May 8, 2018

Third, Fourth and Fifth grade students from Autaugaville School had a great Alabama Association of Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Field Day on May 8th, while visiting the Alabama Nature Center (ANC) in Millbrook. Close to 70 students took part in hands-on, live animal presentations, and had the opportunity to walk through, and spot the gigantic rat snake coiled tightly under tree bark; a sly snapping turtle lurking in the water; tree frogs clinging to branches; and a variety of other native reptiles and amphibians living inside the Discovery Hall at the NaturePlex. They heard the shrill cry of a bald eagle cutting through the air as they stepped into the Raptor Kiosk booth that contains buttons highlighting 11 different species of raptors.

The students also had the opportunity to test their target skills after participating in a very informative archery basics program. Third grader, Markius, was really excited that he was able to hit the target every shot! Some of the parents and teachers challenged one another, and also joined in on the fun.

But, the activities didn’t stop there: students took a naturalist-led hike to one of our scenic ponds, learned the basics of canoeing, put on their life jackets, and explored the pond in canoes. There is no way photos can truly cap­ture the excitement these students felt, while, at the same time, having the opportunity to form a great appreciation for the outdoors and our natural resources. Their laughter and joy could be heard all across the prop­erty.

AWF and RC&D share the mutual priority of introducing and connecting students and youth with the natural world and fostering an understanding and practice of the land stewardship ethic embodied by AWF.  In this hands-on environment, it is easy for students to learn about wise use, responsible stewardship of our natural resources, and being connected to nature in meaningful ways.