Help celebrate National Trails Workday

Crowders Mountain State Park in autumn is packed with hikers

Area parks will benefit from 2 weekend work programs and new grant for Thread Trail

May 31 – This Saturday, June 2, is National Trails Day. We have reason to celebrate and ways to show appreciation.

The reason to celebrate? The Carolina Thread Trail recently received at $52,600 grant from the Women’s Impact Fund to train volunteers on trail building and outreach. The Thread Trail's goal is to weave together our region with hundreds of miles of walkable, bikeable, roller-blade-able trails including a major river crossing within the Catawba River District. Parts of the trail system already existing including short trail at Mount Holly’s Tuckaseege Park. But more than 200 miles of future trails have yet to be built. This program is an exciting new way to get trails open at relatively low cost.

You can show your appreciation this Saturday, June 2, by taking part in trail maintenance programs at Latta Plantation Nature Preserve on Mountain Island Lake and Crowders Mountain State park – the Charlotte metro region’s only state park - in western Gaston County.

This is also an opportunity to enjoy some very special natural places. Latta Plantation Park is both the region’s largest nature preserve and the home to both the historic Latta Plantation and the Carolina Raptor Center. The Raptor Center helps restore injured birds of prey for release back into the wild. The center also cares long-term for birds whose injuries prevent them from being able to live on their own.

Crowders Mountain State Park includes both Crowders Mountain and Kings Pinnacle within its several thousand acres in western Gaston County.

You can show your appreciation this Saturday, June 2, by taking part in trail maintenance programs at Latta Plantation Nature Preserve on Mountain Island Lake and Crowders Mountain State park – the Charlotte metro region’s only state park - in western Gaston County. Crowders Mountain, at an elevation of 1,625 feet, is a registered natural heritage area that features sheer vertical cliffs ranging from 100 to 150 feet in height. The park also connects to Kings Mountain State Park and Kings Mountain National Military Park.

• Visit the Catawba RiverViews calendar to get details on trail maintenance.

• Not able to make the trail event? No problem. SUBSCRIBE to our e-newsletter to get reminders about upcoming events like this.

Schoolyard gardens seek a crop of volunteers - perhaps you?

Chris Hardin (blue shirt) discusses plans Tuesday for Whitewater Farms

Community meeting explains Whitewater Farms concept and need – people to tend gardens this summer

May 23, 2012 – The River District has spent months planting the seed for schoolyard gardens and community-supported agriculture. Children at Whitewater Academy recently began harvesting their first broccoli, cabbage and peas.

On Tuesday the garden organizers also had an important first harvest: a dozen survey forms and contact information from people interested in helping the gardens grow and thrive.

The names came from the first Whitewater Farms information meeting, held last night at Whitewater Middle School. Students there recently planted summer crops of tomatoes, peppers and squash and are tending the gardens daily now. But they leave in early June for summer vacation.

“We need people to sustain the gardens over the summer,” explained Jeffie Hardin of Rivendell Farms, who is overseeing the garden project with her husband, Chris. “Tomato plants will start to bear fruit in July. The kids won’t be here, but if we take care of the gardens they will have tomatoes and other produce ready to harvest when the kids come back in August.”

The River District hopes to gather dozens of volunteers in the next month to make that happen. Fifteen teachers have already volunteered to help.

Schoolyard gardens are just the start

Whitewater Middle students plant marigolds

The schoolyard gardens here and at four other River District schools are the first phase of a much larger River District effort to nurture locally grown food in our region.

Schools nationwide are finding that schoolyard gardens help even young children develop stronger math and science skills. “I have kids down in the dirt measuring how long an inch is,” Jeffie Hardin told the group.

Plus children are much more likely to eat fresh vegetables when they have helped grow them, she added: “If you get kids out there planting broccoli and picking bugs off the broccoli and picking the broccoli, you will see them eat the broccoli.”

The next phase of Whitewater Farms will create community gardens and a full working farm where adults can grow food for their families while learning how to develop their own gardens at home, Chris Hardin said. 
Whitewater Farms will use Rivendell Farms as its model, Chris Hardin said. People pay to receive fresh food from the farm but also spend time working in the gardens and tending chickens and cattle. The Whitewater Farms plots will go on land near the Whitewater schools, made available by ReVenturePark.

