Auburn University Welcome Week: Hike It Auburn

We are excited about welcoming back the Auburn University students with our event, ‘Hike It Auburn’ on Tuesday, August 21 from 5:00-7:00pm.  This free event will let Auburn students come explore our six miles of trails and have interactive experiences with our animals including snakes, lizards, and an alligator!  Trail mix and lemonade will be provided.

The Kreher Preserve and Nature Center is located at 2222 N. College Street and can be reached by a short drive down College St. or through a Tiger Transit request.

Registration Opens for Fall Forest Friends and Nature Explorers

Registration is now open for our Fall Forest Friends and Nature Explorers program.  To register, go to: https://secure.touchnet.net/C20021_ustores/web/classic/store_main.jsp?STOREID=175  

Forest Friends is an exploratory nature program for pre-school children aged 2-5. Classes meet over the course of a six-week period from 9:30-11:00am beginning Friday, September 21 and continuing through Friday, October 28. Children will learn about themes including Beautiful Butterflies; Icky Sticky Worm; Spotty Salamanders; 123, What do I see?; ,Hairy Scaly , Squishy; and Wesley, the Amazing Alligator. Cost is $45 per student, membership at the magnolia level is required.

Nature’s Explorer Home School program is an environmental education program designed for home-schooling families which offers a unique educational experience for home-schooled students and their parents. Classes will meet the on September 10, October 8, and November 12 from 10:00-11:30am. Topics include Alabama Wildflowers, Bird Beaks, Feet and Tweets, and Incredible Invertebrates. Family membership to the Kreher Preserve at Magnolia level ($35) or above is required for registration.. This class incorporates hands-on science with nature and environmental awareness and concludes with a nature hike. Students will learn about a different topic each class of the 3 month session. The sessions will consist of approximately a 45 minute lesson and a 45 minute hike.

Science on Saturday: Geology Hike with Dr. Jim Lacefield July 21, 10 A.M.

Dr. Jim Lacefield, author of Lost Worlds and Alabama Rocks, will present a program on the Geological Basis for Alabama’s Surprising Richness in Plant and Animal Species. Dr. Lacefield is a fascinating speaker who will entertain you all on Alabama’s rich geological history. The talk is geared for adults and children ages 8 and up, but children’s activities will be available for younger children.  The Geology Hike will be held on Saturday, July 21 at 10:00 AM and is $4 for KPNC members and $5 for non-members.  The Kreher Preserve is located at 2222 N. College Street in Auburn.

Science on Saturday: Tree ID, June 2nd at 10:00am

Come get to know the key tree species in your community. This program will teach you the basics of tree identification as well as some key characteristics of tree species you encounter everyday. We will hike through the trails of the Kreher Preserve and learn the names of these leafy neighbors. Program is $5 for non-members, $4 for members. Children 3 and under are free.

Kreher Preserve in the News

A baby alligator found in an Auburn neighborhood has made some big news the past few days.  The Kreher Preserve and Nature Center was honored to play a part in this gator’s story.

Articles describing the story can be found at the following:

https://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2018/05/baby_alligator_found_in_alabam.html

http://www.oanow.com/news/auburnuniversity/auburn-alligator-being-cared-for-at-kreher-preserve/article_2b8c5256-6d6d-5d8a-a8c2-149ce98970bd.html

Summer Camp: Spots still available

Don’t miss out on the fun of our ‘Unhuggables’ camp.  Spots are still available for the following sessions.  

Camp Discovery: Rising 3rd and 4th graders, May 29-June 1

Young Naturalist I: Rising 1st and 2nd graders, June 4-8

Auburn Adventure: Rising 5th-7th graders, June 11-15

Young Naturalist II: Rising 1st and 2nd graders, June 18-22

Camp is $110, with membership at the Magnolia level required.  To register: https://secure.touchnet.net/C20021_ustores/web/classic/store_main.jsp?STOREID=175

Mosaic Tile Workshop

Join Kay Stone and Jennifer Lolley to learn the basics of making mosaic art on Saturday, April 21 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Attendees will help create a piece of mosaic art for the KPNC and make a take-home trivet. The class covers safety rules, tools of the trade and how different materials are treated when applying mosaics. The fee for the workshop is $20/person (supplies included). Class size is limited to 15 people and children (10 and up) under the age of 16 years old must be accompanied by adult. Register at our website.

https://secure.touchnet.net/C20021_ustores/web/classic/store_main.jsp?STOREID=175

Fire on Plains CANCELLED

Fire on Plains CANCELLED

Due to weather conditions, we are unfortunately canceling the Fire on the Plains event on Saturday. After discussing the event with our fire ecology expert, Dr. John Kush, he reported that “The FoP event is being cancelled, not due to rain, as is the usual suspect, but the lack of rain, high fuel loads, and safety concerns for the attendees as well as the forest. The lack of measurable rain over the past week has left the fuel load at the Preserve very dry. Based on a prescribed burn conducted Wednesday on the Preserve and observing fire behavior, a very difficult decision was made to postpone the event until late autumn/early winter. In addition, the forecasted weather frontal system is going to bring swirling winds that will brings even more uncertainty to using fire on Saturday.”

We want to thank you all for your interest and support of this event. If you are interested in using fire as a management tool, there are several areas on the preserve property that have been burned in the last few weeks that you can visit as a reference for the effects of fire based on different forest cover. We are happy to answer any questions that you have on these areas.

We hope to see you at the Kreher Preserve soon!

Registration now open for S’more Fun with Mom

S'more fun with mom at Kreher Preserve & Nature Center
S'more fun with mom at Kreher Preserve & Nature Center

Join us for S’more Fun with Mom, Lee County’s Mother/Son adventure, co-hosted by the Kreher Preserve & Nature Center and the City of Auburn. S’more Fun with Mom will be offered two evenings; Thursday and Friday, May 10 and 11, 2018 from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. This fun evening will include a night hike, craft, cookout, s’mores, and storytelling!  The cost is $30 per mother/son couple with an additional $10 for any additional sons.   To purchase tickets: https://secure.touchnet.net/C20021_ustores/web/classic/store_main.jsp?STOREID=175

Our mother/son duos may also visit a craft station and commemorate this special night with a 5×7 portrait by JRogers Photography ($10 per image – proceeds benefit the KPNC). Rain dates are Thursday and Friday, May 17 and 18. 

Co-hosted with the City of Auburn. Sponsored by Auburn Opelika Tourism Bureau. Proceeds benefit the Kreher Preserve & Nature Center. In the event of rain date cancellations; purchased tickets will be applied as contributions. We apologize for any inconvenience, but refunds cannot be issued. A gift tax receipt may be provided upon request.

Forest Friends Registration

Forest Friends registration begins March 6 at 10:00 a.m online at https://secure.touchnet.net/C20021_ustores/web/classic/store_main.jsp?STOREID=175

Forest Friends is an interactive educational preschool program designed for children and their parents.  The program meets for six weeks beginning either March 27 or 30 from 9:30-11:00am and will cover themes from the ‘Wonder of Water’ to ‘Noisy Nests’ and ‘Animal Detectives.’  Each week children will engage in their natural world through learning, crafts, hikes, and other activities. Cost is $45 per child and includes a t-shirt.  KPNC membership is required at the Magnolia ($35) level.  For any questions, email us at preserve@auburn.edu.