Going on a 'Nature Walk'
St. Ignace Children Learn About Woods in Winter
By Paul Gingras

Alison Berry, an education specialist with the Little Traverse Conservancy, takes a group of kindergarten students on an informative walk through the forest behind St. Ignace Elementary School Wednesday, January 24. Pictured (from front) are Ms. Berry, Riley Allen, D'Angelo Davis, Gavin Smith, Emily Coveyou, Dylan Page, Andrea Kinjorski, and Tori Geldner. At the end of the line, kindergarten teacher Lil McDonald talks with volunteer Ron Tamlyn.

Kindergarten students at St. Ignace learned about the winter forest Wednesday, January 24, from two educators with the Little Traverse Conservancy. Melissa Hansen and Alison Berry took three groups on guided tours through the snow-covered woods behind St. Ignace Elementary School. The program, called Winter Explorers, is a way for the conservancy to help children understand and appreciate the natural world, Mrs. Berry said.

The conservancy's education team works in 45 schools throughout Emmet, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Mackinac, and Chippewa counties. Occasionally, they take children on tours of natural areas the organization owns, and sometimes they visit areas they do not, such as the forest behind the elementary school.

Along a wooded trail behind St. Ignace Area Elementary School Wednesday, January 24, Melissa Hansen of the Little Traverse Conservancy Stewardship department explains snowshoe hare tracks to a group of kindergarten students. Pictured (from left) are Halley Halberg, Kenny Belonga, and Logan Kasey.

The focus of the St. Ignace walk was not to teach kids about science, Ms. Berry explained, but to promote natural awareness by showing children what can be found in the winter forest, and explaining why it is there.

While in the woods, Mrs. Berry and Ms. Hansen pointed out and explained snowshoe hare tracks, the feeding habits of deer, and taught the youngsters to recognize distinct markings left on trees by pileated woodpeckers. Later, they studied a nature display and watched a movie about animal migration.

All of the material in the Winter Explorers program is closely aligned with the state education curriculum, said kindergarten teacher Lil McDonald. Following the program, the children wrote about their experiences.

All of the conservancy's education programs are free, Mrs. Berry explained, and although winter outdoor programs are booked for the season, sign up for spring programs will begin in April. The conservancy also loans nature-based classroom materials for lessons, she added.

Mrs. Berry said the children seemed to have a great time on the brief trip into the forest Wednesday.

"I know I did my job when I hear kids say, 'that was fun,' and I certainly did hear them say that," she said.

The conservancy holds Michigan land in trust. It protects 32,000 acres of land and 85 miles of shoreline. Its members have also created 180 nature preserves 14,217 acres of conservation easements.

Mrs. Berry explained that the conservancy has a four part mission that includes education, land acquisition, stewardship, and administration.

Tom Legerstrom, associate director, said administrative activities include projects such as working with staff and volunteers to produce mailings, including a newsletter that goes out to 20,000 people each summer.

The stewardship program is operated by three staff members and involves managing conservancy lands. These are open to the public, so members make trails and keep them accessible and create bridges and boardwalks.

Teachers can schedule programs and obtain materials by contacting the Conservancy at (231) 347- 0991.