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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1986-11-26, Page 47Valleys & People - Fall 11936 - Page 7 Experience Wawanosh! Wawanosh Nature Centre for Conservation Education The normally tranquil setting of the Wawanosh Valley Conservation Area is broken almost daily with the arrival of a yellow school bus. On board, a class of excited students, away from their classroom and ready for a differ- ent kind of learning experience. The Wawanosh Nature Centre is locat- ed on the 400 acre Wawanosh Valley Conservation Area in East Wawanosh Township. The Centre, operated by the M.V.C.A., is designed to give school children an opportunity to learn about the out-of-doors and gain an under- standing for the need to manage our natural resources. During the 1985/86 school year W \vanosh staff welcomed over 2,000 school children. Students pour off the bus, arms filled with the necessary clothing for outdoor explorations. Depending on the season that may mean rubber boots and extra sock or touques, winter boots and a parka. Of course, colourful lunch buckets are standard equipment at any time of year. The starting point for the day at Wawanosh is the Nature Centre itself, a complete classroom converted from a barn grainary. The Centre holds a number of displays for students to dis- cover and provides a place to warm-up during the winter programs. The real learning and fun begins when the stu- dents head outdoors. The Wawanosh property is in an agri- cultural setting, with rolling pasture- landsR hardwod and hemlock forests, conifer plantations and the cool, clear waters of the Belgrave Creek. The M.V.C.A. purchased the property in 1972 to be developed for resource man- agement demonstrations, conservation education and outdoor recreation. The development of the site has included the planting of hedgerows and food plots to provide food and shelter for wildlife. Conifer plantations have also been established. A trail system leads visitors across fields, through forests and along the Maitland River. The pro- grams that students take part in make full use of these natufal and man-made resources. Visiting school groups may be investi- gating life in a stream, animal adapta- tions, food chains or the change in the seasons. Activities also include snow - shoeing, orienteering and a variety of games designed to teach about ecology, wildlife or nature appreciation. Pro- grams are designed to complement stu- dent's regular classroom studies. Water and children have a natural at- traction and no doubt that is why stream studies, alias "Boots, Bubbles and Bugs" are so popular. During this program students jump into their rubber boots and armed with nets and plastic pails, wade into the creek to search for its inhabitants. By the end of FUN AND LEARNING — A puppet show featuring Freddy Frog starts a day of activities at the Wawanosh Nature Centre. the program crayfish, frogs, turtles, leeches and insect larvae may be among the captured. Students learn about these creatures and the importance of clean water in sustaining them. Could you find your way across fields and through forests in unknown terri- tory with only a compass and map to guide you? That's the challenge stu- dents face in the compass orienteering programs. There are three compass orienteering courses on the property based on soil, water and wildlife themes. Points of interest (control points) are indicated on a map and in the field. Students travel from point to I.D. A TREE — Can you tell a red pine from a white pine? Identifying trees is one of the many programs offered at the centre. point by following compass bearings and using the map as a guide. There is a question to answer at each control point based on the course theme. In this activity compass and map reading skills are strengthened and conservation awareness is improved. Orienteering is offered to grades 5 to 8 in spring and fall. Throughout the school year over 20 different programs are offered. If you're a teacher or group leader inter- ested in learning more about the pro- grams at Wawanosh contact the M.V.C.A. Plan to visit us and experi- ence Wawanosh soon! VISIT US AT MAPLE KEYS "Sugar Bush." What thoughts do you associate with these words? Do tall maple trees, sticky fingers and pancakes smothered in syrup come to mind? Perhaps, an early spring walk with your family in the solitude of the spring forest sounds inviting. Just west of Listowel, off Highway No. 86, Maple Keys Sugar Bush is the ideal location to experience the sights, sounds, scents and tastes of a sugar bush. Maple Keys Sugar Bush is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the maple syrup season. Public tours operate at regular intervals on weekends and maple pro- ducts are available for sale. When the snow begins to melt and your family is showing signs of cabin fever, take that short drive to visit us at Maple Keys. We know .you and your taste buds will enjoy,a day at thesugar bush.