With the celebrations of both Earth Day on April 22nd, 2009 and Arbor Day on April 24th, 2009, it’s a great time to celebrate our wonderful natural world by getting outdoors and being connected with nature, and Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery is the perfect place to do just that! Yes, whether it’s enjoying a day of fishing with friends and/or family at hatchery creek or making plans for a field trip for you and your students, the entire staff at Wolf Creek welcomes you for a visit seven days a week as our Visitor/Environmental Education Center is open 8:00am – 4:00pm CST daily. Beginning May 1st, 2009, we will be open 8:00am – 5:00pm CST as well seven days per week too, giving you and yours more time to visit.
Along with visiting the hatchery, why not stop by for one of our great training opportunities or workshops? Whether you are a 4-H volunteer, classroom teacher, Girl Scout/Boy Scout volunteer, parent, etc, we offer a wide variety of excellent, hands-on workshops designed with you in mind! For more information, check out the following!
In keeping with the theme of caring for our Earth, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery, in partnership with South Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperative and East Kentucky Power Cooperative, will present a program on Excellent Energy Efficiency! This program is designed for anyone looking to learn more about energy conservation measures homeowners can use to reduce their electricity usage and to help better inform what EKPC and South Kentucky RECC are doing to work better for you in overall energy efficiency! There’s sure to be lots of great information, so don’t miss out! The program will start at 7:00pm CST on Tuesday, April 21st, 2009 and is FREE and open to the public.
On Saturday, April 25th, 2009, Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery (NFH) will be partnering with the Russell County Soil Conservation District to sponsor and celebrate the arrival of spring and the great outdoors by hosting an Earth Day Celebration! The Visitor/Environmental Education Center will open from 8:00am CST – 4:00pm CST, and a variety of organizations and agencies will have booths on hand promoting different ways to get connected to the natural world starting at 9:00am CST running through 3:30pm CST. Agencies planning to attend include the following: Russell County Soil Conservation District; Russell County Middle School PRIDE Club; Friends of Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery, Inc.; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery; Russell County Health Department; Kentucky Division for Air Quality; Kentucky Association for Environmental Education (KAEE); Kentucky Division of Forestry; Trout Unlimited; and the Lake Cumberland Area Development District. Free tree seedlings will be given away by the Friends of Wolf Creek NFH along with many other goodies and helpful information and hand outs from the myriad of other organizations on hand.
In addition to the booths, the following special demonstrations/activities are also scheduled:
Presentations for 2009 Earth Day Celebration!
Clean Air for KY!
KY Division for Air Quality
11am – 11:45am CST
**Meet in classroom
Jean Clement: Bringing the Outdoors Into the Classroom
Teacher, Russell County Middle School
(will include demonstrations from local PRIDE students)
12noon – 12:45pm CST
**Meet in classroom
**SPECIAL TREE Planting Ceremony & Dedication
Soil Painting
Russell County Soil Conservation District
1pm – 1:45pm CST
**Meet in classroom
Tavia Cathcart: Wonderful Wildflowers!
2pm – 3pm CST
Join Tavia Cathcart, Executive Director, Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve, and author of the book Wildflowers of Tennessee, the Ohio Valley and the Southern Appalachians, for a presentation on the stories of the many wildflowers that call this area of Kentucky home.
**Meet in classroom
Guided Hikes/Outdoor/Hands On Activities for Earth Day Celebration!
Starting at 9am CST: Fly Tying Demonstrations
**Meet in lobby at designated table
Have you ever wanted to learn the basics of fly tying? Are you a beginner with no previous experience? If so, here is a fun, hands on activity for you! Join members from the Louisville, KY chapter of Trout Unlimited for a great morning of introductory fly tying!
10am – 11am CST: Introduction to Photography
**Meet in front of the Visitor/Environmental Education Center
Join photographer Kim Graham with Kim Graham Photography for a wonderful introductory class to outdoor photography. Enjoy the first signs of spring as Kim guides you through the basics of photography. So lace up your boots and get ready to go on a short hike as you explore the adventure and beauty of all the outdoors has to offer as you explore the world through the lens of a camera.
2pm – 3pm CST: Guided Tree ID Hike!
**Meet in front of the Visitor/Environmental Education Center
Join in for a great afternoon of hiking fun! Bring your family and friends as you enjoy an easy stroll around the hatchery grounds and learn more about the basics of tree identification. FREE tree ID guides will be available on a first come, first serve basis for those that participate, so don’t miss out!
The event is free and open to the public, so be sure and bring your family and friends for a wonderful day of outdoor fun. For more information, please contact Environmental Education/Outreach Specialist Amanda G. Patrick at 270-343-3797 or via email: Amanda_Patrick@fws.gov
Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery is proud to sponsor educational workshops and events that help the public learn more about our incredible natural and cultural heritage. For information on these or other programs at the hatchery, or how you can be involved as a volunteer, please contact Amanda Patrick, Environmental Education/Outreach Specialist, at 270-343-3797 or via email: Amanda_Patrick@fws.gov
