Final Press Release: Stokes Nature Center

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Oct. 23, 2009

Stokes Nature Center
Adrea Wheaton, Program Coordinator
2696 E Highway 89
Logan, UT 84321
(435) 755-3239

Nature center offers new and exciting programs for families and groups
Stokes Nature Center in Logan Canyon offers great activities for all ages for free

Stokes Nature Center (SNC), found six miles up Logan Canyon, is a place for families to enjoy and learn about nature. The nature center is a non-profit organization near the scenic Logan River trail. A new calendar of programs and events makes for a great free activity with the family. Nature and photography classes, family fun days, weekly scheduled events, beautiful scenery, and animal displays are all found at Stokes Nature Center.

Adrea Wheaton, program coordinator at SNC, says the nature center is a great place for children to learn to love nature and a great place for the whole family to relax. "Stokes Nature Center offers an important hands-on component of science and nature education. We also hope to excite and inspire children to appreciate nature.”

“Being out in nature has so many benefits for people, one of them being mentally and physically relaxing. . . learning about nature can create a love and desire to take care of it so everyone can enjoy it and make the world a better place to live in,” said volunteer Julie Dabb.

The Nature Center features monthly activities for children, as well as a great setting for family outings.

Each Wednesday a “Wild Wednesday” activity is held from 4 to 5 p.m., featuring a zoo animal and activity each week. Every Saturday an activity is held including family fun days and photography classes.

A picnic area can be found right outside the building, along with a fossil display. The nature center volunteers take care of animals that families can visit, including a salamander, a tarantula, and multiple types of snakes. SNC has a library and a bird watching video, as well as painted animals on the walls of the facility for children to compare themselves to. "We went there for a family reunion and it was a really good experience," said Jennifer Wilson, a Cache Valley mother of three.

The annual auction for the nature center will be held Nov. 22, 2009 at Coppermill Restaurant. All items at the auction are donated, including catered dinners, cocktail parties, airplane rides, and get-a-way packages. "We have done this auction for the past twelve years," said coordinator Annalisa Paul, “It is always a fun night, with good food, good spirits, and great items to be auctioned," she said.

A new facility is in sight for Stokes Nature Center. They have proposed a new building at Second Dam, in Logan canyon, with plans to move in less than a year.

Stokes Nature Center was constructed in 1924 by members of the American Legion and later donated to the Trapper Trails Council of the Boy Scouts. Logan's First Presbyterian Church took title to the building in 1996 and in a partnership with the Bridgerland Audubon Society designated a board to establish a separate organization to develop a not-for-profit nature center. A crew of volunteers worked for more than a year renovating the building to provide a safe and welcoming place for learning.

On November 1, 1997 the Allen and Alice Stokes Nature Center was dedicated, honoring the late Allen Stokes and his wife, Alice. Allen and Alice have been and continue to be, a major influence on the quality of life in Cache Valley and northern Utah.

Located one mile up beautiful Logan Canyon on the Logan River, the 3,000 square-foot lodge sits on U.S. Forest Service lands and operates under a lease agreement with the U.S. Forest Service. The mission of Stokes Nature Center is to provide opportunities for students of all ages to explore, learn about, and develop appreciation and stewardship for our natural world. Stokes Nature Center provides programs to help students of all ages discover the wonders of nature first-hand: to hear the song of the black-capped chickadee; to delve into the world of river researchers; to discover the fascinating critters that share our valley and canyons; and to see the world through a new perspective. As the only nature center in Cache Valley, Stokes Nature Center provides a variety of high-quality, hands-on programs for school children, community groups, families, and the general public. Our programs offer information, discovery, and exploration of the natural world.
Stokes has a membership of 500.

Upcoming events include a Family Fun Day, Saturday Dec. 5, 2009, and a series of lectures by Helen Thayer in January. For any questions or information, please contact:

Tressa M. Gilbert
tressa.gilbert@gmail.com
435-724-4544
Attached: Calendar of SNC Events