DEM
Hosting Wildlife Education Programs This Winter
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental
Management (DEM) today announced it is hosting a children's program on New
England cottontail rabbits, a presentation on the history of bears in RI, and
two family-friendly birding workshops this winter as part of its Wildlife
Outreach Program.
WHAT: Saving the New England Cottontail
WHEN: Wednesday, January 15| 4 PM Cranston Public Library 140
Sockanosset Cross Road, Cranston
Did you know that we have two kinds of cottontail rabbits that
live in Rhode Island? The New England cottontail is our native species and the
whole region is working together to protect these animals from disappearing.
Learn all about these cute little critters and play a game to discover the
threat of invasive species. Appropriate for grades 3 to 5. No registration
necessary.
WHEN: Saturday, January 25| 10 AM-11:30 AM Beavertail State
Park, Jamestown
Saturday, February 22| 10 AM-11:30 AM Beavertail State Park,
Jamestown
Join the RI Division of Fish and Wildlife for its 4th annual,
family-friendly, winter birding adventure at Beavertail State Park! Novice and
experienced birdwatchers will learn all about Rhode Island's migratory sea
ducks and how to identify these super cool birds. Participants should wear
sturdy shoes and warm clothes with lots of layers including mittens, hats and
scarves, and bring binoculars if they have them.
Registration is required. To sign up, visit
https://forms.gle/bnvk1bKCPMnEQpNTA.
WHAT: The Rhode Island Bear Story: From Colonial Persecution to
Backyard Pest
WHEN: Sunday, February 23| 1-3 PM Maury Loontjens Memorial
Library, 35 Kingstown Road, Narragansett
DEM Fish & Wildlife Outreach Coordinator Mary Gannon will
detail the history of bears in the state, from colonial persecution to their
current status as backyard pests. Registration is not required. This program is
part of the annual winter speaker series,
On Pettaquamscutt: Presentations on
the Environment and the History of the Narrow River Watershed, sponsored by
Friends of Canonchet Farm, Narrow River Preservation Association, and the South
County Museum, with generous support from Trio Restaurant.
Sponsored by the Division of Fish and Wildlife, DEM's Wildlife
Outreach Program offers a wide range of interactive programs that introduce
students to the state's wildlife resources and increase awareness of
environmental conservation.
The K-8 classroom programs cover a variety of
topics and include educational activities related to the history of wildlife
management, current conservation projects, and Rhode Island's diverse wildlife.
An in-depth classroom session, "Wildlife Management 101," is also
offered for high school environmental science and biology classes.
In addition to the classroom programs, field trips to state
parks and wildlife management areas are offered for grades 4-12; buses and a
preliminary classroom visit are included with all field trips. For students in
grades K-3, DEM instructors use local parks or the school yard to create
outdoor learning experiences.
Wild Rhode Island Explorer, a free quarterly children's magazine
geared to students in grades 4-7, is available online and in public libraries
throughout the state.
Thanks to federal funding through the Wildlife and Sport Fish
Restoration Program and the RI State Wildlife Grant, all outreach programs and
field trips, including materials, are free of charge.
For more information on DEM's Wildlife Outreach Program, visit
www.dem.ri.gov. Follow DEM on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM or
Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM) for timely updates.
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