Nahant News Spring 2014 www.nahantmarsh.org Volume 8, Issue 2 Nahant Spring Happenings By: Elizabeth Schramm Youth and adults of all ages are will run June 16-20. The second is for ages encouraged to attend our annual Spring 11-14 and will run from July 14-18. Campers Cleanup on April 12. This event is a part of will learn about shelter building, water Global Youth Service purification, edible and medicinal plants, fire Inside this issue: Day, which is the building, and much more all while exploring largest service event the wetlands, woodlands, and prairies of Spring Events 2 in the world and the Nahant Marsh. For more information or to only day of service register visit Summer Research Positions 5 dedicated to children www.nahantmarsh.org/event/outdoor- AmeriCorps at Nahant 5 and youth. This year Volunteers cleaning up survival-camp. This camp is a co-operative American Bullfrogs 6 we will be picking up near the I-280 bridge. between Nahant Bullfrogs Invade Germany 6 trash along the Marsh Mississippi River, planting prairie plugs, and Education Searching for Pink Turtlehead 7 removing invasive species at Nahant. To Center and the Kids Corner Word Search 8 register for this event please visit, Wapsi River Adopt an Animal Program 9 www.nahantmarsh.org/event/spring-cleanup. Environmental Membership Information 10 Nahant will also be a host site for the Education Center. Youth exploring the outdoors A Special Thank You 11 annual Garlic Mustard Pull on May 3. Last during a Nahant camp. year, volunteers pulled 65 bags of garlic Nahant is Wish List 11 mustard from Nahant Marsh alone. This also partnering with the Wapsi River Exploring Nahant 12 provides a huge service to our natural areas. Environmental Education Center and Clinton Garlic mustard is an invasive plant that was County Conservation board to offer introduced in the 1800s from Europe. It is EDIWILD (Educators in the Wild). This ~...preserving & enhancing highly invasive, and it has been shown that workshop will run June 23-26 and its goal is the ecological integrity of native herbaceous plants decline in areas to help educators incorporate environmental Nahant Marsh & fostering invaded by garlic mustard. To register for this education into school curriculum. For more wonder, appreciation, event please visit, information or to register visit interaction, & stewardship www.nahantmarsh.org/ www.nahantmarsh.org/event/ediwild- of the natural world event/garlic-mustard- educators-in-the-wild/. through education.~ challenge/. Garlic mustard plant. Join Us on Nahant is Facebook & Twitter offering two youth camps this summer where Educators campers will learn valuable skills for surviving participating in EDIWILD 2012. in the outdoors. The first is for ages 7-10 and Nahant Marsh Newsletter Volume 8, Issue 2 Pa ge 2 April Public Programs & Events Space is limited. Please register online at www.nahantmarsh.org or call 563.323.5196. Earth Explorers: Urban Water Spring Sunset Hike Wednesday, April 2, 4:00-5:00 p.m. Wednesday, April 9, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Learn about how the Nahant Marsh and City of Davenport are Explore the Marsh at dusk when the affected by spring flooding and how we manage our local wildlife are abundant. Sunsets at watershed. Ages: 11-14. Cost: $7 for non-members, $5 for Nahant are truly a masterpiece members. painted by Mother Earth. The hike will include the history of Nahant Breakfast with Birds: Warblers Marsh and information on the flora Friday, April 4, 8:00-9:00 a.m. and fauna found at the preserve. Join us for an informative breakfast about Participants are encouraged to bring a camera. The trails are on our feathered friends. We will meet the first flat terrain, making this guided hike perfect for everyone. Cost: Friday of every month beginning in $7 for non-members, $5 for members. October and continuing until Spring. $5 cost will include the presentation, breakfast, Spring Sunrise Hike coffee, and juice. Saturday, April 12, 6:00-7:00 a.m. Explore the Marsh at dawn when the wildlife is abundant. Volunteer Service Day Sunrises at Nahant are truly a masterpiece painted by Mother Saturday, April 5, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Earth. The hike will include the history of Nahant Marsh and Join the Friends of Nahant as they work on various projects information on the flora and fauna found at the preserve. around the Marsh. Grab a group of friends or the whole Participants are encouraged to bring a camera. The trails are on family! Some projects may require heavy duty work, while