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Beaver Lake Nature Center’s Trail Tales Teaches Children Valuable Lesson Beaver Lake Nature Center's Trail Tales Teaches Children Valuable Lesson

By Emma Henzes

Charlotte Rozanski reading Spring Is Here
© 2019 Emma Henzes

By Emma Henzes BALDWINSVILLE, N.Y. (NCC News) – Beaver Lake Nature Center in Baldwinsville is trying to teach preschoolers important values through their afternoon program, Trail Tales. After being read a story about the outdoors, the children are then lead on a nature walk by a guide. They do nature walks all year round, but today the story was about finding ways that the season of spring is here not only in the air, but in nature.

Charlotte Rozanski, a conservation biologist and researcher, is a guide and storyteller for Trail Tales. She pointed out to the children the moss growing on the trees as a sign of spring. The weather was mild for today’s walk, a nice change from the usual cold the Trail Tales participants have endured.

Rozanski said that Trail Tales is a great activity to get kids outdoors, and she feels kids in today’s age do not spend enough time outside. She said fostering a love for nature at an early age helped her become who she is today. She wants to help kids see that relationship and let it flourish at a young age. Another goal of Rozanski’s is to teach children to respect nature through Trail Tales.

“That’s why I try to stress leave no trace. You know we don’t want to impact the environment while we are out in the trails,” Rozanski said. “We want to appreciate it and enjoy it, but we also want to leave it in a way that others can enjoy it.”

Some people have a hands-off policy when it comes to being in nature, meaning don’t touch anything. But Rozanski has a hands-on philosophy, that in her opinion, is more fun for children.  She wants the kids appreciate things and pick them up exploring what they are. She says the children’s curiosity and intelligent questions never fails to amaze her.

“They are tiny scientist,” Rozanski said. “Sometimes I think I never thought of that. Wow.”

Four-year-old Harlow Thomas was one of those curious participants. She stayed at the front of the group with Rozanski, not worried that she was far away from her grandfather who brought her to Trail Tales. Thomas’s grandfather, Charlie Usso, enjoyed watching his granddaughter explore the trails and pick up different sticks and acorns, examining them. Usso agrees with Rozanski that it’s vital for children to foster a relationship with the outdoors.

“Connect them with nature,” Usso said was the reason he brought his granddaughter. To get them out of in the woods. You know it’s just to get them familiar and to enjoy nature.”

I asked Thomas, who comes to Trail Tales often, what she normally sees on the nature walks. She answered “like ladybugs, and hedgehogs and stuff and birds.”

Another participant three-year-old Logan Thorpe he proudly wore his frog name tag  that he had colored while he waited for the story to began. When I asked him what he say on this nature walk, he answered, “A squirrel. Just one squirrel.”

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Beaver Lake Nature Center will have more Trail Tales in April, May and June. To find out more details about the events, go on onondagacountyparks.com

 

EMMA HENZES REPORTER: As the children walk into the Beaver Lake Nature Center for Trail Tales, they are given a name tag and crayons while they wait for the story to began. Three-year-old Logan Thorpe is very excited about what creature is name tag is.

Logan Thorpe:”Froggy”

EMMA HENZES REPORTER: And he even told me what it is.
Logan Thorpe: “L-o-g-a-n. Logan”

EMMA HENZES REPORTER:After story time, they venture out to one of the shorter trails, looking for things they saw in the story. Today Logan was lucky enough to see an animal.

Logan Thorpe: “A squirrel, Just one Squirrel.”

EMMA HENZES REPORTER: I asked four-year-old Harlow Thomas, who comes to Trail Tales often, what she normally sees on the nature walks.

Harlow Thomas: “Like ladybugs, and hedgehogs and stuff and birds.”

EMMA HENZES REPORTER: Harlow’s grandfather Charlie Usso, has enjoyed coming to Trail Tale’s since he began to take his eight year old granddaughter when she was younger. Now he enjoys watching Harlow run around and explore the trails. Usso hopes this activity will continue to show his daughters the importance of having a relationship with the outdoors.

Charlie Usso: “Yeah, connect them with nature. To get them out of the woods. You know it’s just to get them familar and to enjoy nature.”)

EMMA HENZES REPORTER:Conservation biologist and researcher Charlotte Rozanski, today’s story teller and trail leader, agrees with Usso. She feels kids don’t go outside as much as they should, and this is a great activity to grow that connection with nature.

CG: Charlotte Rozanski: “Just fostering that early relationship with that envirnoment is so important because that’s how i started.”

EMMA HENZES REPORTER:Rozanski also wants to teach children to respect nature.

Charlotte Rozanski: “so that’s why i try to stress leave no trace. where you know we don’t want to impact the envirnoment while we are out in the trails, we want to appreciate it and enjoy it. but we also want to leave it in a way that others can enjoy it.”

EMMA HENZES REPORTER: Rozanski doesn’t take the hands-off philosphy, she wants it to be fun for the kids. She wants the kids appreciate things and pick them up exploring what they are. She says the children’s cursousity and intelligent questions never fails to amaze her.

Charlotte Rozanski:”They are tiny scientist. Sometimes I think I never thought of that. Wow.”

EMMA HENZES REPORTER: “Charlotte told the kids on their walk that moss was a sign of spring. If you want to come find spring at Beaver Lakes Nature Center, they will be having Trail Tales twice in April, twice in May and once in June before they start their summer programs. From N-C-C News, I’m Emma Henzes.”

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