June 8 Barking up the Right Tree: Identifying Trees by their Bark
Christine Small: Radford University, Biology Department
Can you identify trees in winter? What if a tree is too tall to see its leaves? Thick or thin; corky or cracked; shaggy or flaky; reddish or black – bark is great for identifying trees year-round! Did you know bark has been used for centuries as a spice, cough syrup, and pain reliever? Let’s walk & talk – about bark!
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June 22 Playing in Puddles: Meet the Aquatic Inhabitants of Connelly’s Run
Karen Powers: Radford University, Biology Department
We will examine the biodiversity & stream quality of Connelly’s Run, which runs through the park. After learning about the “how” and “why” of stream surveys, aquatic critters (“bioindicators”) collected earlier in the day from the stream will be available for hands-on sorting and easy-ID by participants willing to learn a little and get their hands wet! |
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July 6 Bluebirds and Smartboxes: High-Tech Housing and Feeding for Our Wild Feathered Friends
Sarah Foltz: Radford University, Biology Department
We’re bringing bird boxes and feeders into the 21st century! With built-in cameras, weather sensors, and interactive video screens, we can learn more about wild birds’ behavior than ever before. Come check out these powerful new research tools and try to earn a treat from our specially-designed “human feeder”!
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July 20 Butterflies of Wildwood
Clyde Kessler: Virginia Tech, Local Naturalist
Wildwood Park is a wonderful place to enjoy and observe butterflies. Learn to appreciate, recognize and identify unique butterflies and their behaviors as Clyde shares his enthusiasm, expertise and years of field observations and research.
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August 3 Likin’ lichens! What’s up with those colored splotches on the trees and rocks?
Gary Coté: Radford University, Biology Department
Lichens are amazing, tough, colorful organisms! They are all around us, but most people walk by hundreds of them and never notice. We will explore what lichens are, how they survive, where and how to find them, and how to identify some of the most common ones in Wildwood Park and in the forests around us. Get ready to really see what you’ve never really seen before.
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August 17 Falcons: Sport of Kings
Shane Brandes: Radford University, Biology Department
Falconry has long been touted as the sport of kings -- and rightly so! For thousands of years hunters have worked in tandem with falcons and hawks to capture prey. Even avid bird lovers will learn some of the fascinating differences between hawks and falcons in this hands-on opportunity from a devoted falconer. |
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