Since its inception on April 22, 1970, Earth Day has become a globally recognized day to show support for a healthy, sustainable environment. The City of Huntsville joins with thousands of communities in a grassroots celebration to honor our planet and renew our commitment to preserving the natural world. Celebrating Earth Day at Hays Nature Preserve has been an annual tradition since the Preserve opened. This year’s festivities, hosted by the City’s Operation Green Team, will be held on Saturday, April 20th. The event promises to be an educational, fun-filled day for Huntsvillians of all ages.
Plan Your Day at Hays
The day will commence at 8 a.m. with a Birding Hike led by local birdwatcher and retired editor of The Huntsville Times editorial page, John Ehinger. Make sure to bring your binoculars and cameras for this bird watching adventure!
The celebration for Earth Day at Hays Nature Preserve will begin at 10 a.m. Over seventy organizations and vendors are expected at the festival, offering expert advice on everything from healthy cooking to tips on making your home more energy-efficient.
Other vendors at the Earth Day Celebration include:
- Archaeologists
- Outdoor recreation organizations
- Solar energy groups
- Woodcarvers
- Wildlife rehabilitators
- Water conservation groups
The Tennessee Valley Community Garden Association will be hosting a Seed Swap so bring some seeds to share and trade. When it’s time for lunch, plan on dining outdoors. Complimentary hot dogs, water, and samples of nutritious fare will be available as long as supplies last. Alternatively, event-goers may want to bring a picnic lunch. Event organizers ask that attendees bring reusable water bottles to fill up at the water stations.
Fun for the Kids
The celebration for Earth Day at Hays Nature Preserve is a fun opportunity to teach children about the environment. The Coosa River Science Center will be there with a number of reptiles and birds of prey which are native to our state. Children can get their faces painted, play a game of corn hole, or learn about beekeeping from a local beekeeper. Be sure to explore the Preserve’s Terrame Natural Playground, an Arbor Day Foundation certified Nature Explore Classroom. Kids will be excited to hear that the enormous bounce tree house which was so popular last year will be back again. For a change of pace, listen to a story read by a local author or catch a nature-based puppet show courtesy of our friends at Huntsville Madison County Public Library.
Conserving Our Natural World
Anthropologist Margaret Mead famously said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Come to the Celebration for Earth Day at Hays Nature Preserve to learn more about small steps you can take to ensure a greener future for our community, and our world. I promise you will have a great time in the process! [spacer size=”0″]
Event Details: Earth Days at Hays Nature Preserve
Date: Saturday, April 20th
Time: Bird Outing at 8am; Earth Day Festival from 10am-2 pm
Location: Hays Nature Preserve
Cost: Free. First 1,000 attendees will receive two tomato plants. (Limit 2/family)
Guest blogger for We Are Huntsville. Are you interested in writing a post for our site? Email katelyn@wearehuntsville.com.