“My vision for Whitewater Farms is 50 to 100 raised beds, developed over several years, to build a real working farm that the community could benefit from,” Chris said.

Food hub will process locally grown food from many sources

The third phase calls for creating a food hub that can collect, process and sell food from many small farms in the area, including Whitewater Farms.

These ambitious goals will require financial support. Presbyterian Healthcare and Huber Technology, a clean-water company, are helping underwrite the schoolyard gardens. The River District is seeking additional corporate and foundation support.

But right now, the single biggest need is volunteers who’ll come to the gardens faithfully this summer to water, weed and harvest the first crops so our students can harvest them in August.

Stephanie Wade, principal of Whitewater Middle, hopes that the community will get behind the effort.

“The kids are so excited working as a team,” she said, “and so protective of their vegetables! I look forward to this growing and growing and growing.”

How you can help

• LEARN MORE: Visit catawbariverdistrict.org.

• VOLUNTEER: To learn how you can help our schoolyard gardens, EMAIL Edna Chirico or call 704-562-8847.

Deadline's Friday to join Catawba Canoe & Kayak-a-thon

Event features 7-mile "easy to moderate" morning paddle

June 2 paddle on Mt Island Lake raises money for conservation

One of the great canoe and kayak events on the Charlotte stretch of the Catawba takes place on June 2, and you have only until this Friday to register.

The  NC Wildlife Federation’s annual Catawba Canoe & Kayak-a-thon features a 7-mile “easy-to-moderate” morning paddle on Mountain Island Lake. These events draw dozens of paddlers and, more importantly, raise money for natural-resource conservation.

The minimum cost to take part is $50 per person and includes a T-shirt, lunch and special wildlife gift. You’re encouraged to get sponsors who will donate additional money on your behalf.

Several businesses have provided prizes and giveaways, including the grand prize: a Perception Sport Sound 9.5 Kayak, provided by the Great Oudoor Provision Co.

A certified biologist will also join the group to talk about local land protection, plants, animals, fish and birds – including osprey who nest along the lake.

Interested in taking part but don’t have a boat? A few may still be available to borrow. Contact Chris North, below, to find out.

Details:

• Time: 8:30 a.m.-noon June 2
• Location: Riverbend Steam Station (directions will be provided to people who register).
• Registration: CLICK to register and for more event details
• Questions? EMAIL Christopher North or call him at 704-332-5696.

Mecklenburg, Catawba lead NC recycling efforts

New state report finds Catawba County soars above rest of state in per-capita effort

Depending upon how you stack the numbers, both Mecklenburg and Catawba counties can claim they are tops among 100 NC counties in waste recycling.

Data released this week by the N.C. Department of Environment and natural Resources show that Mecklenburg County recycled nearly 90,000 tons of wastes in 2011, not including tires, yard waste and some specialty wastes.

That figure is 45 percent higher than total wastes recycling in the No. 2 largest county down east, Wake (home to Raleigh).

How does Catawba County come out on top, then? By counting the amount of recycled material per person. Sliced up that way, the trash count shows Catawba recycling more than one-third ton of waste per person – or more than triple Mecklenburg’s per-person total of 194 pounds. 

Recycling's up on several fronts

CLICK to view Mecklenburg guide

Regardless of which county you rank as No. 1, the good news, say state officials, is that recycling continues to rise across North Carolina despite the economic slowdown’s impact on demand for recycled materials.

“Plastic bottle recovery in particular has experienced significant growth since the state’s disposal ban became effective on Oct. 1, 2009, increasing 22 percent in FY 2009-10 and 23.4 percent in FY 2010-11,” the report said.

Curbside recycling programs grew for the third straight year, from 214 in 2009 to 283 last year.

Catawba County officials credit their recycling success on strong partnerships among various local governments and businesses. Catawba County also created the first curbside pickup program in the state.

The state report also praises the Catawba County Regional EcoComplex and Resource Recovery Facility, “an innovative and interactive network of companies and operations that tries to match waste streams with the need for materials in the manufacturing of new products and energy sources.” The on-site use of discarded materials in turn helps Catawba County achieve higher rates of recycling, the state report said.

