Environmental Education – Page 3 – Land Between the Lakes

05 Nov 2015

Why do Leaves Change Colors?

#FridayEd, Community, Environmental Education, Field Guide, Plantsautumn, color, fall, fall colors, Kentucky, land between the lakes, leaf watching, leaves, scenic driving, tennessee, trees

Submitted by Dennis Wilson, Forester at Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area Colors The easiest way to explain why leaves change colors has to do with the time of year. The longer and cooler nights trigger the changing colors and falling leaves. None of the other environmental influences – such as temperature, rainfall, food supply – are as unvarying as the steadily increasing length of night during autumn. As days grow shorter, and nights grow longer and cooler, biochemical processes in the leaf begin to paint the landscape with Nature's autumn palette. A color palette needs pigments, and there…

21 Oct 2015

By LBL_Admin

Your Next Adventure

Camping, Community, Customer Service, Elk & Bison Prairie, Environmental Education, Homeplace, Nature Station, Planetarium, Recreationday-use, Elk & Bison Prairie, farm, history, homeplace, Kentucky, land between the lakes, nature, Nature Station, planetarium, Roundabout U, tennessee, turkey bay, videos, what to do at Land Between The Lakes

Where will your next adventure be? When you plan your next vacation at Land Between The Lakes check out Murray State University’s weekly video magazine, Roundabout U, to learn about some of the fun places at Land Between The Lakes. Energy Lake Campground www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJX4fdVOsYk Elk & Bison Prairie www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9HKZ1ntkUo Homeplace 1850s Working Farm www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyCsR5GSYwc Planetarium & Observatory www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzcJhgKFaiw Turkey Bay Off Highway Vehicle Area www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkAHost5nk0 Woodlands Nature Station www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTmmvEiOoMQ Wranglers Campground www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKHM8jGRWNQ Land Between The Lakes 50th Anniversary (15 minute) www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiyYoTi93-Q&feature=share&list=PLh2WN5RXh1NS9nYjfC1s4dX5rwO28TTt4&index=5 Land Between The Lakes 50th Anniversary (3 minute) www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-j5-ZYmseM&feature=share&list=PLh2WN5RXh1NS9nYjfC1s4dX5rwO28TTt4&index=4 With more than…

06 Oct 2015

By LBL_Admin

Wolf Week Spotlight: The Endangered Red Wolf

Community, Environmental Education, Field Guide, Nature Stationcaptive breeding program, education, endangered species, Kentucky, land between the lakes, Nature Station, red wolf, Red Wolf Recovery Program, tennessee, US Fish & Wildlife Service, wolf

Howl! It’s Wolf Week at the Woodlands Nature Station! Every October, we participate in this nationwide educational campaign to celebrate wolves and spread the word about how people can help them. From Saturday, October 3 through Friday, October 9, Nature Station visitors can enjoy all sorts of special programs and activities featuring our favorite canines! Wolves are near and dear to our hearts at the Nature Station. We have been caring for the Red Wolf, one of the most endangered mammals in the United States, for many years. Since 1991, we have partnered with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service…

10 Sep 2015

By LBL_Admin

Indian Grass at the Elk & Bison Prairie

Elk & Bison Prairie, Environmental Education, Field Guide, PlantsElk & Bison Prairie, grass, Kentucky, land between the lakes, native plants, tennessee

Submitted by Curtis Fowler, Range Technician at Land Between The Lakes If you have driven around the Elk and Bison Prairie in recent days, you may have noticed an abundance of grass seed heads within native grass areas. This year seems to have favored Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) in many fields. You can identify it by its golden hue and large feather-like seed head. It is a widespread native plant that is often a major component in tallgrass prairie habitats. It can grow up to 8 feet tall or more, but we typically see it closer to 5 feet or so. The…

18 Aug 2015

By LBL_Admin

Elk are Shedding Velvet

Elk & Bison Prairie, Environmental Education, Field Guide, Wildlifebreeding, elk, Elk & Bison Prairie, Kentucky, land between the lakes, tennessee, velvet

Submitted by Curtis Fowler, Range Technician at Land Between The Lakes Some of you may notice that several of the elk are losing their velvet, which is the fuzzy growing layer that covers their antlers from spring until…about this time of the year. The elk’s antlers are more brittle during this growth time. Once the velvet stops growing, the elk start to rub it off using branches and tree trunks. The antlers will harden completely in time for the breeding season, well-polished and ready to fight. Come on out and see if you can spot one!

