Our Wildlife Education Series project team has developed and scheduled six nature events which will be held at our local Occoneechee State Park throughout 2023. The changex grant has allowed us to offer these events at no charge to the public. These events have significant impact on our local community by enticing curiosity about our surrounding nature and inspire a desire to protect our ecosystem. Although many local community members have come forward to donate their expertise in wildlife habitat at these events, the changex grant has allowed us to hire a few experts to travel to our events and bring live wildlife animals for hands-on demos which have a tremendous positive impact to our local youths. Our events are designed to provide an outdoors fun learning venue so that youths meet a variety of professionals that have focused their careers in wildlife and environmental conservation. Our project’s goal is to inspire both young and old to learn more about the wonders of our local wildlife population and create a desire to volunteer in ways that will protect our local natural habitats. Our initial set of Wildlife events include Fishing 101, Pollinators in the Park, Animal Scat & Tracks, Raptors & Animal Rehab, Worms(Vermicomposting) and BlueBirds 101. The changex funding was critical in helping to pay for expert wildlife presenters, educational materials for hands-on wildlife training activities, tables and trifolds for exhibitor displays, advertisement, signage, park passes, etc. Much of the purchased event materials will have repeat use to allow us to continue to offer these education events in future years to our local community. One of our project goals was to remove obstacles for underprivileged youths to attend these wildlife events, so we set aside a portion of the grant to pay for waivers for park entrance passes for the financially challenged families. We are working with Social services organizations and a local school that specializes in autistic and other challenged youths to make them aware of these wildlife education events and give the free park entrance passes so to remove financial reason that might prevent them from attending. Events start in May and continue through October. The Pollinator event includes live beehive demo by local beekeepers, butterfly exhibit by Museum Natural History and many other pollinator themed exhibits. The Animal Scats & Tracks event utilizes extensive training material purchased by changex grant funds which create a fun learning class that teach youths skills in identifying wildlife animal signs, Raptors & Animal Rehab event utilizes grant monies to hire experts that will offers exciting hands-on education and demonstration of live wildlife animals including birds of prey and other rehabilitated wildlife. Fishing 101 is designed to help kids learn fishing skills so to inspire a lifelong outdoor hobby. Worms event introduces vermicomposting which can help enhance the local ecosystem. Bluebird event introduces bluebird biology and importance of protecting their habitat. Our project’s ultimate goal is to provide fun, outdoor learning opportunities to our local youths and show local community members the various ways one can volunteer in support of our wildlife habitat. With any grant funds remaining, we plan to schedule additional wildlife events.
Summary of our upcoming Wildlife Education event series to be held at Occoneechee State Park.
Our next Wildlife Education event on June 25th features the importance of pollinators to our local ecosystem.
Fishing 101 and bug scavenger hunt was a lot of fun for community members. Weather was sunny and perfect for learning new skills in fishing at our local Occoneechee State Park. Many volunteers showed up to help share their fishing skills so to inspire youngsters to develop this lifelong hobby. The event was a great opportunity for young and old to get outdoors and explore wildlife and it’s habitat.
Our Wildlife Education event grant is helping with this May 20th Kids2Park Day at Occoneechee State Park. The team will be teaching kids about the fish living in Lake Kerr(Buggs Island Lake) and some beginners fishing lessons. We hope to encourage kids to develop a love of fishing which encourages an appreciation of environmental conservation and protecting fish habitat. Rods are on loan from Dept of Wildlife and the grant is helping to fund the tackle needed for the fishing training.
Update below - Three Wildlife Events at Occoneechee park that now have dates and are in final stages of planning. These events are leveraging various community and wildlife organizations to offer inspiring educational presentations and exhibits for our local community. We are meeting again on April 12th to discuss purchases needed plus advertising plans. More details to come so stay tuned.
Pollinators in the Park!
Date: Sunday, June 25 (Rain Date July 23)
Time: Noon – 3:00
Place: Occoneechee State Park Picnic Area (Large and Small Shelters required plus need two foldable tables per exhibitor)
This event is hosted by the Friends of Occoneechee State Park (FOOSP) to celebrate National Pollinator Week 2023. Southern Piedmont Master Naturalists will be participating as an exhibitor in the event, along with many other participating groups such as the Halifax Beekeepers Association, Virginia Museum of Natural History,
Mecklenburg Cooperative Extension, and Southside (Halifax County) Master Gardeners. Enjoy a fun-filled day at beautiful Occoneechee State Park and experience the joys of butterflies, bees, flowers, honey, and more!
Animal Scat and Tracks
Date: Saturday, August 26. (No rain date arranged)
Time: 10:00 -- 2:00
Place: Splash Park Area at Occoneechee SP (One canopy/chair required for DWR; USACE brings their own)
Many animals live in Occoneechee State Park, even though you may not always see them. Come and learn how you can get started identifying tracks, scat, and other animal signs. The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) and US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Rangers will be on hand to get you
started. This event will be located at the Splash Park, or in the event of rain or other bad weather, relocated to the Visitor Center.
Raptors & Rehab
September 23, 2023 (Rain Date Sept 30)
1:00-3:00 pm
Picnic Shelter Near Playground (Large Shelter required, two large foldable tables per exhibitor)
The Friends of Occoneechee State Park are sponsoring an exciting afternoon featuring raptors (birds of prey) and animal rehabilitation. World renowned master falconer, licensed raptor specialist, and conservationist Rodney Stotts will be on hand to introduce the colorful history surrounding the sport of falconry, and visitors will experience what it is like to hold a live hawk or falcon. The Alliance of Wild Animal
Rehabilitators Educators (AWARE) will bring their rescued and rehabilitated wild animals and explain the important role that every animal plays in our ecosystems and the importance of saving wild spaces to coexist with wildlife. This program is for adults and children of all ages and is sure to be thrilling and enlightening.
We had a productive meeting today to lay out plans for our first set of Wildlife Education events that will be offered at Occoneechee State park.
We are excited to start planning a Wildlife Education series to be offered at Occoneechee State Park. This nature education series will have a positive impact on our community by providing an avenue to enhance natural science curiosities and skills plus spark passions to build careers and volunteerism that will in turn help protect our wildlife and their habitat. Just 3 miles from Clarksville township, the park is easily accessible. Our goal is to provide fun, outdoors learning opportunities for all ages and strive to make the offerings available for all of our community members. Our series will include inviting wildlife experts to share knowledge and exhibits in areas such as raptors, bears, reptiles, birds, pollinators, fish and other wildlife species that you might find at this park and teaching about environmental conservation so to protect wildlife habitat. We will leverage the park’s numerous outdoor facilities to conduct our education series.
