Well, it’s finally here…our last week of summer camp at Riverbend.  We’ve had a great summer…with almost 700 campers visiting us over the last 12 weeks, Riverbend has been a busy, busy place.  Campers learned about a whole host of topics–from habitats and endangered species to forest life and invertebrates, every week offered something new and different.

Summer camp is my favorite time of year at Riverbend.  I really enjoy getting to know all the new campers, as well as reconnecting with the kids who come back year after year.  It’s such a privilege to see the awe in a child’s eye when she catches her first tadpole…the excitement on a boy’s face when he finds a crayfish in the creek…the wonder at a butterfly’s meandering flight.  And no matter how many times I see these things take place, they still make me smile and remind me why I love connecting kids with nature.

I also really enjoyed having the opportunity to teach kids about the oil spill in the Gulf, and being able to demonstrate what that looks like and how difficult it is to clean it up.  Kids were able to see first-hand how important it is to take care of wildlife habitats and environments, especially when we are working in them.  I’m also happy to say that we raised $1,412 for the Nature Conservancy during “Operation Summer Camp: Riverbend Gives to the Gulf” to aid in the oil spill clean-up.

So this week is a little bittersweet for me…I will miss all those smiling faces each morning, but I am ready for a recharge.  I’ll be taking some vacation time over the next two weeks, so my next blog entry will be on September 22^nd.

I want to wish all our campers a great start to the school year, and to come back and visit during the fall, winter, and spring.  We have year-round camp and nature club opportunities available, so check out our website for that information…I’d love to see more of our campers throughout the year!

Well, I should sign off…but I’ll be back in a few weeks.  So I’ll see you ‘round the ‘Bend…in a little while!

–Nature Dave

Hello friends…Nature Dave is back this week with a few tips on water conservation.  I’ve heard many people say, “Why is it so important to save water? We have so much of it.”  That is true…our oceans are big, and there is a lot of water out there.  However, it is very expensive and takes a lot of energy to take the salt out of ocean water.  So most of the water that we use in our homes comes from less than 1% of all the water in the world, and we cannot use that water for drinking or cooking or growing food until it goes through a treatment plant to have the impurities removed.  One of the most important reasons to conserve water is that we use it faster than we are able to treat it.

So…what can you do to conserve water?  Here are a few ideas.

1.    Don’t let the water run.  One of the easiest changes you can make in your daily routines is to turn off the water while you’re brushing your teeth, getting all soaped up in the shower, and washing the dishes.  Turn the water back on when you are ready to rinse.  The few minutes in between getting wet and rinsing can save between one and ten gallons of water or more!
2.    Reuse water when possible.  This one takes just a little bit more effort, but a great way to do your own “recycling” of water is to collect rainwater.  By putting a large bucket or barrel under a rainspout, you can reuse the collected rain water on flowers, gardens, and the lawn, which saved the treated water for human use.
3.    Tighten up leaky valves.  If you have a dripping faucet somewhere in the house, a few turns of a wrench could save you 500 gallons of water per month!
4.    Shorten your shower.  By limiting your shower to five minutes or less, you can save up to 1,000 gallons of water per month.
5.    Wait for a full load.  Run the dishwasher and washing machine only when you have full loads.

These are just a few simple ways to conserve water…and save on water bills as well.  Hopefully these ideas will get you thinking about other ways you can save water.  That’s all for this week.  Until next time, I’ll see you ‘round the ‘Bend!

–Nature Dave

Greetings, nature lovers…Nature Dave is back with a few thoughts on a pet peeve of mine—littering.  From time to time, we all need to throw something away that’s not recyclable or compostable…like a candy bar wrapper or a piece of gum.  It can be very tempting to leave these items at places that are convenient for us, even if there is no trash can nearby.

It’s so important to our environment to make sure we keep our trash with us until we can properly dispose of it in a trash can.  Just this week, we were talking with campers about how littering can be harmful to the wildlife here at Riverbend.  When people leave their trash on a trail, the rain will eventually wash that trash into our stream, making the conditions for the animals and fish that live there unhealthy.

We took some of the older campers on a “trash hike” on Monday to see how much trash we could collect here on the Riverbend property.  I’m happy to report that there was very little trash to be found, and that visitors to Riverbend are being respectful and mindful of the environment.

Thanks for reading along, and for all you do to keep our environment healthy and free of litter!

Until next time, I’ll see you ‘round the ‘Bend!

–Nature Dave

Good day, Nature Dave friends!  This week’s theme at camp is all about reducing, reusing, and recycling.  Many times, we throw things into the trash without thinking about whether it could be used in another way or recycled.  Sometimes, we may not know what we can recycle or how to reuse items.  So here are a few ideas on how we can cut down on the amount of waste we produce.

