Little River Canyon Center begins new programs in January

Little River Canyon National Preserve will begin the park’s 2011 programs at 1 p.m. on Saturday, January 8th at the Little River Canyon Center with a program on recycling and green living called “Green and Gray Saturday.”

A different “Green and Gray Saturday” program will be presented by National Park Staff and volunteers at 1 p.m. on the second Saturday of each month throughout 2011. Topics include climate change, recycling, energy conservation, eco-gardening, exotic plants, native landscaping, pollution prevention, green energy, and more! It is a free program.

The name “Green and Gray Saturday” reflects the National Park Service’s green and gray uniform and the park’s leadership in becoming a green, environmentally friendly nation.

The first program will be on recycling, re-use and living in environmentally friendly ways. The program will end with a tour of the new Canyon Center showing the recycled materials and green features used in the building.

For more information, call 256-845-9605 or click here Jacksonville State University Field School in Fort Payne at Little River Canyon.

Be sure to enjoy the natural beauty of Little River Canyon and take the rim drive for some beautiful scenery and waterfalls.

Some other great programs in January from the Canyon Center include:

Wilderness Survival 101
Let your instincts come alive and learn to survive. Larry Beane (National Park Service) will teach hands-on methods of basic survival skills dealing with water, shelter, food, fire and getting found. Skills are similar to those shown on popular TV. This program will be OUTSIDE, hands-on, hiking, collecting materials with hands so wear appropriate clothing for a cold winter day in the wilderness. Participants will be sitting on the ground, crawling on the ground as necessary, and will get “dirty” so to speak. Dress in layers. Bring your own lunch, snacks and water/drink.
Date: Saturday, January 22, 2011
Where: Little River Canyon Center in Fort Payne, AL
Time: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm Pre-registration required
Fee: $10 adult; $5 child/student (ages 15—22)

Growin’ Up Wild for Preschool Children: Bird Beak Buffet
Join Canyon Center staff and volunteers every fourth Friday of the month for fun nature and art programs for preschool age children. This program is based on the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Project Wild: Growin’ up Wild curriculum.
Date: Friday, January 21, 2011
Where: Little River Canyon Center in Fort Payne, AL
Time: 11:00 am - noon
Fee: No fee; some programs may have limited space so pre-registration is encouraged

River Rhythms Family Fun Program: Feeding Winter Birds
Join Canyon Center staff and volunteers every fourth Saturday of the month for fun nature programs including hikes, crafts, games, nature talks, activities and more. Kids will learn how to attract and feed birds during the winter months.
Date: Saturday, January 22, 2011
Where: Little River Canyon Center in Fort Payne, AL
Time: 1:00- 3:00 pm
Fee: No fee; some programs may have limited space so pre-registration is encouraged

The Climate Project (TCP)
The Climate Project United States is the American branch of Nobel Laureate and former Vice President Al Gore 's climate change leadership program founded in June 2006. As a program of the Alliance for Climate Protection, TCP's mission is to educate the
public about the harmful effects of climate change and to work toward solutions at a grassroots level worldwide. TCP supports more than 3,000 diverse and dedicated volunteers internationally, and TCP U.S. comprises one third of this global force. These volunteers are known as TCP Presenters and have been personally trained by Vice President Al Gore to deliver an updated version of the slide show featured in the Academy Award-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth. TCP Presenters have delivered 70,000 presentations and have reached a combined global audience of more than 7.3 million TCP is committed to educating the global community about the urgency of implementing comprehensive solutions to the climate crisis.
Date: Saturday, January 29, 2011
Where: Little River Canyon Center in Fort Payne, AL
Time: 1:00- 3:00 pm
Fee: No fee