Darke County Park District will be offering a variety of programs during the month of February:
Hands-On Telescope Experience
February 8th at 7:00pm at Shawnee Prairie Preserve
Start the evening stargazing with the Stillwater Stargazer Astronomy Club! During this program, you’ll learn the basics of using telescopes similar to those that can be borrowed from the Greenville, Arcanum and Bradford libraries. This program will begin inside and then head outdoors to complete the evening. Registration is required for this program. FREE
Native Animal Encounter
February 12th at 10:00am at Shawnee Prairie Preserve
Raptors, reptiles, amphibians… oh my! Stop by the Nature Center to visit with our educational animal ambassadors. Why is a box turtle called a box turtle? Do salamanders really breathe through their skin? And will Pip the eastern screech-owl EVER get bigger?? Find out the answers to all of these questions and more during this Saturday morning encounter! FREE
Hike Thru History: 50 Years of Preservation
February 12th, 2:00pm at the Routzong Preserve
In celebration of our 50 year anniversary, throughout 2022 we will rediscover the history of the Darke County Parks. Join a naturalist as we tour all 1100+ acres of preserved land across the county. From woodland to wetland to prairie we will trek through time. Registration is required for this program. FREE
Winter Bird Walks
February 15th, 9:00am at the Worth Family Nature Preserve and
February 26th, 9:00am at Shawnee Prairie
We’ll walk the trails of Shawnee Prairie and other Preserves (be sure to keep track of each date’s location) in search of winter bird flocks. Expect to see upwards of 10-20 species of birds. All levels of birdwatchers are invited. Please bring a binoculars (we will have a few available for loan). Dress for the weather and snowy/muddy trails. FREE
Full “Snow” Moon Hike
February 16th, 6:30 pm at Coppess Nature Sanctuary
Whoo Whoo comes out after the sun goes down? Find out on this night hike under the full moon. We’ll hike the trails by the light of the full moon and attempt to call in and locate the nocturnal residents of the forest. Registration is required for this program. FREE
Parent & Preschool Adventures: A Heart for Nature
February 16th, 10:00am at Shawnee Prairie Preserve
Parent and Preschool adventures is designed to give parents and their preschoolers (ages 2-5) an opportunity to investigate nature through hands-on activities, hikes, stories, songs, and take-home projects. Registration is required for this program and the fee is $4.
Dogs and Donuts
February 19th, 10:30am-12:30pm at the Bish Discovery Center
Come hang out with some furry friends while eating some tasty donuts at the Bish Discovery Center. The Darke County Animal Shelter will be bringing some pups that are available to adopt. You can also just stop in and have coffee and donuts. Feel free to bring a donation of any of the items from the list provided. Coffee will be available for $1/cup. Any cash donations will also be given to the Darke County Animal Shelter. This is a FREE event. To view the donation list, visit www.darkecountyparks.org
Please register at www.darkecountyparks.org/programs
For more information call 937-548-0165