Young naturalists can fish up speedy shrimp and wriggling worms this week as a free summer nature program returns to Big Lake.
The BLESS Nature Centre is back at Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park as of June 23. Established in around 1997 by Dan Stoker, the centre offers guests a variety of free hands-on nature-oriented activities all summer long.
Running the centre for her third consecutive year is Meghan MacDougall, a conservation biology student at the University of Alberta and St. Albert resident. She was busy showing kids the wonders of pond-dipping Monday, helping them to identify the tiny snails, wriggling bloodworms, and dog-paddling shrimp that live in the John E. Poole wetland.
“See how his legs are like little paddles?” she said, as the youths peered at a darting black beetle through a magnifying glass.
“That’s why we call him a [water] boatman.”
BLESS spokesperson Miles Constable said the summer nature centre is an important part of BLESS’s mission to teach people about the environment.
“And the best people to provide that education to are children,” he added.
MacDougall said the nature centre helps get kids off the couch and outdoors where they can forge connections with the land and realize the need to protect it. Without such connections, our natural areas risk being sold off for development, as is happening to many areas in the U.S. now.
“We want kids to know this is for them and part of their future,” she said.
MacDougall said she plans to host different nature-based activities in Lois Hole Park each week all summer long, including pond-dipping, bird-watching, and bug-catching. She also plans to host adult birding classes in the evening later this summer, as well as a live owl event.
MacDougall said she hopes to host about 2,000 guests at the centre this summer, about the same number as last year. Guests can drop in during the day or sign up for a session, and should dress for the weather.
MacDougall said she finds her work at the centre to be meaningful and purposeful.
“I love being outside every day and seeing the kids’ faces light up as they explore more of the world around them.”
The nature centre is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. all summer. Visit www.facebook.com/BLESSnaturecentre or email [email protected] for more on the summer nature program.