Local efforts to reduce non-recyclable waste, too

ReVenture Park, in the Catawba River District, plans to help the region deal with non-recyclable wastes by turning them into energy.

The anchor project of ReVenture Park is a Waste To Energy facility that will take non-recyclable paper fiber and organic matter, shred it into fuel and heat it to produce a gas similar to natural gas. This gas is created through a gasification technology, not incineration. The gas is then used to create steam that powers a turbine to create electricity. This process exceeds the most stringent EPA air quality standards. The only byproduct, says ReVenture Park, is an inert ash that has beneficial uses.

 

Get all the stats

CLICK to read the report including county by county results.

CLICK for recycling tips.

Find outdoor fun on Facebook

The Latta Plantation Nature Preserve Facebook page is updated often.

Several park Facebook pages have listings of upcoming classes, events

Facebook is becoming the new public face for our local park and recreation programs.

McDowell Nature Preserve recently launched its Facebook page. Its sister nature preserve, Latta Plantation, has had a frequently updated Facebook page for at least a year. The City of Belmont also turns to Facebook to pump out the latest announcements about upcoming city activities, including park and rec programs.

Of course the beauty of Facebook is that it allows us to share our interest in these programs with the click of a keypad on our computer, smart phone or pad. And we can go back later and sometimes see photos and video of what took place; we may be able to share our own, as well. 

Check out these pages, and tell us what you think, at http://www.facebook.com/CatawbaRiverDistrict

Facebook pages with park programs

• City of Belmont
• Latta Plantation Nature Preserve (Mountain Island Lake)
• McDowell Nature Preserve (Lake Wylie)

Downtown Charlotte art will help clean the Catawba

Deanna Pindell installs a granite slab at the Trinity School project. Helping are Michael Haag, Pindell's assistant, and volunteer Graceanne Brown.

A downtown Charlotte art project several miles from the Catawba will help safeguard the river while teaching children about ways to protect our environment.

A rocky watercourse with etched black-granite-topped posts will eventually help remove automobile pollutants that might otherwise flow into nearby Little Sugar Creek and eventually into the Catawba just south of the state line.

The drainage area before Pindell's installation.

Artist Deanna Pindell is creating the installation on the grounds of Trinity Episcopal School. Storm water coming from the school’s main parking lot currently flows across a grassy swale to a rain garden that school staff built a few years ago.

City code requires builders to collect storm water from buildings and parking lots and release it slowly into nearby streams as a way to reduce soil erosion. The code says little about how these collection basins should look – and they often end up as weed- and litter-choked basins in a back corner of the property.

Through the McColl Center for Visual Arts’ Environmental Artist-in Residence program, Pindell is creating rock formations and a settling pond that are both functional and attractive.

The installation runs beside Garden District Drive.

Last Saturday morning, UNC Charlotte art student Michael Haag and volunteers mixed and poured concrete posts in the hand-dug watercourse while Pindell carefully topped the wet concrete with the etched-granite slabs. She expects to finish the project by late June.

Pindell said that the finished watercourse should help cleanse the parking-lot water by slowing the water and allowing time for heavy metals to settle out. The rain garden, filled with lily pads, duckweed and other aquatic plants, also helps slow and cleanse the water.

The new watercourse and existing rain garden beside Trinity School will provide attractive places for students and the community to stroll, learn and even observe wildlife.

The McColl Center program is funding another environmental arts project this summer, as well. James Collins and community volunteers are taking remedial action on tree preservation, runoff control and absorption, erosion control and pollutant cleansing along Little Sugar Creek in Cordelia Park.

Learn more

• READ Deanna Pindell’s blog about the project, “We all sharethe same water.”
• LEARN about the McColl Center Environmental Artist InResidence program.
• VISIT Trinity Episcopal School’s installation. The school is at 750 East 9th St. The installation runs between the school parking lot and Garden District Drive. MAP

You can help launch a food coop

Catawba River Market organizer seeks members and information for 2013 launch

Leigh Brinkley of the Mount Holly Farmers Market plans to launch a food coop here in spring 2013. Food coops provide special kinds of food, such as locally grown produce, but depend on members who pay a small annual fee to support the co-op's operation.

