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“Women of South Fork” Luncheon

Friday, February 2 the first “Women of South Fork” luncheon was held at the home of Janet Miron. Food, Fun and Fellowship were on the agenda as these great supporters of SFNC gathered to strengthen their friendships and collaborate on upcoming events sponsored by SFNC.

Our next meeting will be in April at Krissi Grahm’s house. We also want to note that we welcomed Sunnie Ruple from Vilonia as a new Member and docent of SFNC.
If you are interested in becoming a member of SFNC, please call us at 501-745-6444 or email grf@artelco.com.

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Saturday, March 10: The Woods in March

Meet at Riddle Cabin at 10am on the second Saturday in March!

Come a little early for refreshments – we’ll have the big porcelain coffee pot on and peach cobbler in the Dutch oven.
For this Saturday trail walk, we’ll check out the ferns and mosses on the forest floor, taking note of the winter buds on shrubs and trees along the trail. Winter identification of trees and shrubs involves a look at bark patterns, twig growth, and bud structure. What can the March woods teach us?

Bring a lunch & stay afterwards for a look at the new outdoor classroom pavilion.

Contact: Dr. Don Culwell, Programs Director (501-358-2095)

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“The Fish that Saved a River”

Here’s a great story from Arkansas Life featuring former Gates Rogers president, Don Richardson, some of our friends at The Nature Conservancy, and the tiny fish that played a big role in the restoration of the Little Red River.

“Channelization of a waterway does one thing: move water. But the processes that build habitat, sustain riparian areas keeping stream banks intact and make a stream almost a living organism unto itself are simply bypassed in the name of cold utilitarian efficiency… “

[ms_button style=”normal” link=”http://arkansaslife.com/dispatch-from-clinton-quite-the-catch/” size=”medium” shape=”rounded” shadow=”no” block=”no” target=”_blank” gradient=”yes” color=”olive” text_color=”#ffffff” icon=”” icon_animation_type=”” border_width=”0″ class=”” id=””]Read the Article[/ms_button]

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The Not-so-Wildfire

We’ve just completed a round of control burns here at the Nature Center, with the help of some dedicated docents & the awesome team from The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas. Under the right conditions, carefully monitored burns help replenish and diversify a woodland habitat. This has been an exciting part of our forest management plan! Here are a few snapshots of our activities at the Nature Center at the end of January.


The Nature Conservancy team carefully assessed conditions before initiating a control burn contained in a 6-acre area, divided into 2 sections. The burn process takes nature’s cue and accelerates the decomposition process, finishing dead wood and branches to become part of the forest floor, and prevents quickly growing younger tree species from overwhelming the understory.

The team monitored the perimeter of the burn closely, assisted by our docents in cleaning the smoldering, ashy debris, and seeing the last of the burn to its smoky conclusion.

Stay tuned for more glimpses into our Woodland Management Programs at South Fork!

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2018: International Year of the Bird

On the 100th anniversary of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, hundreds of organizations worldwide have joined in solidarity to celebrate the incredible diversity of our feathered friends. National Geographic, the Audubon Society, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and many others are launching a special effort to raise awareness of climate change affecting avian migrations, and to encourage bird watching & citizen science initiatives.

The Audubon Society explains:
 

"This effort aims to heighten public awareness of birds because of their wonder and beauty—and because they symbolize nature’s interconnectedness and the importance of caring for our shared planet."

Read more on their website: http://www.audubon.org/news/audubon-and-national-geographic-declare-2018-year-bird

National Geographic has created a companion student site for kids to explore the world of birds: 
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/hubs/birds/year-of-the-bird/

Cornell's excellent bird identification app Merlin uses a vast database of photos & fact sheets to assist birdwatchers and students with a virtual bird id wizard: Merlin Bird ID App 

All About Birds: What is the Migratory Bird Treaty Act?
 

 

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Think OUTSIDE!

South Fork Nature Center is committed to providing enhanced outdoor educational experiences to local schools and organizations.

Our staff of docents stands ready to lead your students in unique, field-based studies of the importance of biodiversity preservation, habitat restoration, conservation of natural resources and the application of ecologically-sound land management.

Contact us soon to schedule your class’s spring or summer field trip to SFNC. We can work with you to design a program for all age groups around frameworks in many areas, including life/physical/environmental sciences, math, literature, history, and art.

Our new pavilion offers more opportunities for field-based activities, no matter what the weather may be.

Contact our Programs Director, Dr. Don Culwell at 501-358-2095.

Submit a field trip request online! →