ENHS and Nearby Nature to Collaborate
by Joseph Minato

I have been invited to attend the ENHS lecture on Friday, November 21 to let the folks in ENHS know what Nearby Nature is up to these days and how our two organizations can work together to better achieve our mutual goals. I look forward to doing so. By way of a primer, summarized below is a quick look at projects of Nearby Nature's that could use the sort of enthusiasm, experience, and expertise that is so abundant among ENHS members.

The Alton Baker Park Action Project. For years the ENHS (and especially Dave Wagner) led walks and work parties in Alton Baker Park. Nearby Nature inherited these projects and invites you to come on the walks and help at the work parties. Each month all year, Nearby Nature leads a free public walk and (on a different day) a work party in ABP.

School Programs. Nearby Nature gets lots of requests from schools at all levels to provide classroom presentations on a variety of natural history topics. The presentations are not lectures, but an age-appropriate mix of lecture, slide show, specimens, activities, and games. We often include an outdoor component on the school grounds or in a nearby park. We are presently in the process of revising and improving our presentations.

Eugene Natural History Society folks could help in two ways. First, individuals with special knowledge and resources (specimens, photographs, models, etc.) could work with us to help develop the presentations. Second, individuals who would like to work directly with children could be presenters.

The Alton Baker Park School Program. This program runs for about eight weeks each fall and ten weeks each spring. We lead about 2000 school children grades K-6 on morning nature walks. About half stay for the advanced afternoon program. We always need more nature guides. Extensive training is provided twice each year (September and March). ENHS folks can easily plug into this program as volunteer guides. Additionally, individuals with special knowledge of local natural history can help with guide training.

Nearby Nature would also like to find ways that we can help ENHS. The obvious idea is to advertise your monthly lecture series through our newsletter, which tends to reach a different demographic group than Nature Trails. We will certainly consider other suggestions!

We will bring more information about each of the programs described above to the November 21 meeting. If you miss the meeting and are interested in helping out, please call Nearby Nature at 687-9699.

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