The pelicans know it is summer and so do the butterflies. They are here every day. The Nature Centre’s summer staff, Kacie Young, Ian Higgins, Milana Cecco and Connor Dolighan, have shared the wonders of nature to 3,000 students over the last two months.
Now they are ready to lead children into the “wilds” of Scout Island during July and August.
Nature Fun will offer two sessions every weekday for three- to eight-year olds. Older children can come Wednesday afternoon or all day on Friday.
Children can choose the days they want to come based on the weekly themes including Forces of the Universe, The Buzz About Bugs and more.
There will be a week long Nature Explorers Camp including an overnight tent camp the week of July 11-15.
That’s not all. We have two great evening family programs planned.
The first will be Nature is Amazing at 6:30 p.m. July 26.
We will have you finding bugs, looking under the marsh surface, and learning why plants have sex. The second is Canoes and Bats on Aug. 23. From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., we will be offering rides in Voyageur Canoes on the lake.
Then at 8:30 p.m. you can learn about bats from Anna Roberts and listen to them as they dive in for bugs.
While everyone is having fun, we have the most wonderful volunteers working outside. There is Roger Hamilton who has been planting, setting up watering systems, and fixing protective fencing on the north shore of the marsh.
Thanks to the Lions Club, we have the money needed for the supplies so Roger can set up water saving drip system for the new trees. It is volunteers fighting weeds and taking care of the Native Plant Nursery.
Recently volunteers worked with the fire department madly digging ditches so that the broken water line did not do too much damage to trails.
We are all grateful to these volunteers who help keep the Nature Centre available to the whole community as well as the many visitors from afar.
Volunteer efforts cover 35 per cent of the costs at the Nature Centre.
Your local tax dollars cover 10 per cent of the costs.
Fees for programs and fundraising done by the Williams Lake Field Naturalists covers the remaining portion and helps to keep programs low cost or free to participants.