Earth Day At The Refuge

Talk trash, meet Bagzilla and create earth-friendly crafts at ths year’s Earth Day at JN “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel on Saturday, April 20.

The refuge will celebrate the 43^rd anniversary of Earth Day in partnership with “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge (DDWS) and Tarpon Bay Explorers (TBE). The first 200 visitors to the refuge that day will receive a free reusable water bottle, courtesy of DDWS. Throughout the day, meet and greet “trashy” refuge educator Bagzilla, costumed in a year’s worth of an average person’s disposable bag consumption.

“We are gearing our activities for all ages,” said Ranger Becky Wolff,  refugee education specialist. “We’ll bring back our disposable bag-costumed Bagzilla character, and teach people how to make yarn out of plastic bags to weave into their own sturdy, reusable shopping bags.”

Below is the schedule for earth-friendly and free fun throughout the day:

Note: *Regular tram tour fees apply (buy tickets at booth in parking lot).

7 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Wildlife Drive is open free to bikers and hikers

8 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Free bike rentals from Tarpon Bay Explorers’ site (returns by 6 p.m.)

9:30 to 11 a.m. – Refuge Caravan Tour. Join naturalists as they guide you on a car caravan tour of the refuge’s four-mile Wildlife Drive. Meet at the flagpole

10 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Ongoing Earth Crafts in the Education Center Classroom

·         “Mother Earth” ornaments

·         Colorful plastic-bottle butterflies or jellyfish

·         Beeswax candles

·         “Plarn” (plastic bag “yarn”) bracelets

10 to 11 a.m. – Guide hike along Indigo Trail. Join a refuge naturalist as he/she leads you on a guided nature hike through the refuge’s Indigo trail. Meet at the flagpole.

*10 to 11:30 a.m. – Narrated refuge tram tour

11 to 11:30 a.m. – Reading in the Refuge: Family Story-time about sea turtles (Education Center Auditorium)

*11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Narrated refuge tram tour

Lunch on your own

Noon to 12:30 p.m. – “Let’s Talk Trash” Marine Timeline Competition for Kids. How long does it take that trash to biodegrade in a marine environment (Education Center Auditorium)

1 to 1:30 p.m. – Reading in the Refuge: Family Story-time about Florida manatees (Education Center Auditorium)

*1 to 2:30 p.m. – Narrated refuge tram tour

2 to 2:30 p.m. – Make Your Own Plarn – Plastic bag overload? Learn how to make “plarn” (plastic-bag yarn) and weave reusable shopping bags that are 10 times stronger than regular plastic bags (Education Center Auditorium)

*2:30 to 4 p.m. – Narrated refuge tram tour

*4 to 5:30 p.m. – Narrated refuge tram tour

For more information on Earth Day at the Refuge, call 472-1100 ext. 236 or visit www.dingdarlingsociety.org/earth-day.

Island Sun (April 12, 2013)