Discover Nature Events

Artwork on display in lobby.

An early stage social engagement session for persons with early stage dementia and their care partner. Did you know that getting outdoors, interacting with nature, and learning new skills have shown to have positive benefits for individuals living with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia? Join us at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 11, 2024 to learn the basics of birding. This session will include tips for using binoculars, ways to identify bird songs and how to use a field guide. This slow-paced, gentle walk will be held on the Farkleberry Knob Trail, a quarter-mile paved trail at the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center in North County Park. We will also discuss how being outdoors can benefit those living with dementia and their caregivers. You may bring your own binoculars, or a pair will be provided for you.

This is a cooperative program with the Greater Missouri Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.

Watch Ancestral Skills Specialist Don Brink transform simple rocks into artistic and functional points similar to the ones used by early humans. Learn the basics and try your hand at this age-old skill.

Snakes and lizards are really amazing animals. Because they are reptiles, they are much different than the animals we are most familiar with. Come and discover many incredible things about the snakes and lizards that live in Missouri. There will even be a live snake that you will be able to touch if you would like to. We will also go outside and try to find some snakes and lizards in their natural habitat.

Meet at Rockwoods Visitor Center. Be prepared to take a short walk on the Trail Among the Trees.

Please register each child attending.

What is making all that noise near our pond on Tanglevine? Join us to learn about the life cycle of amphibians. Then we will take a hike to look for tadpoles and frogs!

What is making all that noise near the pond on Tanglevine? Join us to learn about amphibian life cycles. Then we will go for a hike to look for tadpoles and frogs!

If reptiles were superheroes, the skink would be The Flash! It is not easy get a good look at these sleek reptiles and usually we only catch a quick glimpse of their blue tail because they are so fast. Join us as we take some time to slow down and learn more about these common lizards and how they help us out.

Join Ms. Ladybug as she reads a nature story and shares activities with your child. Ages 2 to 6.

Come on over to Rockwoods Reservation for afternoon of Spelunking! We will begin this program in the classroom at the Rockwoods Education Center, where we will learn more about caves in Missouri, what kind of critters we might find in them, and why our cave ecosystems are so special! After about 45 minutes in the classroom, we will gear up in our helmets and knee pads and head to Bathtub Cave to do some exploring.

**Note: You will have to crawl into the entrance and crawl in the cave. The very beginning of this cave is roughly 1 foot tall.

Please dress appropriately for the weather and for 55-degree temperatures. Please wear pants and a long sleeve shirt that you do not mind getting dirty. An extra change of clothes, water, and a snack is recommended.

Helmets and one flashlight will be provided. Please wear rubber boots as well and bring 2 additional sources of light (such as headlamps or flashlights).

If large clusters of bats are encountered, the field trip portion will be cut short. Program will be canceled in inclement weather and rescheduled at a different date.

Please register each person who attends to go into the cave individually.

***Only the age range (7 and up) will be allowed in the cave.

Registration required by visiting www.deeproots.org/native-plants-at-noon (adults) Spring is stirring in the Midwest. Take a virtual tour of the native gardens at MDC's Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center. Guided by Cydney Ross, Outdoor Program Manager with Deep Roots KC, this program features a live look at native plants of interest plus landscaping tips and tricks. This program is in partnership with Deep Roots KC.