Wesselman Nature Society has partnered with the Vanderburgh County Soil and Water Conservation District, the Four Rivers Resource Conservation and Development Area, and the Indiana Nature Conservancy to purchase 127 acres of wetlands north of Ellis Park and place it into conservation. Known historically as Eagle Slough, the area preserves a stand of bald cypress trees and provides valuable habitat for migratory birds. WNS is looking forward to drawing up a management plan and offering programs at Eagle Slough in the future.
If you're interested in helping clean up the property, a group will be gathering at the North entrance of Ellis Park at 8:00 AM on Saturday, April 26th. Call or email Susan Haislip for directions: (812) 479-0771 ext. 100 or shaislip@wesselmannaturesociety.org
To read the Courier and Press article about the acquisition, visit http://www.courierpress.com/news/2008/feb/28/groupsjoin-to-savewetlands/.
3/24/08
Earth Day celebration at Howell Wetlands
April 19 8 AM - 2 PM
Lauren is looking for volunteers to help with the following areas at the 3rd annual Howell Wetlands Earth Day celebrations:
>> 2 people to drive the shuttle for 2 hours each
>> a parking guide near the cul-de-sac
>> someone to dress up as WES the raccoon
>> a few people to help me load the trailer on Friday (April 18) at noon
>> and some to staff several activity stations
To sign up, please contact Lauren at (812) 479-0771, extension 139 or
lpreske@wesselmannaturesociety.org
Master Naturalist Lois Schmidt is recruiting volunteers for the children's activities, and needs people to fill the following spots:
>> 2 people to help with seed balls from 12 - 2 PM
>> 1 person to help with butterfly necklaces from 12 - 2 PM
You can email Lois at lojack@insightbb.com or call her at (812) 867-5253 to sign up.
If you know of places to post or pass out promotional flyers, please email Lauren (lpreske@wesselmannaturesociety.org) or Gena (gena.garrett@gmail.com) and request a pdf or jpg version to print.
Lauren is looking for volunteers to help with the following areas at the 3rd annual Howell Wetlands Earth Day celebrations:
>> 2 people to drive the shuttle for 2 hours each
>> a parking guide near the cul-de-sac
>> someone to dress up as WES the raccoon
>> a few people to help me load the trailer on Friday (April 18) at noon
>> and some to staff several activity stations
To sign up, please contact Lauren at (812) 479-0771, extension 139 or
lpreske@wesselmannaturesociety.org
Master Naturalist Lois Schmidt is recruiting volunteers for the children's activities, and needs people to fill the following spots:
>> 2 people to help with seed balls from 12 - 2 PM
>> 1 person to help with butterfly necklaces from 12 - 2 PM
You can email Lois at lojack@insightbb.com or call her at (812) 867-5253 to sign up.
If you know of places to post or pass out promotional flyers, please email Lauren (lpreske@wesselmannaturesociety.org) or Gena (gena.garrett@gmail.com) and request a pdf or jpg version to print.
3/23/08
Kentucky Bluebird Society at Audubon State Park
Kentucky Bluebird Society/John James Audubon State Park Public Event and Meeting
The Kentucky Bluebird Society (KBS) invites the public and members to join us for our annual spring meeting on Saturday, April 12, 2008. The event will be hosted by John James Audubon State Park (JJASP) located in Henderson, Kentucky.
The meeting is packed with presentations and activities relating to cavity nesting birds.
9:00 am – 12:00 pm Flying WILD Educator Workshop
Learn how to teach others about bird conservation in this hands-on, engaging session. Register by contacting Julie McDonald juliea.mcdonald@ky.gov or call 270-826-4424. The workshop fee is $12.00 and will include the Flying WILD educator curriculum.
10:00 am – 12:00 pm Building For Bluebirds
Join us as we build bluebird boxes. Fee: $5 for materials. Location: Museum Discovery Center.
1:30 - 4:30 pm "Audubon's Travels And Audubon's Bluebirds"
The day's primary program features a presentation entitled "Audubon's Travels And Audubon's Bluebirds" as well as other special presentations. Location: Friends of Audubon Meeting Room, Audubon Museum.