02 Jul 2015

By LBL_Admin

A Raptor’s Tail

Customer Service, Environmental Education, Nature Station, Wildlifeenvironmental education, Kentucky, kids, Land Between The Lake, nature, Nature Station, owls, Parade of Raptors, raptor, tennessee, wildlife

“They like my feather patterns the best! That’s why they’re here,” argued Barred Owl. “Ha, everyone knows they’re here to marvel over my eye sight,” cawed Red-tailed Hawk. “They’re the best eyes at the Nature Station, and I dare say, some of the greatest in the entire world.” “No, they’ve come to ‘ooh’ over my majestic hoo-ing and ‘awe’ about my grand wisdom,” said Great Horned Owl. Screech Owl chortled to himself as the crowd of people gathered not far from their perches, anxiously waiting for the Parade of Raptors to begin. “Oh, and I suppose you have a…

28 May 2015

By LBL_Admin

Become a Secret Agent at Land Between The Lakes!

Community, Customer Service, Environmental Education, Nature StationAgents of Nature, app, discovery, download, environmental education, explore, family, hiking, Kentucky, kids, land between the lakes, mobile device, Nature Station, scavenger hunt, tennessee

Love playing games? Do you know someone who's a gamer? Get outside and play with Agents of Nature, an exciting new mobile app for the woods! Youth visiting Woodlands Nature Station now have an exciting new way of learning about the forest. Agents of Nature is a free, mobile game that kids play outside by hiking trails to trigger nature-based challenges. Visitors can download the game at home for an Android or iOS phone or tablet. Select the Land Between The Lakes mission site and play the game at Woodlands Nature Station and surrounding trails. “This is a great way…

01 May 2015

By LBL_Admin

Polecat Ponderings

#FridayEd, Environmental Education, Field Guide, Wildlifedog, habitat, Kentucky, land between the lakes, odor removal, owl, pets, polecat, rabies, recipe, skunk, skunk recipe, spray, tennessee

By John Pollpeter Often we don’t give them much mind. We smell them dead on the road or checking out our campsite late in the evening. Skunks, or locally known as “polecats,” are a unique member of our Purchase Area ecology. The term “polecat” comes from a close relative found in Eurasia. The name transferred with European settlement. It is an old French word meaning chicken- “poule.” So in essence, polecat means “the cat that eats chickens." The word “skunk” comes from the Algonquin name, as does other common American animals like moose and opossum. One thing that makes…

12 Feb 2015

By LBL_Admin

Wildlife Refuges

#FridayEd, Community, Environmental Education, Field Guide, Hunting, Recreation, Wildlifebird, bird watching, birding, eagle, environmental education, habitat, hunting, land between the lakes, migratory birds, Mississippi Flyway, nature, Nature Watch, recreation, tourism, trails, wildlife refuges, wildlife watching

Submitted by Brian Truskey, Communications Apprentice at Land Between The Lakes At Land Between The Lakes our visitors can enjoy a variety of activities. Some of our most popular include off-highway vehicle riding, swimming, canoeing, camping, biking, hiking, horseback riding, hunting, environmental education, and of course, wildlife viewing, and birding. We manage and protect wildlife habitat in order to ensure that our visitors will be able to see wildlife in years to come. What are Wildlife Refuges? Wildlife refuges consist of land and water areas where wildlife can go to rest, winter, and feed – free from human intrusion. Land…

15 Jan 2015

By LBL_Admin

Increase Learning and Lifelong Memories: Outdoor Classrooms

Brandon Spring Group Center, Customer Service, Environmental Education, Homeplace, Nature Station, Planetarium, Recreationclassroom, education, group, kids, outdoor skills, overnight, ropes course, school, teamwork

About Brandon Spring Groups wanting to experience nature in a fun and safe environment while still enjoying all the amenities of home-- enjoy staying at Brandon Spring Group Center at Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area. Brandon Spring serves the area as a year-round overnight facility for groups of all ages. Nestled on a wooded knoll, it overlooks scenic Bards Lake and Lake Barkley in the Tennessee portion of Land Between The Lakes. The center provides the right environment for all of your overnight group gatherings especially when you want to get away from the distractions of town. Something…

Category: Environmental Education