|
Clark County Wetlands Park
preserves and enhances natural and cultural resources and provides educational, recreational, and research opportunities for the public.
|
|
|
Thank you for subscribing to Wetlands Park Footprints newsletter. Share with your friends and let us know what you think at wetlands@clarkcountynv.gov.
|
|
 Commissioner Segerblom speaking at the Nature Play Corner groundbreaking ceremony. Also pictured from left to right, Wetlands Park Friends, Christie Leavitt and Linda Wiltberger and Wetlands Park Staff, Ben Jurand and Liz Bickmore.
Commissioner Tick Segerblom hosted a groundbreaking ceremony last Thursday, May 13th. This groundbreaking kicks off the expansion of Wetland's Neighborhood Park to create a one-acre Nature Play Corner with additional interpretive and wayfinding signage.
Work is scheduled to begin at the end of May and will include a meandering trail that leads through nature-themed play structures. Structures include a bird’s nest, log tunnel, grinding rock, spider web climber, and musical flowers to encourage discovery and free play. There will also be thirty interpretive signs throughout the Nature Preserve highlighting plants, wildlife, and the value of water; and twenty wayfinding signs throughout the Nature Preserve to help guide visitors through the Park. Click here for a look at the plan.
(Inset picture: Daniel Hernandez, Director of Clark County Parks & Recreation, Liz Bickmore, Clark County Wetlands Park Sr. Program Administrator, Tara Carrell, Clark County RPM Design & Construction Administrator, and Tick Segerblom, Clark County Commissioner turn over dirt at the groundbreaking ceremony)
|
|
|
The Nature Store reopened on April 17 in the lobby area of the Wetlands Park Exhibit Gallery. It will be open Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. The Nature Store has a boutique-like atmosphere, featuring exclusive Wetlands Park apparel, souvenirs, wildlife guides, gifts for kids, and much more.
Now through summer, the Nature Store will be hosting the stunning photos of the 2019 Audubon Photography Awards Traveling Exhibit, courtesy of Red Rock Audubon Society. The 10 winning photos will be on rotation in the Wetlands Park Nature Store.
|
|
|
Clark County Public Arts office and Wetlands Park has invited fourteen artists to create temporary art pieces to be exhibited outside on the trails of Wetlands Park. Each of the artists will be commissioned to build and exhibit their one-of-a-kind, original art piece. The art pieces will be on display from June 8 through July 7. A scannable QR code will be available at each piece to allow visitors to watch a video of the artist describing their art piece. The event will be posted on our social media and website. More to come on this exciting project.
|
|
|
 Stenciling has been added at key Nature Preserve entrance points to advise visitors where bikes and dogs are not allowed.
|
|
 Volunteer education facilitator, Georgina, discussing cattails with students during an on-site field trip in 2019.
Since 2001, Wetlands Park has been offering guided field trips to schoolchildren, more than 47,000 to date. During a field trip, education facilitators lead small groups in an all outdoor exploration of the nature preserve. With COVID-19 spreading across the globe last year, Clark County schools pivoted to distance learning. To support this change, Wetlands Park developed a virtual field trip experience using google meet, which allowed staff to present to multiple classes simultaneously.
The virtual field trip includes a video featuring a park naturalist exploring the Park’s habitats - aquatic, riparian, woodland mesquite, and desert scrub - and the animals that live there. Click here to watch a YouTube video about it. Following the video, a certified interpretive guide engages students in a live online activity and discussion. During the virtual tour, a child can’t experience all the sights, sounds, or smells, and they can’t feel the dirt path under their feet. However, they are transported away from their desks and chairs to a preserve where they can explore and learn about nature. Some of our animal ambassadors made a quest appearance. The virtual field trip shows remote areas of the Park not accessible during an on-site field trip. It also introduces the Park to students whose school may be too far away to visit.
Sparking curiosity for many kids, it was a resounding success. We were able to increase our field trips from two to three days per week, serving an average of 200 students per day, up from 60 per day. From January through May, more than 6,000 students participated. The Wetlands Park educational team looks forward to welcoming schoolchildren back on-site when possible but will keep the online content available to support learning wherever students may be.
|
|
|
We look forward to a return of limited on-site walks! We will also continue virtual kids' programs.
WETLANDS EXPLORERS CLUB: This is an ongoing, free virtual program. New content will be posted frequently. Check explorers.wetlandspark.com for quick kid-friendly nature lessons and activities suitable for ages 5+. Come to Wetlands Park to complete the activities, or some can even be done at home to learn about plants, animals and more. Earn stickers as you advance through the activities!
|
NATURE TALES & SUNDAY STORYTIME: Nature-themed story and craft program. Free, on-site, indoor, walk in program. Take-home craft. Sunday Storytime presented by Whitney Library. Learn more and register at programs.ccwetlandspark.com.
Sunday, May 16, 11:00 am
Saturday, May 22, 11:00 am
Wednesday, May 26, 11:00 am
Saturday, May 29, 11:00 am
|
JUNE/JULY/AUGUST GUIDED DISCOVERY WALKS
Join a park nature guide for a themed walk to experience Wetlands Park in an inspiring way. Space is limited, advance registration is required. Fee: $5 per person. Ages vary. Learn more and register at programs.ccwetlandspark.com. (Bat photo by JR Manuel)
Wednesday, June 23: Bats and the Park
Saturday, July 24: Bats and the Park
Sunday, August 22: Bats and the Park
|
|
|
Wetlands Park welcomed the Las Vegas Artists' Guild for a Members & Friends Plein Air Paintout in the Park. Park visitors had the opportunity to observe local artists who were stationed within the Nature Preserve on Sunday, April 18. Click here to view a video from the day. Many of the completed paintings will be displayed at Wetlands Park in the near future.
|
|
|
 Great Basin Gopher Snake being held.
|
 Great Basin gopher snake in its enclosure.
|
|
Nature Close-up: Great Basin Gopher Snake
While enjoying a walk in Wetlands Park or a hike somewhere else in the Southwest, you might come across a snake that rattles. The first thing that may come to mind is a rattlesnake! However, there is another snake that rattles. A Great Basin gopher snake has a series of black bands on their tail that mimic the rattle on rattlesnakes. When threatened, a gopher snake will rapidly vibrate its tail, making attackers think it is a highly venomous rattlesnake. Sometimes they will flatten their head to make their jaws flare out, giving them the triangular-shaped head of a rattlesnake. They have similar color and pattern and may even assume the strike position of the rattlesnake. Unlike the rattlesnake, however, the Great Basin gopher snake is nonvenomous.
The gopher snake is diurnal, or active during the daytime, making them much more visible to people than most other snakes. They are long and can grow up to 7 feet, but most are between 2 ½ to 6 feet. Gopher snakes are a constrictor, meaning that they kill prey by wrapping their muscular body around the prey animal and squeezing to prevent blood flow. They are carnivorous, or in other words, a meat eater. Their prey ranges from insects, lizards, birds and their eggs, rodents, rabbits, and other snakes. These snakes earned their name because pocket gophers make up a large portion of their diet.
Wetlands Park has a few native animal ambassadors to share with the public and the Great Basin gopher snake is one of them!
|
|
 March "Family" photo challenge by Yolanda Scaggs
Have you taken a photo in Wetlands Park that you would like to share? Want to see your your Wetlands Park photo featured in an upcoming newsletter?
The May photo challenge subject is "NURTURE IN NATURE".
Submit your high resolution photo(s) to: wetlands@clarkcountynv.gov by 5pm on June 30th, 2021 to be considered. Include your name, date, and location of the photo.
Post about it on Social media!
#CCWetlandsPark
#CallforWPphotos
HONORABLE MENTION: Video of Canada Geese Family by Roger Hirsch. Click here to view the video.
|
|
 Wetlands Walkers on the Move
Walking is good for one's physical and mental health, and a walk in nature is even better! Wetlands Walkers, a group of health and nature-oriented individuals, track their miles whenever they walk Park trails and earn rewards at various milestones.
As a group, their mileage is tallied to reach a yearly goal matching the migration distance of one of the Park's visiting species. In 2021 the Walkers are recognizing the American White Pelican and have a collective goal of trekking 6,800 miles.
To date, the Walkers have traveled 2,701 miles! Can we collectively reach 6,800 miles by the end of the year? Join Wetlands Walkers to make it happen.
To learn more about the Wetlands Walkers program, the American white Pelican, to sign up, or to log your miles, please visit our website, walkers.ccwetlandspark.com.
|
|
|
|
|
|