The award winning KBS Outdoor Classroom Enrichment Program for Kentucky schools will also be featured. Door prizes will be available following the program session. Participants are invited to bring special bluebird items to donate to KBS for the drawing.
The public is invited to join KBS and JJASP to celebrate our Kentucky bluebirds and discover how to help and enjoy an outstanding wildlife species. There is no charge for attending the April 12 Bluebird Special Event. For more information, including a detailed agenda, please visit the KBS web site at http://www.biology.eku.edu/kbs/, e-mail KBS at kbsnews@yahoo.com, or write KBS at PO Box 3425, Paducah, Kentucky 42002.
Ed Ray, KBS President/Education Director
Julie McDonald, JJASP Naturalist
The Kentucky Bluebird Society (KBS) invites the public and members to join us for our annual spring meeting on Saturday, April 12, 2008. The event will be hosted by John James Audubon State Park (JJASP) located in Henderson, Kentucky.
The meeting is packed with presentations and activities relating to cavity nesting birds.
9:00 am – 12:00 pm Flying WILD Educator Workshop
Learn how to teach others about bird conservation in this hands-on, engaging session. Register by contacting Julie McDonald juliea.mcdonald@ky.gov or call 270-826-4424. The workshop fee is $12.00 and will include the Flying WILD educator curriculum.
10:00 am – 12:00 pm Building For Bluebirds
Join us as we build bluebird boxes. Fee: $5 for materials. Location: Museum Discovery Center.
1:30 - 4:30 pm "Audubon's Travels And Audubon's Bluebirds"
The day's primary program features a presentation entitled "Audubon's Travels And Audubon's Bluebirds" as well as other special presentations. Location: Friends of Audubon Meeting Room, Audubon Museum.
The award winning KBS Outdoor Classroom Enrichment Program for Kentucky schools will also be featured. Door prizes will be available following the program session. Participants are invited to bring special bluebird items to donate to KBS for the drawing.
The public is invited to join KBS and JJASP to celebrate our Kentucky bluebirds and discover how to help and enjoy an outstanding wildlife species. There is no charge for attending the April 12 Bluebird Special Event. For more information, including a detailed agenda, please visit the KBS web site at http://www.biology.eku.edu/kbs/, e-mail KBS at kbsnews@yahoo.com, or write KBS at PO Box 3425, Paducah, Kentucky 42002.
Ed Ray, KBS President/Education Director
Julie McDonald, JJASP Naturalist
3/22/08
Volunteers Needed for Kids' Pioneer Days
Pioneer Days at WWNP
(April 22-23-24-25)
Scott and Lisa are seeking volunteers to help with Pioneer Days, an annual event for schoolchildren. Volunteers are needed from 8:30 - 12:00 each day of the festival.
Volunteers will be given a quick training of their activity each morning. School groups attending will split into small groups (12-15 students) with an adult and rotate around to as many of our activities as possible in their field trip time.
Volunteers are also needed to act as greeters each day, and to help with setup on Monday, April 21 from 10 AM to 2 PM and Tuesday through Friday from 7 - 9 AM.
To sign up, please contact Scott Kramer at (812)479-0771 ext 102 or skramer@wesselmannaturesociety.org
For the children's activities, please choose a date and time, and indicate which of the following activies you'd prefer to help out with:
Archery
candle dipping
whisk broom making
clay pottery
spear throwing/corn cob toss
sack races/Tug o' war
Bean Soup in the kettle
Paper backpack craft
Paper and yarn "Pioneer Pouch" craft
Stick-n-hoop game craft
Leather and bead necklace craft
Magic Wallet craft
Pioneer Toy Table (supervise)
Bear Racer game craft
(April 22-23-24-25)
Scott and Lisa are seeking volunteers to help with Pioneer Days, an annual event for schoolchildren. Volunteers are needed from 8:30 - 12:00 each day of the festival.
Volunteers will be given a quick training of their activity each morning. School groups attending will split into small groups (12-15 students) with an adult and rotate around to as many of our activities as possible in their field trip time.
