Free Earth Day Fun At Belle Isle Nature Center

DETROIT, MI — To celebrate Earth Day this year the Belle Isle Nature Center is hosting its second annual Green Day on April 21. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., kids and families can get in on indoor and outdoor activities, including earth-friendly crafts, nature hikes and zookeeper talks. This event is free and open to the public.

“To commemorate the global holiday celebrating life on our planet, we are offering visitors an opportunity to learn about actions they can take to sustain a clean, green environment,” said Amy Greene, nature centers director for the Detroit Zoological Society (DZS).

Crafts will include seed balls – made of soil, clay and seeds – to create throw-and-grow plants.

“These plants will attract and feed the local pollinators that are so vital to environmental health,” said Greene.

Guests will also learn how to make no-sew tote bags from upcycled T-shirts as well as their own green cleaning products from biodegradable and natural materials. Green Day will feature local conservation specialists who will illustrate the benefits of green initiatives through an assortment of artistic and educational demonstrations.

Visual art from macro photographer Joseph Ferraro of Ferndale will illustrate how insects are crucial to the environment and why humans should pay close attention to the earth’s smallest ambassadors. In addition, local beekeepers will share with guests how they can prepare a healthy habitat for bees in their backyards.

Operated by the Detroit Zoological Society, the Belle Isle Nature Center sits on a 5-acre site surrounded by undisturbed forested wetlands on Belle Isle in Detroit. The facility features indoor animal habitats, a bee exhibit, bird observation window, outdoor native butterfly garden, outdoor classrooms, nature play area and the Blue Heron Lagoon nature trail.

Located at the east end of Belle Isle near the Blue Heron Lagoon, the Belle Isle Nature Center is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through October and Wednesday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November through March. Admission to the Nature Center is free; a State of Michigan Recreation Passport is required for all personal vehicles to enter Belle Isle State Park. For information, visit belleislenaturecenter.org.

Image courtesy Detroit Zoological Society

Subscribe to Detroit Patch for more regional news and real-time alerts.