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Article for: The Davis Enterprise
Date: August 1, 2003
Author: Jessica Ruskin
Contact: Tom Wickersham

EXPLORIT LEADS FREE NATURE WALKS

Ground squirrels, rabbits, and owls. These are some of the native animals that families will learn more about Thursday at Explorit Science Center. Explorit's "Twilight Nature Walk" is free to the public on August 7, from 7 - 9 p.m.

Families participating in the "Twilight Nature Walk" will receive free admission to Explorit's hands-on exhibition called "Count on It: Numbers in Nature." In addition, families will be able to enjoy crafts and kid-friendly nature walks led by Explorit staff and members of the Yolo Audubon Society. 

Nature walks will be conducted throughout the evening and will look to the ground and sky for signs of evening animal life. If lucky, visitors might spot a burrowing owl. Burrowing owls, unlike most other owls, are active during the daytime. Burrowing owls generally nest underground in abandoned burrows dug by mammals. 

These unique owls are on their way to the endangered species list due to destruction of their habitat. For example, according to the California Aggie the number of burrowing owls on the UC Davis campus has significantly decreased due to university expansion. In 1981, there were 44 owls. In 1992, there was only one.

Hands-on activities at Explorit will also include making animal masks and creating clay tiles with local artist Sam Tubiolo. The tiles will become part of a permanent art piece designed by Tubiolo for the new Mace Ranch Community Park.

Tubiolo's art pieces are part of the Neighborhood Art Projects. Sponsored by the Civic Arts Commission, the Neighborhood Arts Project will bring new public art to four Davis community parks. Tubiolo's pieces will respond to the natural features of the Mace Ranch Community Park. On Thursday, interested participants will explore the site of Tubiolo's proposed art project and collect natural images and artifacts to incorporate into their clay tiles.

The Twilight Nature Walk is part of Explorit's new Family Explorations series. Launched this July with three evening programs, Family Explorations will be scheduled at Explorit throughout the fall. The events offer activities for the whole family such as nature walks, science crafts, hands-on experiments and visits by local scientists or science groups. All Family Explorations programs will be free to the public thanks to a grant from Davis Waste Removal.

A long-time backer of Explorit, Davis Waste Removal has committed funding to support six months of Family Explorations programs. Explorit's current goal is to offer three such programs a month. Call Explorit at (530) 756-0191 for information about upcoming Family Explorations programs.