Kids and their parents can visit the Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve and Nature Center on Tuesday, Oct. 10, and adults on Thursday, Oct. 12, to learn about nature’s “unhuggable” creatures such as snakes, bats and spiders while on a nature walk through the preserve.
The Kreher preserve is owned and operated by Auburn University’s School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences.
Preserve employees lead children ages 4-12 and their parents on Discovery Walks the second Tuesday of every month, and adults on Nature Hikes the second Thursday of each month.
The walks and talks feature a different topic every month. In September hikers learned about butterflies, while during October they can expect to explore “unhuggables.”
“All the things that people are kind of afraid of, curious about – but you definitely wouldn’t want to give a hug,” said Jennifer Lolley, outreach administrator at the preserve said about the “unhuggables.”
Lolley sometimes leads the hikes and will likely do so this month.
“I’ll probably end up getting out a snake, and I’ll talk about bats and maybe get out the tarantulas, things like that,” Lolley said about the Discovery Hike.
All hikes are free and open to the public.
The Discovery Hikes are geared a little more toward education, while the Nature Walks focus more on exercise.
“With adults, we can go further, tie in some cardio with some education,” Lolley said.
The preserve is open every day of the year. Five to six thousand kids from local schools and daycares visit the preserve annually for environmental education programs.
Lolley said they see more visitors in the fall months as outdoor temperatures decrease.
“The cool months feel so great out there,” she said. “It’s just a really great place to get your exercise.
Individuals or families interested in attending the October Discovery Hike or Nature Walk can visit the Kreher preserve’s website for more information.
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