Volunteers are also needed to act as greeters each day, and to help with setup on Monday, April 21 from 10 AM to 2 PM and Tuesday through Friday from 7 - 9 AM.
To sign up, please contact Scott Kramer at (812)479-0771 ext 102 or skramer@wesselmannaturesociety.org
For the children's activities, please choose a date and time, and indicate which of the following activies you'd prefer to help out with:
Archery
candle dipping
whisk broom making
clay pottery
spear throwing/corn cob toss
sack races/Tug o' war
Bean Soup in the kettle
Paper backpack craft
Paper and yarn "Pioneer Pouch" craft
Stick-n-hoop game craft
Leather and bead necklace craft
Magic Wallet craft
Pioneer Toy Table (supervise)
Bear Racer game craft
3/21/08
Raptor Ambassador Program Docents Wanted
The new Raptor Ambassador Program (RAP) will be unveiled soon! In the June WNS newsletter, you’ll be able to read about the goals for the program, and be introduced to our 5 new birds (for a total of 7 in the program), including their names, species, and circumstance. In the meantime, there is a lot of behind the scenes activity going on, including cage renovations, bird training, and docent training.
WNS is currently seeking applicants who wish to train as raptor docents. There is no experience necessary to apply. However, certain criteria must be met. Docents must complete a 12 week docent class, and commit at least 4 hours a week to the program. Docents must have time in their schedules to care for the birds, and to use them in education programs. A total of five new docents will be accepted into the program this year, joining the five docents we currently have.
Since these docents will need to be highly specialized in their ability to care for and handle our raptors and use them in education programs, the chosen applicants will be required to take a 12 week class of intensive training on raptor care and handling. The class will be taught at WWNP by Lauren Preske, RAP Manager. The docent class will meet approximately once per week (day and time to be determined based on the schedules of the chosen applicants), then additional time will need to be spent by each docent intern to practice the skills taught in class.
The training will initially involve observation, learning techniques of care and handling, feeding, and cleaning cages. Once interns show competent skills, training will progress to include handling of the birds, then to giving educational programs with them. Docent interns should expect to invest 3-6 months before giving education programs with the birds.
The docent class will begin in June (date to be determined), and applications will be taken in May. If you are interested, please contact Lauren Preske at lpreske@wesselmannaturesociety.org and she will put you on a list of people to contact when the application process begins mid-May.
WNS is currently seeking applicants who wish to train as raptor docents. There is no experience necessary to apply. However, certain criteria must be met. Docents must complete a 12 week docent class, and commit at least 4 hours a week to the program. Docents must have time in their schedules to care for the birds, and to use them in education programs. A total of five new docents will be accepted into the program this year, joining the five docents we currently have.
Since these docents will need to be highly specialized in their ability to care for and handle our raptors and use them in education programs, the chosen applicants will be required to take a 12 week class of intensive training on raptor care and handling. The class will be taught at WWNP by Lauren Preske, RAP Manager. The docent class will meet approximately once per week (day and time to be determined based on the schedules of the chosen applicants), then additional time will need to be spent by each docent intern to practice the skills taught in class.
The training will initially involve observation, learning techniques of care and handling, feeding, and cleaning cages. Once interns show competent skills, training will progress to include handling of the birds, then to giving educational programs with them. Docent interns should expect to invest 3-6 months before giving education programs with the birds.
The docent class will begin in June (date to be determined), and applications will be taken in May. If you are interested, please contact Lauren Preske at lpreske@wesselmannaturesociety.org and she will put you on a list of people to contact when the application process begins mid-May.
3/20/08
Groundbreaking at Howell Wetlands
Watch for exciting changes at Howell Wetlands! The construction on the Howell Wetlands building will finally begin this month. It has been a long journey to this point, with securing partners and funding, final design details for the structure, and all necessary approvals and permits. We are finally ready to break ground. The ceremony will be held on April 11 at 3 PM. There will be speakers, refreshments, and of course, the turning of soil. Please join us!
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