First Saturdays program targets young families

The First Saturdays at the Ecosystem Preserve series begins this weekend.

"Naked Trees and Winter Twigs," scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. on February 5,
2011, is the first program in the series. The program introduces children and
parents to the hidden life of Michigan's snowbound trees-showing participants
how to identify trees by sight, feel, and smell.

"When you're outside exploring nature, it's not one-dimensional. You're using
all your senses," explained Jeanette Henderson, program manager of the
Ecosystem Preserve. The program will address "all the questions a five year-old
asks [about nature] … We're going to look at the big, fat buds on the twigs and
last year's leaf petiole … the scar where the leaf fell off … You can break
open a twig, and certain twigs like black cherry have a sweet smell to them.
Others, like sassafras, smell like lemon," added Henderson.

Henderson believes the First Saturdays program allows families to instill a
passion for nature in their children. "If you can start young with families …
," Henderson said, "they are much more likely to engage in stewardship
activities. That's why those programs exist. It's developing an appreciation
and a wonder for God's creation."

First Saturdays programs are one manifestation of the Bunker's role as a
resource for the community. "There are a lot of people that live in the
neighborhoods that use the preserve … . [It] is open dawn to dusk, 365 days of
the year."

At the Bunker, Calvin students and neighbors from the community view creation
through the prisms of both art and science, Henderson said: "A lot of artists
are inspired by the natural world, and … many naturalists are inspired by how
artists render the natural world." The Bunker's staff incorporates both
elements into the First Saturdays programs. In addition to learning how dormant
trees store water, for example, attendees will create collages out of twigs
taken from the preserve's beech-maple forest.

For more information, contact Jeanette Henderson at 616-526-7601.

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Received on Fri Feb 4 15:04:59 2011