural science activity, which they will present in their schools during the fall semester.
Located on Falls Lake in Wake County, Blue Jay Point County Park features butterfly gardens, backyard wildlife habitats, hiking trails and a modern residential facility with a full kitchen and an indoor classroom. Meals will be catered or prepared by Museum staff and the girls.

For more information, contact M.T. Fore, coordinator of student outreach and distance learning, at 919.733.7450 x621. For application go to: http://naturalsciences.org/programs-events/youth-science-programs

New Film Highlights Overloaded Stressed-Out Kids

from Wildlife Promise

A new documentary film being embraced by parents and teachers alike may explain why we have a generation of kids so totally disconnected from nature. Race to Nowhere, being shown in hundreds of theaters, schools and to organizations nationwide highlights how kids are being pushed too far to become Super kids, creating unhealthy, disengaged, unprepared, stressed-out and often depressed youth.

No wonder kids don’t spend much time in green spaces. Between the intense demands academically and well-intentioned efforts to provide extra-curricular activities to enrich our kid’s lives we are creating a generation of robo-students according to filmmaker Vicki Abeles.
Abeles, a mother of three and former Wall Street attorney, was awakened to this crisis as her 12-year old daughter was being treated for stress-related illness. She saw personally how the pressures were overwhelming not only to her own kids, but to children everywhere. Sadly, while spending some time surrounding by nature might actually help alleviate that stress, it just doesn’t fit into the schedule.

To view the trailer go to: http://www.racetonowhere.com/emvideo/modal/1104/640/385/field_video/youtube/pYwjgfcq_iY

How to Attract Birds to Your Yard Walk

Saturday, Mar 12, 2011 9 AM to 11 AM
Anderson Point Park - Raleigh, NC

Have you ever wondered what plants to plant to attract hummingbirds and other birdy friends? What type of seed attracts what birds? How to outwit squirrels? Join us for a short talk on these subjects and then a nice spring walk through the park to visit the resident birds. Bring your binoculars!

All ages.
919-733-7450 x 602
http://www.wakeaudubon.org/

It’s in the dirt! Bacteria in soil may make us happier, smarter

From Wildlife Promise

We have so many reasons to get outside and play: Fresh air, Vitamin D, exercise, nurturing a sense of wonder, fascination, and connection with the natural world, and, of course, FUN.

And now we have one more excuse, not just to go outside, but to really get into nature: Dirt can be good for us!





© Lenard Sanders/ Photolibrary.com

Exercise Could Make Obese Children Smarter

By Noel Brown

Photo Courtesy of GHSU

AUGUSTA, Ga. — GHSU psychologist Dr. Catherine Davis has been studying the effect regular exercise has on the way overweight children think. (image courtesy GHSU)Inside a gym 20 kids play a modified version of musical chairs. They run around a circle of colored Frisbees while a radio blasts Shakira. When the music stops so do the children… panting and out of breath. Ty'leke Allen loves this game. "It makes me feel good, because I'm burning off all this fat," he says wiping the sweat from his forehead.Ty'leke and the other kids are overweight. They are part of a study from the Georgia Health Sciences University in Augusta. Psychologist Catherine Davis has been examining the effects of regular exercise on how children think."We found that their scores on a math achievement test went up based on the amount of exercise that they did," says Davis. Read the full story at http://www.gpb.org/news/2011/02/21/exercise-could-make-obese-children-smarter

Reptile & Amphibian Day 2011

Saturday, Mar 12, 2011 9 AM to 5 PM

Go to the extreme when the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh hosts Reptile & Amphibian Day on Saturday, March 12 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Come see hundreds of live reptiles and amphibians, including native North Carolina species and exotic species from around the globe. This year, the Museum highlights THREATENED and ENDANGERED HERPS from around the world.

Free Event
For more information: Call 919-733-7450 x 523 or visit
http://naturalsciences.org/programs-events/?select=1590

New draws at Natural Science Center [of Greensboro]: Baby wolves, Titanic, body exhibits

The “Bodies Revealed” exhibit at the Natural Science Center [of Greensboro] is coming down Sunday, but staffers expect to see continued record-breaking attendance with three upcoming attractions. Maned wolf pups, a comprehensive health exhibit and a display of artifacts from the Titanic are expected to draw visitors statewide. Read more in the Greensboro News and Record...

4-H Camps Offer Unique Experience at Exceptional Value

Searching for an affordable, one-of-a-kind experience for your children this summer?

Look no further than North Carolina 4-H camps. At five 4-H camps and centers spread out across the state, children can participate in everything from sailing near the coast to negotiating ropes courses in the foothills. Programs range from traditional camp activities such as swimming and horseback riding to environmental education and creative writing. They’re tailored for boys and girls ages 5 to 17. And recent sweeping renovations to all of the camps include major structural upgrades and new facilities. Read more in the NCSU CALS Newsletter.

B.W. Wells Heritage Day at Rock Cliff Farm

March 26, 2011 from 9am - 5pm is our eighth annual HERITAGE DAY!

History tours, wildflower/geology hikes, bird hike, family ecology hikes and a bunch of activities for kids. The grounds, studio and all trails will be open for hiking. Visit www.bwwells.org/hday for more information.


BW Wells/Rock Cliff Farm is located in Wake Forest, NC along the shore of Falls Lake.
This area is only open for guided tours so don't miss this unique opportunity.

2011 Piedmont Farm Tour: America's Largest Farm Tour

Saturday and Sunday, April 16th and 17th. Farms open from 1-5pm

Come learn about the Triangle's local and organic farm/food scene. Meet local farmers and tour their beautiful farms.

Great for the whole family!

With six new farms and forty farms in all, the Piedmont Farm Tour should be lots of fun this year. We are pleased this year to have beautiful Lindale Organic Dairy, a fifth generation farm that sells milk into the Organic Valley coop. We also have an exciting new permaculture-style farm up in Hillsborough, run by young farmers - Ever Laughter Farm. In Saxapahaw, we are welcoming Cozi Farm, which is now raising wonderful animals on scenic land near the downtown. And this year Suki Roth will be opening up her Herb Haven, a botanical sanctuary dedicated to medicinal plants. These farms, plus lots of your favorites from previous years, should make for a great tour.
For more information, visit http://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/pft2011.shtml

National Youth Environmental Summit to be held at the Center for the Environment

The Center for the Environment is partnering with Rocky Mountain Institute this summer to offer what promises to be a transformational experience for high school students. The National Youth Environmental Summit: Redesigning Our Future will bring high school juniors and seniors from across the country to the Catawba campus to learn how they can use their talents to create a sustainable world. We hope you will encourage young people you know to apply for this landmark program.

For more information go to: http://www.centerfortheenvironment.org/redesigning-our-future.html

Seeds is Looking for Motivated Teenagers to Learn and Work in their Urban Garden

DIG IS HIRING! Durham, NC
Grow food in the city and work outside in a beautiful garden
Learn life and business skills
Gain leadership and public speaking skills
Have fun with other teens in a supportive work environment
Improve personal and community health
No previous job experience is necessary!

Open to ages 14-15

Applications Due March 4, 2011 for Session 1
(Session 2 begins in June—applications will be available in April)
For more information call 683-1197
http://www.seedsnc.org/

Springtime on the Millpond

Sunday, Mar 6, 2011 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Historic Yates Mill County Park

As the weather starts to warm up, take a spring-time hike and use all of your senses to explore what‘s out and about in nature. Come prepared for hiking in the outdoors, including proper footwear. Fee: FREE. Ages: 8 and over.

Call to register. Event Phone: 919-856-6675
Event Link: www.wakegov.com/parks/yatesmill