"For a nominal investment you will be creatng a vital, self-sustaining source of locally grown, healthy foods that nourish you and your community on many levels for generations," Leigh explains.

Leigh plans something similar to Asheville's French Broad Food Coop.

You can help Leigh launch the Catawba River Market by becoming one of its first members. CLICK on this link to go to CatawbaRiverViews.org, where you can download the membership application and interest survey forms. Complete them and mail them to:

Catawba River Market

P.O. Box 1074

Mount Holly, NC 28120

Want to know more?

CLICK to email Leigh about the coop.

CLICK to read Carla Linster's blog, Catawba River Women

Whitewater Farms information night May 22

Whitewater Middle School students prepare soil for their raised-bed gardens

Learn how you can nurture school gardens, local foods

May 16 – The River District invites you to Whitewater Middle School 6:30-8 p.m. May 22 to see our new learning gardens for students and to hear plans for a community gardening program called Whitewater Farms. The River District also seeks volunteers to help with the gardens, particularly this summer after school ends. Everyone is welcome.

These gardens are part of an ambitious River District effort to boost our students’ learning and interest in science, technology, engineering and math – often called STEM. Similar gardens are under way at Mountain Island, Ida Rankin and Catawba Heights elementary; and River Oaks and Whitewater academies.

• LEARN MORE: Visit catawbariverdistrict.org.

• DIRECTIONS: Whitewater Middle is at 1520 Belmeade Drive, Charlotte. MAP

• VOLUNTEER: We need help maintaining the schoolyard gardens this summer. Interested? EMAIL Edna Chirico or call 704-562-8847.

Rail Trail gets an A from BAC students

Belmont Abbey College students often use the idle P&N Spur to cross I-85

Plan to build bike and pedestrian path atop old P&N Spur could benefit nearby businesses as well as students, they say

By Maria Abbe

Belmont Abbey College intern

So, what if you were told that in about two years we could have a walking/biking trail from our Belmont Abbey campus into downtown Belmont? Impossible right? Wrong. The city of Belmont is working on a project that would lay a trail on top of the current railroad tracks and make it possible to walk, bike, skateboard, run, etc., into downtown Belmont without worrying about traffic.

Current Belmont Abbey students were asked what they thought of this plan, and everyone seemed excited and enthusiastic. The trail could finally provide safe ways to bike, walk and run, they said. Plus the trail could benefit both Belmont and Mount Holly businesses economically.

Senior Johnny Hohenstein thinks the rail trail will help the broader community by creating new connections for people in and near the college. “I think that the trail would be a great addition and even act as a chance for the towns of Belmont and Belmont Abbey to become better connected economically and socially.”

While Hohenstein has a car, many students like fellow senior Kathleen Flanagan do not. The rail trail would have helped her greatly, she says. Flanagan says that has been hard to rely on others for rides into Belmont, or even to nearby Bi-Lo, just to get the necessities.

“By having safe access to downtown Belmont, it would allow me to get a job at one of the local restaurants or shops and safely get to and from work,” she said.

Maddy Harris, a sophomore who enjoys biking, said that she is all for the rail trail as a way to let her ride safely. She said that drivers here have no respect for bikers. She said that there have been many times where she’s been riding her bike and has been yelled at to “get a car.” This is disheartening, she said, because so many Abbey students have bikes but only a few actually muster up the courage to ride them.

“Kids are too timid to take to the roads because the community is so sadly unaware of North Carolina bike laws and mandates,” she said.

Harris hopes that with a rail trail, more people in the Belmont community will become aware of bikers and the bike laws that the state of North Carolina holds.

Many Belmont Abbey students are involved in athletics or like to run for fitness. Currently runners either must run along the shoulders of nearby busy highways or use the old train bridge to get across I-85 – both dangerous options.

Kristen Mahoney, a junior, is one of these runners. She says that cars often come close to hitting her, and running on the tracks hurt her shins and calves. Mahoney also brings up the issue of high gas prices. “There are no trails near here so if I wanted trails (to run on) I'd have to drive to them, which leads back to the gas problem. So in short we need a trail.”

While, Harris, Hohenstein, Flanagan and Mahoney will have graduated by the time the rail trail is likely to open (the estimated time for groundbreaking is 2014), future students will face the same problems these students do. Hopefully, our current freshman will be able to take advantage of the rail trail before they graduate.

