HOBBS HAPPENINGS

Hobbs State Park Celebrates Aldo Leopold

A day of fun-filled activities is scheduled March 7 as Hobbs State Park celebrates the life and extraordinary career of Aldo Leopold with down-to-earth family activities. Leopold is the author of “A Sand County Almanac.” The book has had an immensely popular impact nation-wide and has been described as “a major influence on American attitudes toward our natural environment.” Leopold, considered by many, as the “Father of Wildlife Ecology,” remains undeniably relevant today, inspiring projects all over the country that connect people and land. Activities at Hobbs State Park include:

9 - 10:30 a.m. Birds & Breakfast:

See live birds captured in the Park by University of Arkansas ornithologists, tagged, and then released. Bring your camera for super close photos. Juice, coffee, and muffins provided free by Wild Birds Unlimited, The Bluebird Shed, and 3-D Pet Products. Come and go as you please.

10:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. Making a Nature Journal & Bluebird Tabletop Booths:

Volunteers will help you make a nature journal of your own to record personal observations of nature. Another booth will have Eastern Bluebird nest box kits to give away until they run out. You can also learn more about the brightly colored bluebird and get a tour of some nest boxes near the visitor center. Come and go as you please.

11 – 11:30 a.m. Black Bear Hike:

Black bears were once so plentiful in Arkansas that our state was unofficially known as “The Bear State”. Join Park Interpreter Kiara on a short, .25mile hike along the Ozark Plateau Trail to learn about the history, current status, and other interesting facts about this magnificent mammal.

1 – 2:30 p.m. Shaddox Hollow Trail Hike:

Join Park Interpreter Chris on this 1.5-mile, moderately difficult loop through the hills of Shaddox Hollow. The group will look for signs of spring as Chris shares some passages from

Leopold’s A Sand County Almanac. Meet at Shaddox Hollow Trailhead on Hwy. 303 one mile north of Hwy. 12. Wear sturdy shoes and bring water.

1:30 – 2 p.m. Pooch Prowl:

Bring your furry friend to the Park as we hike along the Ozark Plateau Trail. Learn how the “Leave No Trace” principles apply to our four-legged friends while enjoying the great outdoors together. All dogs must be on a leash.

2 – 3:15 p.m. Screening of “Green Fire”:

Join us for this film about the conservationist and author of A Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold.

Fun with Mother Nature

It’s not every day that we observe Mother Nature. She’s careful regarding when she can be seen by humans. One of her favorite stops however, is Hobbs State Park. Every second Saturday of the month she drops in at the Park’s visitor center to tell timely stories to her little human friends. Readings begin at 10:30 a.m. Story time will be followed by “handson” nature-craft activities. Humans of all ages are welcome, however most stories target those 3- to 6-years of age.

Upcoming Mother Nature visits:

March 14 — Getting Ready for Spring: Changes in the Woods

April 11 — Dandelions: Stars in the Grass

May 9 — Around the Pond: Frogs and Toads

Meet in the lobby of the Hobbs State Park Conservation Area visitor center.

Cost: Free - Length: one hour.