Axe ’Em, Jacks!
Nacogdoches Naturally's Family Outdoor Adventure Kick-Off Day will be held on the grounds of the SFA Pineywoods Native Plant Center, 2900 Raguet St. This free family event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 8.NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Local families are invited to join Stephen F. Austin State University staff, students and volunteers, along with representatives of partner organizations, for a fun-filled day designed to give families a sample of upcoming events and activities offered through Nacogdoches Naturally.
Activity stations providing opportunities to learn outdoor skills and increase awareness of forest resources will be set up at the SFA Pineywoods Native Plant Center, 2900 Raguet St., on Saturday, Sept. 8. The Family Outdoor Adventure Kick-off Day will take place from 9 a.m. to noon and will include archery, outdoor cooking, orienteering, fishing practice, birding, forest hikes and more.
Sponsored by SFA Gardens and made possible through a More Kids in the Woods grant from the National Forest Systems of the U.S. Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, Nacogdoches Naturally provides enriching outdoor education experiences for families and youth.
"We were pleased to be one of 23 recipients awarded this grant from the USDA with the goal of providing outdoor educational programs for children and families that promote connections with the natural world," said Kerry Lemon, project director. "This funding allows us to continue our monthly family programs and expand our after-school programming to include a day with students from Raguet Elementary, as well as our previous afternoon with kids from the Boys and Girls Club of Nacogdoches."
Supporting partners of the program include SFA's Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture and Department of Agriculture, Boyette Consulting, Boys and Girls Club of Nacogdoches, City of Nacogdoches Parks and Recreation Department, Nacogdoches Bass Club, Pineywoods Audubon Society, SFA Garden volunteers, Friends of the National Forests and Grasslands in Texas, Texas Forest Service, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and U.S. Forest Service.
Family Outdoor Adventure programs will be offered at least once a month beginning with the kick-off event in September and continuing through July 2013. The schedule of upcoming events is available so families may register in advance. Educational programs, outdoor skill learning opportunities and field trips to nearby National Forest sites are included in the 2012-13 itinerary.
The Forest Awareness Kick-Off Day is free with no pre-registration required. Parking will be available at Raguet Elementary. For more information about this event or for registration and cost information about future events, call Lemon at (936) 468-5586 or e-mail lemonkb@sfasu.edu.
The 2012-13 Family Outdoor Adventure schedule is as follows:
Sept. 8: Forest Awareness Kick-Off Day - SFA Pineywoods Native Plant Center (free)
Sept. 22: Our Friends the Trees - PNPC
Oct. 13: Hiking - SFA Experimental Forest/Nacogdoches History Day "Blast from the Past"
Nov. 3: Creepy Crawlers - PNPC
Nov. 17: Celebrating Birds - PNPC
Dec. 8: Evening program: Dutch Oven Cooking
Jan. 12: Texas Forestry Museum/Family Service Project - Lufkin
Jan. 26: Kid Fish - Lakeside Park in Nacogdoches (free)
Feb. 29: Day Trip - Ragtown Recreation Area/Sabine National Forest
March 3: Hiking - local Nacogdoches trails
April 6: Day Trip - Ratcliff Lake/Davy Crockett National Forest
April 20: Earth Day - PNPC (free)
May 4: Day Trip - Lake Sam Rayburn Nature Center/Caney Creek Recreation Area, Angelina National Forest
July 14: Day Trip - Lake Nacogdoches ($10 per family)