Winter Wonderland Hikes and more...

Source: Great Smoky Mountain's Association Photos, 1/18/13, Facebook Page

 At least it's a winter wonderland for some of us!

Two of North Carolina's many wonderful environmental education centers and their upcoming events:

 

Annie Louise Wilkerson MD Nature Preserve Park, Raleigh, NC 

In her will, Dr. Annie Louise Wilkerson gifted her property, 157 acres along Falls Lake, to the City of Raleigh. She stipulated that the park shall be maintained as a nature preserve used for the primary purpose of nature and wildlife education. The nature preserve consists of oak-hickory forest and open fields that will be maintained as Piedmont prairie. Three farm ponds and five perennial streams shelter various aquatic species.

Winter Wonderland Hike

 Saturday, Jan 26, 2013 10:30 AM to 12 PM

Take a walk through the preserve with a park naturalist to find out where animals go in winter and discover the beauty of the winter woods. Will we see any snow? Enjoy some hot chocolate after the hike. Complete Details

Hanging Rock State Park, Danbury, NC

Source: stateparks.com

Hanging Rock State Park has been named the North Carolina 2012 Park of the Year by the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation. This park was specifically recognized for initiatives in education and interpretation. During 2012, Hanging Rock presented 200 interpretive programs and improved their educational displays. Read the whole story here.

Black Bears
Sun, January 20 & February 17, 2013, 2pm
Join a Ranger and learn about this often feared creature. Black bears can be found throughout a large portion of NC. They often make the news when they pass through a populated area. This program will separate the facts and myths about black bears.   
Skins and Skulls

Sat, February 16, 2013, 2pm 
Join a Ranger at the Visitors Center at 2:00 pm and have a look at some of the unique features Hanging Rock's animals posses inside and out.

Click for complete details and more events at Hanging Rock State Park

For more events and a directory of over 200 environmental education centers in the state, visit here.