Merry Lea hosts first annual NatureFest April 30-May 1 for children and adults

WOLF LAKE, Ind. – For nature lovers of all ages who enjoy Indiana’s beautiful landscape, Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center’s first annual NatureFest will be an earthly treat, April 30 and May 1, 2004.

The weekend activities for adults and children will include exploring local geology, investigating a wetland, learning about sustainable building, experimenting with organic gardening and listening to guest performers Will Redding, a well-known storyteller and naturalist, and Les Gustafson-Zook, world champion autoharp performer.

Beginning Friday, April 30 at 7 p.m with storytelling by Redding and continuing all day Saturday, May 1, the NatureFest will feature hikes and seminars about forest ecology, environmental building design, organic gardening, glacial geology and wetland restoration. Family hikes will include investigating wetlands and studying natural edibles that grow in the wild. And children’s activities will include exploring nature and canoeing on the wetland.

Schedule and fees:

Friday, April 30

7-8:30 p.m.          Will Redding, storytelling followed by a night hike

                                    (Cost: $5, under 10: free)

Camping overnight, breakfast included (Cost: $5)

Saturday, May 1

7-8 a.m.                       Early morning bird hike

8-9 a.m.                       Breakfast (Cost: $10 for hike and breakfast)

9 a.m.                            Registration and displays open

                                          (Cost for entire day: $10, ages 5-12: $5)

10-11:30 a.m.          Hikes or seminars

11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Lunch

1-2:30 p.m.                Hikes or seminars

2:30-4 p.m.                Musical entertainment: Les Gustafson-Zook, autoharp and mandolin

To register or for more information, contact Dave Miller at (260) 799-5869 or davejm@goshen.edu.

Merry Lea, 300 S. 500 W. in Noble County south of Wolf Lake, is a 1,150 natural sanctuary for northern Indiana’s plants and animals, provides environmental education for people of all ages and a setting to recreate opportunities that benefit the human body and spirit without exploiting the land. Merry Lea, created with the assistance of the Nature Conservancy and the generosity of Lee A. and Mary Jane Rieth, is owned and operated by Goshen College. For more information, go to https://www.goshen.edu/merrylea or call (260) 799-5869.

Editors: For more information, contact News Bureau Director Jodi H. Beyeler at (574) 535-7572 or jodihb@goshen.edu.

###