Keep up with Rail Trail progress

The City of Belmont frequently updates its Rail Trail webpage. CLICK for project details and progress.

It's time again to get fresh ... produce

Belmont Farmers Market opening day 2012 - from Belmont Market's Facebook page, taken by Gina Gutherie

Belmont and Mount Holly farmers markets are back in action!

The Catawba River District is blessed with two weekly farmers markets, and beginning this weekend both are in operation through next fall.

Belmont Farmers Market has been open for a couple of weeks. Stop by 3:30-6:30 Fridays at the vacant lot on North Main Street in downtown Belmont.

Mount Holly Farmers Market opens for the season 8 a.m.-noon Saturday at 130 S. Main St.

Belmont’s market has some new features besides tasty locally grown foods:

A new partnership with Carolinas Healthcare will provide programs on topics such as meal planning and wellness tips.

The market will include crafts vendors this year. Look for their tents and tables at the front of the market.

The Mount Holly Market will have live music this weekend, performed by Caleb Davis.

Other programs in May:

• May 19 – Learn about herbs and spices from Craig Van Laanen, owner of the Savory Spice Shop
• May 26 – The popular Chef In Residence returns. Gina Gutherie of Bocca Felice will be at the market several times this summer, preparing delicious foods using seasonal and locally produced ingredients. Bocca Felice offers cooking classes and catering. Visit Gina’s blog to learn more and get some great recipes.

Keep up with the markets

Check the markets’ Facebook pages for information on upcoming programs and market activity.

• Belmont Farmers Market
• Mount Holly Farmers Market 

 

Old-fashioned carnival on May 19 at River Oaks Academy

You'll find everything from a mechanical spinner to funnel cakes at PTA fund-raiser

Come to an old-fashioned community carnival 10 a.m.-2 p.m. this Saturday, May 19, at River Oaks Academy and enjoy lots of fun and games, tasty carnival food and a raffle of items donated by local businesses. The activities include a giant slide, dunking booth, trackless train, obstacle course, a fire truck, local vendors and giveaways. Each activity costs 1-3 tickets ($1 per ticket). The PTA will also hold a raffle and silent auction. All proceeds benefit the school PTA.

Here are details:

• Directions: The Academy is at 1015 Mt. Holly-Huntersville Road, Charlotte. MAP
• Dress: Wear good walking shoes; socks must be worn for the inflatable
• Children are under the supervision of their parents or guardian at the Carnival.
• Tickets: One to Three tickets are required for each Ride, Inflatable or Game! Cost is $1 each.
• Activities: mechanical spinner, trackless train, obstacle course, sport combo, giant slide, games, face painting, basketball free throw contest, dunking booth, tricycle contest, music, fire department, local businesses and local vendors, give a ways -and much more!
• Food: (cash only) Hot dogs, chicken wings, barbecue, fish, French fries, funnel cake, cotton candy, popcorn, nacho cheese, snow cones.
• Raffle: Local businesses have donated items to be raffled off at the Carnival. All proceeds from the raffle will support River Oaks Academy. Raffle tickets will cost $ each or 6 for $10.
• Silent auction: The silent auction has a few items, including gift cards, a scooter, a week of summer camp and more.   
• For more information:  Sakari Mayfield at 704-763-1584 or Khadija Bull at 704-942-0837 or EMAIL the PTA.

Whitewater Academy teacher in running for top award

Brenda Halford of Whitewater Academy

Brenda Halford among finalists for CMS Teacher of the Year

Five top educators, including Brenda Halford of Whitewater Academy, are in the running for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools teacher of the year. CMS will announce the winner on May 20. Meanwhile, here is some information from CMS about Brenda, who is already a winner in our eyes!

CLICK to read about the other excellent teachers up for this award.

Meet Brenda Halford of Whitewater Academy

Physical education teacher Brenda Halford has been shaping young minds and bodies at Whitewater Academy since 2008. The National Board-certified teacher has worked in CMS since 1993, teaching at Allenbrook, Thomasboro and Hornets Nest elementary schools before coming to Whitewater.

