Family Nature Day beginnings
Family Nature Day, normally held on the first Saturday of June, began with the efforts of Judith Blackford in 2015. Here are some historical documents in Judith’s own words and works, and a report published in The Source (City of Lake Elmo newsletter ) for Summer 2015
fnd-2015-history-writeup-j-blackfordDownload
fnd-map-2015-j-blackfordDownload
fnd-2015-the-source-reportDownload
Report 0n Annual Family Nature Day – Saturday, June 3rd, 2023
92 Children and 77 adults helped us celebrate the Sally Manzara Interpretive Nature Center and Sunfish Lake Park with nature fun and educational activities for all. There were over a dozen educational tables with information on topics like honeybees, geology, water quality and more. We also had live animals from the Carpenter Nature Center and prizes for kids. Watch this space for information about the next Annual Sunfish Lake Park Family Nature Day (first Saturday of June 2024).
here is the 2023 line-up educational tables:
Welcome Station, kids pick up Scavenger Sheets to turn in for a prize after you visit all the stations
Beekeeping Station – Karen and Elizebeth will tell about honeybees
Landscaping for Birds Station – Mary will tell you what to do with your landscaping to attract and keep birds in your yard
Rain Garden Station – See our rain gardens and get information on how they were built and see the native vegetation
St. Croix Valley Athletic Association Station – learn about biking in the Park
Apothecary Garden – Paul Red Elk will tell you about herbal medicine and explain about the plants which are growing here
Geology Station – Kate will tell you why Sunfish Lake Park Rocks! and why the Park is the way it is….
Pollinator Station – Chris will describe the value of pollinators to our life and landscape. Also visit the Monarch WayStation(c) which feeds butterfly visitors all Summer long
Live Creatures Station– see the animals from Carpenter Nature Center 9:30 to 11:30
Story Walk – read the book as you walk the trail
Buckthorn Station – George and Kim will tell you about the SLP buckthorn removal program, and you can play Buckthorn Croquet – a crazy game with mallets, wickets, and balls made of buckthorn
Bean Bag Toss Station – aim to get the bird into the birdhouse
Minnesota Off Road Cyclists – hear about this group’s work to keep the trails clear and safe for riders of all ages
Messy Play Area – dig the sand in the canoe, walk on the stumps, ride the turtle (very slow ride)
Water Quality Program – Don and Dllona will tell you about our program to test water quality in the lakes and ponds of the Park, and about how you can help
Library Station – Leah will tell you about the services of the Washington County library system
MN Land Trust – Lydia, Shalesa, and Andrew from the Minnesota Land Trust will tell you about their work
Gift Pickup and Beverages Station – hand in your completed quiz to Sue and get a prize! Coffee and Lemonade and Water available