Earth Rangers’ Nature Fest a big success
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Sept. 20 couldn't have been a more perfect day for families to explore their world on Lighthouse Island in Tionesta. Earth Rangers' Nature Fest was attended by 122 participants learning about things found in nature through hands-on activities at the 22 stations scattered around the island. Marion and Steve Sherwood, Selese Huth and Sammie Wise were volunteers at the Panning for Gold and Assayer's Office. The gold glistened in the bottom of the pans as kids swirled water in the hopes of striking it rich. The discovered nugget was then taken to the Assayer's office where it was weighed and the value determined by today's prices and then compared to the price of gold in 1800.
Digging and screening for artifacts in an archeological dig was the next event. Erin Knolles from Clarion County shared her knowledge of archeology with the participants then had them dig for artifacts. Surprisingly, each child found several items such as arrowheads, beads, animal bones, coins and shells. Each child was able to keep a point to take to the next station to make a necklace. Gary, Lynn and Tim Caslin shared their knowledge of Indian artifacts as the kids designed their jewelry pieces.
Next was geocaching with Tracy Tickle and Charlotte Temple, both from the Pittsburgh area. Many of the parents were interested in learning how to do this activity and expressed that they were going to begin to do this with their family. Geocaching is known world-wide and is simply finding treasures hidden by other geocache enthusiasts around the nation by using latitude and longitude numbers with a Global Positioning System (GPS). Forest and Warren counties have many geocache sites.
Julie and Morgan Silvis manned the next station, the Macroinvertebrate study. At this stop, kids sorted through leaf bags that had been soaking in various bodies of water to attract water insects. Upon finding an insect or other water species, the kids could use a magnifying glass to closely inspect it and identify species using charts and identification books.
WCOs Dan Schmidt and Dustin Stoner of the Pennsylvania Game Commission caused quite a stir when they brought a trapped nuisance bear to Fur and Feather station to demonstrate how they handle gathering research information on bears. After tranquilizing the animal, Schmidt explained why a tooth is pulled for aging the bear, as well as why tags are put in the ears for tracking purposes. Also he had furs from several kinds of animals for the participants to touch and identify. Right next to him was Angie McCloskey showing the kids how to dissect owl pellets to discover what critters had been the bird's supper. Skeletal remains of moles, voles, mice, rats and bats were found.
After station number nine, participants were able to make their own compass under the direction of Jennifer Grooms. They learned the basics of compass reading and determining north, south, east and west. Next door was forestry where Scott Weickert explained wood characteristics among various trees and challenged the kids to use a piece of red oak to blow bubbles. He demonstrated how to measure the height of a tree and to estimate how many feet of lumber one could get from it.
Station 11 was rock chucking from the fishing pier. Rocks were available for each to see how far they could throw a rock and to see how big the splash was when it hit the water. Touching and holding a snake was the next activity. Cory Turben and Bob Zumstein passed on educational information about the very misunderstood eastern timber rattlesnake while demonstrating how to put one into a tube in order to safely handle it. It was fun to watch the look of awe on the faces of the participant's as they were encouraged to get close to the reptile. Spot the milk snake was deemed the most favorite.
The Army Corps of Engineers talked about water safety at the next station. Rodney, Jason and Amy were on hand to answer questions about personal flotation devices and boating safely. Next was John Priesel who wowed the kids by tying a magic knot. He also passed on his knowledge of several kinds of knots and encouraged each person to learn to tie at least one new knot.
Art teacher Nancy Andrews and several of her students manned station 15. Children could have a picture painted on their faces, and while waiting their turn they could decorate a wood cookie or color a water cycle wheel. Kathy Priesel and Beth Gilford had a blast helping kids decorate the free Earth Rangers' t-shirt they received when they registered at the entrance tent. At this table the kids could personalize their shirt by painting replicas of one of three fish, then stamping it onto their shirt.
Moving on to number 17, participants saw tracks made by many of the animals living in this area. They decorated a plaster-of-paris garden stone with various kinds of pebbles, stones, beads and pieces of tile and them made an animal track in the middle of their project. Cathy Seymour was there to talk about the different animals. At the next station the kids could pick out any rock they liked and under the guidance of Carol McDonald, Teo and Pat Mays, painted it to look like an animal or insect.
Doug Carlson had a fantastic display of rocks and fossils for the participants to touch and pick up. He answered many questions and provided information on the way rocks and fossils were formed and the glacial impact in this area. Station 12 was where participants could try out their casting skills with WCO Shellgren and Deputies Wygant and Pompelio. Also available at this activity were numerous publications about fishing, boating and water safety for families to take home to read together. The Lighthouse was open for free tours during the day with Hubert and Clara Saxton, Ed and Virginia Patrick and Romona Carlson assisting.
Local businesses contributed time and equipment. Expertise was offered by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission, Army Corps of Engineers, Vista, Penn State Forestry and Forest County 4-H. West Forest High School students designed signs for each station. The local Cub Scout troop provided a food. The event was sponsored by the Forest County Conservation and Planning District.
The Earth Rangers' Program is also an after school activity made possible through an Environmental Educational Grant applied for by the Forest County Conservation and Planning District. This program is open to any child in grades three through six who attends the Forest Area School District. Earth Rangers' for West Forest students meets on the first and third Mondays; and East Forest participants meet on the second and fourth Mondays at the school between 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. through the end of December. Kids will learn through hands-on activities about their environment and ecology concerning wildlife, waterways and wetlands, farming, forestry, renewable and nonrenewable resources, and threatened, endangered and extinct species; with a focus on what environmental techniques are used in Forest County.
Meetings have already begun, but there are still some opening. If you have a child who would like to become an Earth Ranger call Rachel at (814) 755-3560 to sign up. Your child will have a great time learning about their world and what is going on in their local surroundings.