She earned both her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from Western Carolina University. As a CMS professional-development master teacher, Brenda helps other educatorss improve their instructional practices by having her classroom serve as a learning lab that teachers can visit to observe best practices. Brenda also facilitates movement-based learning workshops throughout the district.

Brenda says all her activities come from her passion for good health.

“The most important issue that I face as a teacher is the health and wellness of my students, school staff and community as a whole,” she said. “Statistics show childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years. Workplace stress is one of the biggest sources of stress in today’s world. At the school level, I actively promote health  and wellness through our health team.

“We bring awareness through providing nutrition, fitness facts and exercises on morning announcements, by providing fitness minutes at staff meetings, and by encouraging walking,” she said. Schools also can help faculty, staff and students by encouraging them to bring healthy snacks to school and by getting involved in outdoor activities such as hiking at the U.S. National Whitewater Center.

– Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools profile

Schools' latest report cards now on line

Data from Char-Meck, NC and GreatSchools show changes but may not explain reasons

How are our local schools and students doing? You can get a picture from the 2010-11 School Year data released in late April by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, the NC Department of Education and from similar data collected by GreatSchools.org.

The numbers only tell part of the story, of course. For instance, CMS redraws school attendance zones periodically. The change in students can result in dramatic changes in end-of-grade test results, as well.

However, the data and overview included in each report do provide some framework for comparing the main Mecklenburg schools serving the Catawba River District’s elementary and middle-school students.

Report sources:

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools - CLICK to find data for all CMS Schools.

GreatSchools.org describes itself as “the country's leading source of information on school performance,”  with data on 200,000 public and private schools. CLICK to search data on all schools.

NC School Report Cards describes itself as “the state’s one-stop-shop and best online resource for school research.” CLICK to search for data on all NC public schools including charter schools.

Local school reports

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools 

Mountain Island Elementary School

• CMS report
• GreatSchools report 
• NC School Report Card

River Oaks Academy

• CMS report
• GreatSchools report 
• NC School Report Card

Whitewater Academy

• CMS report
• GreatSchools report 
• NC School Report Card
  

Whitewater Middle School

• CMS report
• GreatSchools report 
• NC School Report Card
  

Gaston Schools

Catawba Heights Elementary School

• GreatSchools report 
• NC School Report Card

Ida Rankin Elementary School

• GreatSchools report 
• NC School Report Card

Summer camps in our nature preserves

Send your curious kids off to learn in your neighborhood wilderness

Mecklenburg County offers several weeklong summer camps in its two biggest nature preserves, Latta Plantation Park on Mountain Island Lake and McDowell Nature Preserve on Lake Wylie.

Here are some great opportunities for your children to learn about nature while having a great (and relatively affordable) time close to home. One camp even includes adults!

Camps fill up fast, so call the park office at the two preserves to see if the program you have selected still has openings. Park staff will explain how to register.

Latta Plantation Nature Preserve: 6211 Sample Road, Huntersville; 704-875-1391

McDowell Nature Preserve: 15222 York Road, Charlotte,; 704-588-5224

Summer Camps at Latta Plantation Park

Outdoor Survival Camp

Latta Plantation Nature Preserve can provide everything we need to survive and during this fun- filled weeklong camp campers will learn how to survive in the outdoors. They will learn about water survival as we canoe, wild edibles and medicinal plants as we hike, how to build shelters, cook in the outdoors, and make emergency hiking kits. This will all culminate in an overnight camping experience at McDowell Nature Preserve.
Ages: 10-12

Cost: $150
Program number, dates and times:

#30841 – Aug 6-8, 9 – 3 pm, and Aug 9-10, 9-10 a.m.

L.A.N.D. Camp: Animal Olympics

Michael Phelps, who? At 68mph, Sailfish are 15x faster than this famous Olympic swimmer! There are amazing animals all over the world that can run, swim, and jump better than the best athletes. Each day campers will investigate a new “Animal Olympian” with games, crafts, and more!
Ages: 4-6

Cost: $75
Program times: 9 a.m.-noon Mon-Fri

Program number and dates:

#30829 – Jun 25-29
#30830 – Jul 2-6
#30831 – Jul 9-13

L.A.N.D. Camp: Tree Soup

What are the “ingredients” for a tree? Just like us, these forest giants need specific things to grow and thrive. Through hands-on activities, crafts, and more, campers will investigate the stages in a tree’s life and learn the “ingredients” for tree soup. They will also learn to indentify a different tree species each day.

