Environmental Discovery Center is at Spring Lake Regional Park

Bring the kids and learn about the wildlife of Spring Lake on new, naturalist-led hikes at the Environmental Discovery Center starting Saturday, November 19th. The one-hour hikes to the lake will begin at 1 and 3 p.m., and families can return to the EDC afterward to make bird feeders and learn more about animal habitats of Sonoma County. These will be easy to moderate hikes along the Shady Oaks Nature Trail. All ages are welcome, but strollers are not recommended. The EDC naturalist will discuss local flora and fauna, and families might encounter geese, ducks and other wintering species of waterfowl and see grey squirrels gathering acorns for the winter. The hikes are $5 per family. Parking is $6 or free with an annual parks membership. Hikers should wear warm clothes, good walking shoes and bring water. Heavy rain cancels.

Presented by Sonoma County Regional Parks and the Sonoma County Water Agency, this hike is the first in a series of family outings planned at the Environmental Discovery Center for the third Saturday of each month. December and January’s outings will focus on plants and native plant uses, and kids will get to design leaf cards and make seed balls. In February, the theme will be amphibians, with a hike to view salamanders and newts, and kids can learn how to create amphibian habitats in their own backyards.

The Environmental Discovery Center is at Spring Lake Regional Park, near the Violetti Road entrance. Please call the EDC at (707) 539-2865 for more information.