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"Lennie" a barn owl, looks over the crowd at Saturday's Environmental Education Expo at Philpott Lake Park. (Bulletin photo by Johnny Buck) |
Sunday, April 19, 2009
By JOHNNY BUCK - Bulletin Sports Editor
More than 400 people came to the third annual Environmental Educational Expo at Philpott Lake Park on Saturday, where 27 exhibitors from across the region showcased their wares and causes.
The expo coincided with the end of the National Environmental Education Week and the beginning of Earth Week.
“We want to educate the community on environmental issues,” said Linda Drage, president of Friends of Philpott, which organized the event.
Drage said that many of the groups present attempt “to get kids out from in front of that TV, off that couch and outside in nature.”
The Dan River Basin Association’s booth featured a variety of aquatic insects and organisms found in the Smith River. As they swam and squirmed in a large tub of water on Saturday, dozens of children took a hands-on approach to learning about the area’s aquatic ecosystems.
“We really want to get people out and enjoying the river,” said DRBA’s Brian Williams. “We have the Tub of Bugs here, which is a great kid magnet. When the kids come up here and see these macro invertebrates — the crayfish and the hellgrammites — I get a chance to talk to them about why they’re important to water quality, and that these things come out of the Smith River. A lot of them don’t even know that.”
Other groups dedicated to education included the Virginia Master Naturalists, the Children and Nature Network, the Family Nature Club and the Roanoke Valley Bird Club.
Some groups had a recreational theme, such as the Blue Ridge Ski and Outing Club, the Henry County Bike Club, the Southern Virginia Recreational Authority and Blue Mountain festival grounds.
Blue Mountain, a music festival venue off Figsboro Road along the Henry County/Franklin County line, was new to the expo.
“Part of our mission with our music festivals is to get people outdoors,” said Rob King, owner of Blue Mountain. “A lot of our supporters are outdoor enthusiasts. ... It’s just a natural fit for us to come to an event like this. The more you get people in the outdoors, the more they appreciate the outdoors and the more environmentally conscious they are.”
Another new booth was operated by the Friends of Fairy Stone State Park. The group had been inactive in the past few years and was using Saturday’s expo as a way to reacquaint the community with its cause.
“This is really our first event to get our name out in the public,” said Tim Collins, a member of the organization. “We want people to know what’s available at the park, as well as show them a different side of the park, like the activities for the kids.”
Robb Herbst, a master falconer, also had a popular booth that featured a hawk and barn owl.
As children and adults clamored to touch the feathered animals, it was clear the expo was making progress in its goal to connect people with the outside world.
Many at the event felt this region’s natural resources could become an economic engine for nature-oriented tourists.
“We’re looking at the big picture and how we can help the economy in this area,” said Drage.
However, Williams noted that the area can only become a tourism destination if residents of the community embrace that role.
“It can be a key. You don’t want to base your town on tourism,” he said. “However, if you can provide these amenities for local people, and they can get out there and enjoy them and increase their quality of life, then other people see that, and they want to come to that community.
“Primarily, that’s our first focus. Make it available to local people, get them to enjoy it and appreciate it. That way, they take pride in it. They want to keep the rivers clean; they want to keep the woods nice. And then when people come in from the outside and see that, they see this as a destination,” he said. |
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