Discovery about wetlands and how we can take better care of our natural surroundings, along with environmental games and stories for children will take place during Paxton Creek Watershed Day at the Benjamin Olewine III Nature Center at Wildwood Lake Sanctuary. Festivities will begin at 11am on Saturday, August 5, and continue until 11pm.

Children are especially welcome during the evening hours when Shippensburg University biologist, Jim Hart, will capture a number of bats for view and discussion. Hart and nature center staff will mount nets and use sounding devices to capture bats in the park. After a discussion and observation about bats and their habitat, they will be released.

In the afternoon, area naturalist, Ralph Kinter, will be honored for his efforts of protecting and enhancing the area's lowlands and highlands. A sign will be dedicated in his honor. Kinter recently was recognized by the Appalachian Trail Conference's Honor Roll of Volunteers. He maintained a 3-mile section of the Appalachian Trail for hikers for 29 years.

The activities scheduled include:

	11am-noon	Environmental education games on habitats and wetlands
	1:30-2:30pm	Children's storytime with a wetlands theme
	1:30-2pm	Reception in honor of Ralph Kinter
	2-3pm	Dedication of wetland interpretation sign
	3:15-4pm	Environmental education craft activities
	6:30-8pm	Slide-illustrated talk on bats by biologist Jim Hart
	8:30-11pm	Capture and study of wetland bats in Wildwood Lake Sanctuary

The events for Paxton Creek Watershed Day are co-sponsored by Dauphin County Parks and Recreation, Harrisburg Area Community College, and Paxton Creek Watershed Association. A "Growing Greener" grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection was obtained to establish the Paxton Creek Watershed Association, which protects watershed resources, enhances watershed attributes, and promotes watershed education.

As a partner in environmental education, HACC is offering a new environmental science program this fall. HACC's program currently offers degree and transfer requirements for students who may enter job areas such as field services, laboratory services, pollution prevention, air quality, natural resource management, environmental education, or regulatory administration.

For details about Paxton Creek Watershed Day, call the Wildwood Lake Sanctuary at (717) 221-0292. For information on HACC's environmental science program, contact HACC¹s Math, Science, and Allied Health Division, at (717) 780-2393 or 1-800-ABC-HACC, ext. 2393.