Progress, Progress, Progress...

Hey there everyone!  It’s another great week here at Lake Brandt and as usual, we are plowing ahead with getting the ECO Bus ready for its new season of fun and education.  Over the past week or two, there have been some pretty big strides made.  For one thing, we now have our own phone number dedicated just to the bus and EE programs.  If you ever want to get hold of me for program scheduling, questions about the ECO Bus or Environmental Education, or even if you just want to know where to drop off an extra calzone you may have, you can just give me a ring! The new phone number is (336) 373-7620.  If I’m not in the office, just leave me a message and I’ll get right back with you as soon as I can. 



Mmmmm...bring to me... :-) 



Also exciting is that we now have a web address as well!  Melissa has been working on it like crazy and though it’s not live just yet, it will be soon.  The address is going to be www.gsoecobus.com   -Right now that address takes you to the city’s Environmental Education site, but soon it will be your online portal to the ECO Bus…(you know, not counting this blog).  ;-)  I’m not going to list this blog because let’s face it, if you’re reading this now – then you’ve already found it! J  There is also a Parks and Recreation Facebook page which generally has links on it to the ECO Bus and our EE programming.  www.facebook.com/GreensboroCityLakes

The time is getting close for us to begin our busy season with the bus and we definitely are working hard to make sure that the word is out there and that you guys can get in touch with us for information and programming. 

In fact, don’t forget that out first venue is coming up!  In a little under two weeks, on April 5^th we will be at the Kathleen Clay Edwards Family Library from 1-5 pm for their Earth Day Celebration.  If you want to find out more about it, click on this link HERE.  It’s looking like it will be a great event and I’m really looking forward to attending and getting to have some fun with everyone.  There will be a lot of exhibitors and some great activities and information going around. 

And of course, I’ll be there with the bus!  And         

  

some of the animals too…

I’m trying to think of who I want to bring…

J

Okay, well you guys have a great week and I’ll see you soon!  I’m off to get back to work on the bus! 

Moving Right Along...

Hey there everybody!  Hope you’re enjoying the day so far!  This is your regularly scheduled update and hello from the wonderful world of environmental education and the ECO Bus.  J  Things are going well here at the park - we’ve been working on the bus’ construction, scheduling programs and in general getting things all set to kick off a great and busy season of EE (that’s environmental education for you newcomers!).  Our first big event is coming up on Saturday, April 5^th- at the Kathleen Clay library.  They’re having an Earth Day Celebration and the bus and us (yeah, sorry- I didn’t actually mean to rhyme that) will be in attendance to have some fun and spread some knowledge.  You guys should definitely come out to visit!  And the next Saturday (4/12) we will be up at the Herp Fest in Burlington.  We’ll be talking all about native reptiles and amphibians (and you know I’m bringing a few with us!) J 

Oh, and good news!  Even in the midst of all this nasty winter weather that just won’t seem to go away, we have officially seen the first snake of the season!  Last Friday while in the woods at Lake Brandt, Neil happened upon a nice size garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) coiled up and getting some sun on the nice warm day.  These snakes are very cool - they’re primarily fish and invertebrate eaters, they have live babies and when they go dormant during the colder months they have a tendency to do it with company.  Garter snakes (as well as a number of other species) will actually congregate in a sheltered area called a hibernacula in large masses to hibernate together. 

 

They don’t get very large and are harmless, attractive snakes - actually very popular in the pet industry.  Wild ones have a tendency to musk (spray a stinky secretion from a gland by their back end or cloaca) when handled or bothered but captive raised ones are usually pretty docile.  In fact, my first pet snake was a garter snake.  J 

Well hope all of you have a great week and I’ll keep you updated as things happen here!  See you soon!     

Even more fun on the Bus!

Hi there everyone!  I hope that you’ve all been having a stupendous week so far!  So here’s what’s going on with the ECO Bus…



We’re really gaining some momentum and have been hard at work meeting people and talking to the community to let them know what’s available.  And as a result, starting in April we are going to be BUSY!  We’re going to hit the ground running (err, excuse me- rolling) and start attending various events around town.  We’ll be going to a couple of schools and trying to go to as many of the Earth Day celebrations that we can.  In addition we’ll be hitting the Water Festival at Lake Townsend and the HerpFest up in Burlington!  That’s going to be fun! 



Neil is my carpenter extraordinare'! 



I love my new enclosures! :-)

Neil and Melissa and I have been working hard on the bus’ renovations so that we have the majority of it completed when it goes out in April.   Neil has finished up a bank of 8 enclosures on the bus for smaller animals like invertebrates and reptiles and they look great.  My animals are going to be very happy in their travel homes.  J    The next step is trying to put together a nocturnal exhibit for the bus as well as get my sustainability wall together.  Oh yes, we are going to have some darn good exhibits on that bus for everyone to enjoy!