flat terrain, making this guided hike perfect for everyone. Cost: others are light duty. Projects vary depending on season and $7 for non-members, $5 for members. need. Walk-in’s are welcome; if you plan to bring a large group, please call 563.323.5196. Spring Cleanup Saturday, April 12, 8:30-11:30 a.m. Toddler Tales: Urban Animals Grab your family and Tuesday, April 8, 10:00-11:00 a.m. & 2:00-3:00 p.m. friends and help clean up Many people live in large cities and Nahant is considered an Nahant Marsh and the urban wetland, so we are going to learn about the animals that river banks. Volunteers have learned to survive in our cities! Ages: 3-5 with have the option of accompanying adult. Cost: $5 for non-members, $3 for registering for either members. light-duty or heavy-duty projects. Light-duty will include planting and invasive species Muddy Boots: Water Quality Testing removal. Participants who sign up for heavy-duty will remove Wednesday, April 9, 4:00-5:00 p.m. debris from roadways, ditches, and river banks. For more Participants will learn how to use a water testing kit to test for information or to register your group, go to nahantmarsh.org chemicals the water. They will learn what each test is and how or call 563.323.5196. it is used to determine the water quality for the Marsh. Ages: 6- 10. Cost: $7 for non-members, $5 for members. Earth Explorers: Recycling Resources Wednesday, April 16, 4:00-5:00 p.m. Come celebrate Earth Day and learn about ways we can reuse and recycle different materials. Ages: 11-14. Cost: $7 for non- members, $5 for members. Nahant Marsh Newsletter Volume 8, Issue 2 Pa ge 3 April & May Public Programs & Events Space is limited. Please register online at www.nahantmarsh.org or call 563.323.5196. Muddy Boots: Eco-Art Kits Earth Explorers: Insect Habitats Wednesday, April 23, 4:00-5:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 14, 4:00-5:00 p.m. Create your own eco-art kit filled with all sorts of art tools. Help us create Nahant’s first insect hotel and learn about insect Bring a shoebox. Ages: 6-10. Cost: $7 for non-members, $5 for homes! Ages: 11-14. Cost: $7 for non-members, $5 for members. members. Homeschool: Bees & Mushrooms Targeted Grazing in Iowa: Field Training Friday, April 25, 2:30-4:00 p.m. Friday, May 16, 1:00-4:00 p.m. Students will learn about bees and mushrooms. We will go out Topics will include: targeted to investigate and make observations. We will report our data grazing theory and research, to the Discover Life Bee Hunt and the Mushroom Observer. Grades: developing and implementing a K-8. Cost: $6 per youth. grazing strategy, goat care, what to do in emergencies, electric fencing, and hands-on application. Cost: Earth Explorers: Clean Planet $10 for non-members and $7 for Wednesday, April 30, 4:00-5:00 p.m. members. Explore how different sources of pollution impact our environment. Ages: 11-14. Cost: Muddy Boots: Marsh Stomp $7 for non-members, $5 for members. Wednesday, May 21, 4:00-5:00 p.m. Take a hike around Nahant and learn about wetlands and the Friends of Nahant Meeting history of the preserve. Ages: 6-10. Cost: $7 for non-members, Wednesday, April 30, 6:00-7:00 p.m. $5 for members. Join the Friends of Nahant at their monthly meeting. Learn about the group and how you can get more involved at Nahant Earth Explorers: The Nature of Storms Marsh. Wednesday, May 28, 4:00-5:00 p.m. Learn how to forecast storms using scientific weather Volunteer Service Day experiments. Ages: 11-14. Cost: $7 for non-members, $5 for Saturday, May 3, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. members. Join the Friends of Nahant as they work on various projects around the Marsh. Grab a group of friends or the whole Friends of Nahant Meeting family! Some projects may require heavy duty work, while others are light duty. Projects vary depending on season and Wednesday, May 28, 6:00-7:00 p.m. need. Walk-in’s are welcome; if you plan to bring a large group, Join the Friends of Nahant at their monthly meeting. Learn please call 563.323.5196. about the group and how you can get more involved at Nahant Marsh. Muddy Boots: Snakes of Iowa Wednesday, May 7, 4:00-5:00 p.m. Homeschool: Frog Watch Come learn about the snakes that call Iowa home. This Friday, May 30, 2:30-4:00 p.m. program includes live snakes! Ages: 6-10. Cost: $7 for non- Students will learn about the frogs members, $5 for members. found here at Nahant and ways to identify them. They will then go Toddler Tales: Gardening out and try to identify frogs in the Tuesday, May 13, 10:00-11:00 a.m.