In Lower Merion Township, where Riverbend is located, we are able to recycle three main categories of items: commingled items, mixed paper, and textiles.  Commingled items include clear, green, and brown glass; metal food and beverage cans; and plastic items #1- #7.  Mixed paper includes newspapers, magazines, catalogs, “junk mail”, telephone books, notebooks and school papers, soft and hardback books, paper shopping bags, chipboard packaging, beer and soda cartons, cracker, cake and cereal boxes (but remember to remove the plastic bags). Textiles are clothing and fabric…these are not picked up by the Township, but they can be taken to the Township’s recycling drop-off center.

There are several everyday items that Riverbend reuses for camp crafts and projects.  Some of these include yogurt cups for stream and pond exploration, paper towel rolls and egg cartons for crafts, and plastic 2-liter soda bottles for bird feeders.  Right now, we’re accepting yogurt cups, so if you have any empty yogurt containers, Riverbend is happy to reuse them!

Recycling and reusing are simple ways that we can reduce waste and the impact on our environment.  Thanks for keeping these things in mind.

I’ll be back next week with some more good stuff on keeping our Earth healthy.  Until then, I’ll see you ‘round the ‘Bend!

–Nature Dave

A few weeks ago, Riverbend launched a project aimed at helping with the oil spill clean-up in the Gulf Coast region.  We called it “Operation Summer Camp: Riverbend Gives to the Gulf.”   For every child that signs up for a week of summer camp from July 19 through September, Riverbend will donate 15% of the camp fees to the Gulf Coast clean up.  Also, we’re collecting sheets, towels, and Dawn dish detergent to send in a Recovery Kit for the Gulf.  

As a teaching tool, we have begun to do a weekly oil spill activity with the older campers at Riverbend.  The children see first-hand what happens during an oil spill and what it takes to clean it up.

Since July 19, Riverbend has had 18 sign ups for camp, which means that Riverbend will be giving at least $927 to the Nature Conservancy to aid in the recovery.  It’s been so encouraging to me to hear from parents and community members about how they are glad that Riverbend is doing something to help with the spill.  And it’s been great to watch the campers go through the oil spill activity…many are amazed at the process of removing oil from the water and sand.

We still have several camper spaces available for the  first two weeks of August, so if you know of a friend, neighbor, relative, or colleague with a child who would enjoy a week of nature camp while supporting the clean up in the Gulf, please have them contact me at dlowe@riverbendeec.org or call me at 610.527.5234 x106.  We’d love for them to experience all that Riverbend is about!

This is also the last week of our summer safety tips.  Remember to wear your bug repellent when you’ll be outdoors, especially around dusk.  Those pesky mosquitoes come out to feed around that time.  Also, watch your step around hollowed-out logs and rodent holes…yellow jackets like to build nests in these places, as well as sheds, attics, and porches.  The best bet for avoiding a yellow jacket sting is to avoid the places where they like to hang out!

That’s all for me this week.  I’ll be taking a break from the blog next week, but I’ll be back with more Riverbend news on August 11!  Until then, I’ll see you ‘round the ‘Bend!

–Nature Dave

Hello friends…I’m so glad it’s Wednesday because I finally get to show you some of the neat insects we’ve been seeing around Riverbend lately!

First up is the Imperial Moth…one of our camp counselors found this guy flying around the property, and we managed to get a nice photo or two of him.  In our area of the country, these adults come out during the summer months to mate, but as adults, they do not eat.  Other moths that we often see around Riverbend include the io moth, luna moth, and polyphemus moth.

Next is the Common True Katydid.  Katydids look a lot like leaves and tend to blend into to their green surroundings.  You may not see them often, but you can tell the common true katydids by the sound they make when they rub their front wings together…click here for a listen!

Another katydid found at Riverbend is the Oblong-winged Katydid, whose color is usually green, but can also be pink and tan (which is rare), and dark tan or orange (which is very rare).  The oblong-winged katydid’s song  is quite different from that of the common true. 

I’d like to thank Chris, my coworker and resident bug/animal/plant expert, for telling me about the website with the insect songs…you can check out a bunch more insect songs at: http://www.musicofnature.com/songsofinsects/iframes/specieslist.html. 

In keeping with the buggy theme today and our summer safety tips for July, I just want to remind you to wear your bug repellent to keep about biting insects and mosquitoes. 

That’s all for today…until next time, I’ll see you ‘round the ‘Bend!

Nature Dave

Today, I’m continuing our summer safety tips with an entry about those tiny terrors we call ticks.  Ticks are blood-sucking parasites, which means that they stay alive by feeding off the blood of other living things.  Ticks like damp and humid areas, like the woods and tall grasses. They don’t fly or jump, but they can “catch a ride” on people or animals as they pass by.  As you probably know, once these little guys dig into your skin, they aren’t going to let go without a fight.  So I thought I’d give you a few tips to protect yourself from ticks.

First, try to cover up your skin as much as possible when walking through wooded areas.  This can be hot during the summer, but wearing long sleeves and tucking your pants into your socks will go a long way in keeping the ticks from getting to your skin.  If you wear light-colored clothes, it will be easier to spot any ticks that might be crawling on you.  When walking in the woods, try to stay in the middle of paths and away from branches and brush where ticks can hang out.

