The BRWA is excited to be partnering with Nature Alberta to bring the Young Naturalists’ Club program to the Lakeland region. YNC is for youth and families who like to learn about nature while having fun at the same time! YNC is a nature-focused program with the goal of teaching children and their families about nature. We provide educational materials and organize field experiences that promote being outdoors, observing nature, scientific investigation, environmental stewardship, and healthy living. The Lakeland YNC meets every third Saturday of the month to partake in different outdoor activities. We have many exciting activities planned over the next year. Our next Explorer Day will take place on Saturday, December 13th at 1pm  in St.Paul. We’ll be participating in the Christmas bird count and learning all about ornithology in the Lakeland region! This event is free for families of all ages and abilities. To register contact either Marianne Masters at [email protected].

Our ‘Owl Prowl’ session took place on Sat, Jan 17th, 2015 in St.Paul. We first searched for owl ‘eggs’ containing pictures of different owl species in Alberta, and then dissected real owl pellets and tried to piece together a regurgitated rodent skeleton!

The Lakeland YNC held our first explorer days on Saturday, Oct 5th, 2013. Attendees had the opportunity to hike Jessie Lake while trying to identify different bird species. Highlights of the day included seeing a bald eagle, climbing the viewing towers, observing woolly bear caterpillars, and getting an up close look at a garter snake. With the help of Dixie Colter from Alberta Parks, we hosted a snowshoe adventure on Feb 22nd at Moose Lake Provincial Park. Thanks to Brandon MacLeod from the Bonnyville Nouvelle for taking these great photos and even publishing an article, “Nature Calling all Young Naturalists,”  in the local newspaper!

Our introduction to Geocaching Explorer Day took place in Elk Point on Sat, Nov 15th, 2014