Creepy creatures make an appearance at Lake Cachuma
Children of all ages had the opportunity to
participate in hands-on learning at the event, which featured live animals,
face painting and a balloon maker.
“All of the animals here are from California
to promote natural history eduction – that’s the goal,” said Liz
Mason-Gaspar, park naturalist.
As kids and parents alike explored the various
exhibits spread out on the front lawn of the Nature Center, docents and
volunteers were on hand to share facts about the animals and to field
questions.
One particularly popular exhibit was the
Skulls and Bones table. With the help of docent Joann Ganapes, children were
given a brief introduction to the process of animal identification and had the
opportunity to handle bones from a beaver, bobcat, snake and raccoon.
“It’s a wonderful community service that the
nature center provides,” said Suan Burmood, a longtime volunteer at the center.
“It’s also a great family activity.”
According to the kids in attendance, the event
was a huge hit. Some of their favorite parts included the tarantulas, the
lemonade, the bone identification table and the face painting.
The Nature Center, a nonprofit organization
established in 1988, has year-round exhibits that could satisfy a wide range of
interests, with an extra emphasis placed on hands-on activities for children.
The exhibits showcase fish that live in Cachuma Lake, mammals of the area and
the Chumash Indian culture and geology, to name a few.
“(It) is really a little museum that happens
to be in a county park,” said Mason-Gaspar of the non-profit organization. “(We)
really want to get people aware of the center. This is a season where a lot of
things are happening.”
On Nov. 1, the nature center will host an
old-fashioned fishing day from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Kids ages 5 to 15 are
invited to fish for rainbow trout in the lake’s separate swimming pool and will
be provided with can poles, bobbers and bait.
Another opportunity for children to get
involved with nature and wildlife exists in the Junior Ranger Program. Junior
Rangers earn merit patches by picking up litter from the park grounds and
participating in activities led by a park naturalist. Junior Rangers meet on
Saturdays from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. The cost is $2 per child.
For more information on the Nature Center at Lake Cachuma, call (805)
693-0691 or visit the Web site www.cachuma.com. The center is located at 2525
Highway 154, Santa Barbara, CA 93105.