Ages: 4-6

Cost: $75

Program times: 9 a.m.-noon Mon-Fri

Program number and dates:

#30825 Jul 16-20

#30826 Jul 23-27

#30827 Jul 30-Aug 3

#30828 Aug 6-10

Young Explorers Camp

Not sure if your child is ready for a full day at camp? Then this half-day version of our ever-popular Outdoor Adventure Camp is just what you’re searching for! Each day will focus on a different outdoor recreation activity. Campers will explore the nature preserve by going canoeing, using a map and compass, hunting for hidden treasure, and more.

Ages: 6-7

Cost: $75

Program times: 9 a.m.-noon Mon-Fri

Program number and dates:

#30832 June 18-22

#30833 June 18-22

#30834 Aug 13-17

#30835 Aug 13-17

Outdoor Adventure Camp

Campers will explore Latta Plantation Nature Preserve as they have never done before! Canoeing, fishing, geo-caching, shelter building and hiking are just some of the fun activities we will enjoy during this weeklong day camp. This camp will culminate with a field trip adventure to Crowder’s Mountain State Park.
Ages: 7-10

Cost: $150

Program times: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Mon-Fri

Program number and dates:

#30836 Jun 25-29

#30837 Jul 9-13

#30838 Jul 30-Aug 3

Camp H20

Kids will have a splash at our water-themed camp! We will investigate everything from aquatic animals to water quality with cool, water-based activities and games. Some highlights of the week will include canoeing, stream explorations, and even a visit to Ray’s Splash Planet.

Ages: 8-11

Cost: $150

Program times: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Mon-Fri

Program number and dates:

#30839 Jul 16-20

#30840 Jul 23-27

McDowell Nature Preserve

Insect Mania!

What has six legs, three body parts, and can be found just about everywhere you look? Insects! Bring your child out to discover insects as we investigate different areas of the nature preserve including the forest, gardens, streams, and meadows. Each day will be packed full with fun activities, crafts, stories, and much more!

Ages: 4-6

Cost: $75

Program times: 9 a.m.-noon Mon-Fri

Program number and dates:

#31371 Jun 18-22

#31373 Aug 13-17

Program times: 1-4 p.m. Mon-Fri

Program number and dates:

#31372 Jun 18-22

#31374 Aug 13-17

Outdoor Explorers Camp

Summer is a great time to spend time outdoors recreating and enjoying nature! Let your child spend a week exploring the nature around them through kayaking, fishing, hiking and other outdoor recreation opportunities. As always, animal encounters, crafts, games and lots of fun are included.
Ages: 7-9

Cost: $160
Program times: Mon-Fri
Program number and dates:

#31383 Jun 25-29
#31384 Jul2-6
#33297 Jul 16-20
#31387 Jul 23-27
#31386 Jul 30-Aug 3

Adventure Camp

Develop your kayaking skills, learn basic survival skills, and explore nature at night! The week will be spending time in the outdoors, exploring and interacting with their environment, all while developing important life skills. The week will sum up with an Exciting Day at the National Whitewater Center followed by an overnight camping experience! Camp ends at 10 a.m. on Friday following the overnight campout.

Ages: 10-1

Cost: $175

Program times: 9 a.m.-4 pm Mon-Wed; 9 a.m. Thu-10 a.m. Fri

Program number and dates:

#31389 Jul 9-13

Family Adventure Camp

Looking for some quality family time in the great outdoors for the whole family? Learn essential skills such as fire building, fishing, kayaking and campfire cooking. Then cap it off with a campout where we will sing songs, roast S’mores and take a nature-at-night hayride before falling asleep in a private tent with your family. All gear and meals are provided (Lunches Weds-Fri and Dinner Friday night), and additional adults are welcome for the campout. (At least 1 adult from each family is required to be registered)
Ages: All ages

Cost: $65/person
Program times: 9 a.m.-4 pm Weds-Thu; 9 a.m. Fri-10 a.m. Sat

Program number and dates:

#31076 Jun 13-Jun 16