Last night I attended the annual meeting of the American River Natural History Association (ARNHA) and had the good fortune to meet Luna the owl (pictured below). Luna has a cool job. She helps the staff at the Effie Yeaw Nature Center present the outdoor world of the American River Parkway to children and adults. You can visit her too….
Visit Luna the Owl at the Effie Yeaw Nature Center
If you live in or are visiting the Sacramento area and you haven’t visited the 77-acre nature preserve along the American River, you are missing out on a treat. It is the perfect place to launch an educational expedition. Each month they host free guided programs that range from evening beaver walks to exploring a Maidu Village. If you prefer self guided walks you can hike their trails and in the heart of the Sac-Metro area your children will see deer, coyotes, migratory songbirds and wild turkeys in the preserve’s lush oak woodlands.
As Sacramento County works to fund critical programs such as police, fire, and child protective services, the county parks budget is facing severe cuts. In the long term the Nature Center will need to learn to become fully self sufficient. In the short term they are facing a rough time and have had to make some hard decisions including reduction of staff and educational programs.
The ARNHA was formed in 1981 to promote and support the Effie Yeaw Nature Center. This year their support came through training of staff, providing volunteers, granting funds for volunteer coordination and community outreach, kiosk repair, and providing support for the discovery shop.
In short the ARNHA is a great cause that supports a fruitful program. If you have any doubts, you can visit Effie Yeaw Nature Center and see for yourself.
Here are five very inexpensive ways that you can support Effie Yeaw Nature Center:
