Environmental Education Center

I’ve attended several sessions here and have had a blast each time. From making a bird house to calling in a barred owl with a boom box to learning what types of critters one would see at night. Each time I’ve been there they have been taught by a very nice young woman. Obviously a lover of nature she breaks down the topics so that kids can get it while making it interesting enough for the adults too. The classes I’ve attended are free, not sure if there is ever a fee for some of them. Will definitely be back.

I was expecting treacly, hippy-​dippy Gaia earth mother humbuggery when my youngest daughter asks me to go on a field trip to the Environmental Education Center at AJ Jolly Park in Campbell County.
There was a little of that in the beginning. We were told trees can feel the peeling of their bark just like human’s can feel the peeling of skin. But I wrote this off to a very nice way of saying «behave and don’t peel the bark off our trees you little buggers!»
But then the guides quickly transitioned to science. We learned about the parts of soil and how different soil nourishes plants differently — «Soil, soil, thanks a bunch/​Soil, soil for my lunch» was a cute rhyme if possibly a little Gaia-​ey. The kids learned about solar power, and how wetlands clean the water supply. We saw some creepy crawlies.
The only compliant would be that it quickly became very evident which of the instructors had children and which didn’t — or at least which instructors could relate to children in any meaningful way. Kids are annoying, believe me I’m with you there. But if you’re not going to come to them 10% they are not going to come to you the rest of the 90% — and that makes for a long 30 minute solar power presentation.