Always do a body search for ticks whenever you’ve been outdoors.  For kids, have your parents do a thorough check of you from head to toe.  For adults, use a mirror to scan yourself.  Ticks tend to go to the warmest spots on the body, so be sure to check the following places:

•         Under the arms
•         In and around the ears
•         Inside belly button
•         Back of the knees
•         Under the arms
•         In and around the hair
•         Between the legs
•         Around the waist

Also, check your clothing and pets for ticks. Any ticks that are found should be removed. Placing clothes into a dryer on high heat effectively kills ticks.

Remove an attached tick with tweezers or rubbing alcohol (and be sure the head comes out, too) as soon as you notice it. Watch for signs of illness such as rash or fever, and see a doctor if these develop.

That’s the scoop of ticks.  Be safe and aware of your surroundings out there…and until next week, I’ll see you ‘round the ‘Bend!

Nature Dave

Hello friends of Riverbend…I hope you all enjoyed a great 4th of July!  As we begin a new month and the temperatures begin to rise, I thought it would be a good idea to talk about summer safety during the month of July.

As the days of summer get hotter, we need to pay attention to a few things.  First, if you are going to be outside for long periods of time doing some sort of activity, like swimming, biking, or hiking, you want to make sure you have plenty of drinking water with you.  When you use up energy on hot days, your body can become dehydrated pretty quickly.  Water is the best thing you can feed your body when you are in the heat.

Sometimes, getting cooled off means making a splash in the pool.  But for all my young friends out there, be sure to ALWAYS have an adult with you before you get into the water, even if you know how to swim.  If you are boating on a lake or ocean, wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket. 

Summer is a popular time for people to go camping, and who doesn’t love a good campfire to roast hot dogs and marshmallows?  However, an unattended or unextinguished campfire in dry conditions can lead to an accidental forest fire.  A campfire should never be left to burn when no one is around.  And be sure to have plenty of water to douse the fire so it goes out completely.

So those are my summer safety tips about water and fire.  Enjoy your time outside this summer, but, as the Boy Scouts like to say, “Be prepared.”

Until next time, I’ll see you ‘round the ‘Bend!

Nature Dave

Greetings!  I thought I’d start off today’s entry by telling you what’s been happening with some of our wildlife at Riverbend.

The tadpoles from a few weeks ago are now toadlets—they’ve lost their tails, have all four legs, and have developed lungs.  You can see the penny-sized toadlets hanging out right around the edge of the pond.  These little guys are hard to see, but they’ll jump back into the pond when you get close…so listen for tiny splashes.

There has also been a lot of bird activity, including a Baltimore Oriole nest near the picnic area on the trail.  So if you’re walking the trail near the picnic tables, be on the lookout for our black and orange feathered friends.

The word for the week is: DIRT!  Our campers are learning about how essential soil is to many living things…including humans.  Some of them are also being introduced to composting.  In a nut shell, composting is taking things that were once living plants and “recycling” them back to the soil.  In order for composting to work, four things needs to be present:
- nitrogen to help microorganisms reproduce
- carbon to give energy
- oxygen to help to break down materials
- water to help maintain activity.

Many people often want to know what kinds of things can be composted.  As a general rule of thumb, any formerly living plant can be composted.  Items that you want to keep out of your compost pile include: human and animal waste, chemicals (pesticides, gas, diesel), plastic, foil, metals, mayonnaise, salad dressing, and peanut butter.  These items are potentially toxic or hard to decompose. 

If you are interested in starting your own compost pile or want to know more about composting, check out the information provided by the Montgomery County Cooperative Extension.

That about does it for this week, friends.  Until next week, I hope to see you ‘round the ‘Bend.

–Nature Dave

Howdy ho, friends!  Nature Dave here…The last two weeks have been so busy for me.  Lots of training and preparing for my favorite time of year here at Riverbend—summer camp!  We just finished our first week of camp and are now into Week #2…and so far, it’s been a blast!

During our first week of camp, we learned all about habitats…where different animals live, what they use to make their homes, and what food they can find in their habitat.  As we talked about the places that animals call “home,” some campers asked about the animals that live in the Gulf of Mexico, and how the oil spill has affected their ability to make a home and find food since the spill.  Our educators explained that the oil has definitely made it more difficult for the sea life and birds living there to find a healthy place to live and good food to eat.  They also explained that scientists and conservationists are working around the clock to find ways to protect the wildlife of the Gulf.  As we talked, it reminded me how easily the balance of nature can be upset…and how important it is for us to treat our environment with respect. 

This week, our campers are all flocking together to learn about birds…some that stay here all year round, some that migrate at different times of the year, some that are beautiful and graceful, and some that are just plain funny-looking, like the woodcock.

If you have a child or two who would like to spend a week this summer at Riverbend, check out our website for more details and available space!

Well, I should be going.  Thanks for reading along.  So, until next week…I hope to see you ‘round the ‘Bend!

–Nature Dave