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Schedule of Programs, Events and Activities

Looking for things to do in Southeast Michigan? Want to get outdoors and enjoy nature? Visit and browse our calendar of events regularly to view WNHA and/or MDNR sponsored events and programs that are interesting and fun for the whole family. Spend some time on a naturalist guided tour and increase your awareness of the wonders hidden in the forests, prairies and bogs. Join us in a variety of other programs and activities that will intrigue, fascinate and inspire you and your family to discover your natural world!

To reach the Discovery Center take I-94 to exit 157, go north and follow the signs.

The Winter 2012 schedule of programs

Click on name of program for full description.



January 2012
Sun. M T W R F Sat.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 Winter Orienteering 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 Creatures of the Galapagos 23 24 25 26 27 28 The Night Crew
29 30 31        



February 2012
Sun. M T W R F Sat.
      1 2 3 4
5 Fish, From Head to Tail! 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 Creature Feature 13 14 15 16 17 18 Family Ice Fishing & Bonfire
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29      



March 2012
Sun. M T W R F Sat.
        1 2 3
4 Animals Have Class 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 Maple Syrup Making 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 The First Michiganders 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 Build Your Own Telescope 26 27 28 29 30 31




Enjoy the Michigan outdoors! Visit the DNR's Gerald E. Eddy Discovery Center web page for a list of DNR sponsored nature programs.



Program Descriptions


General Information:

All programs and events are held at the Gerald E. Eddy Discovery Center, 17030 Bush Rd, Chelsea, MI 48118 unless otherwise specified.

The following programs are free to members of the WNHA. Program fees (when applicable) are $2/person or $5/family for non-members of the WNHA. Programs presented by park staff are free to all.

A State of Michigan Recreational Passport is required for entry at this State Recreation Area. Please visit the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment's webpage at www.michigan.gov/recreationpassport for additional information.

Advanced registration is required for all indoor programs due to program size restrictions and in order to contact you if program changes become necessary. To make or cancel reservations please call the Gerald E. Eddy Discovery Center at 734-475-3170.




Winter Orienteering 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Sunday, January 15, 2012

Challenge yourself to an afternoon adventure in the forest. Winter is a great time of year for learning how to find your way in the woods. Suitable for all ages and skill levels. Compasses will be provided or bring your own. Cost: $2/person or $5/family. Advance registration requested at 734-475-3170. Limited to 35 people.
Calendar


I Love Boobies and Other Creatures of the Galapagos 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Sunday, January 22, 2012

The unique animals of the Galapagos including blue-footed boobies, giant tortoises and marine iguanas are not the only things that make these islands fascinating. Join naturalist Carol Strahler to hear how ocean currents and geology influence the ecosystem, and how islanders are coping with tourism and limited resources. Cost: $2/person or $5/family with a State Recreation Passport. Advance registration requested at 734-475-3170.
Calendar


The Night Crew 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Saturday, January 28, 2012

Live owl visitors from the Leslie Science Center will engage, educate and delight you. View these birds of prey up close and learn about their lives in the wild. Following the program, birder Lathe Claflin will lead a walk to search for owls near the Discovery Center. Bring your flashlight and warm clothing. Cost: $2/person or $5/family with a State Recreation Passport. Gerald E. Eddy Discovery Center, 17030 Bush Rd. in the Waterloo Recreation Area near Chelsea. Advance registration requested at 734-475-3170.
Calendar


Fish, From Head to Tail 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Sunday, February 5, 2012

Fish biologist Kevin Wehrly and technician Brad Utrup will bring live, Michigan fish to tell their finny stories. Learn about fishy adaptations, behaviors and structures that help them survive in Michigan lakes and streams. Cost: $2/person or $5/family. Advance registration requested at 734-475-3170.
Calendar


Creature Feature 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Sunday, February 12, 2012

Get acquainted with an exciting variety of live exotic animals brought by Dan Briere of The Little Creatures Co. In this engaging program you will learn about global wildlife conservation and about the lives and characteristic of these animals. Cost: $2/person or $5/family. Advance registration requested at 734-475-3170.
Calendar


Family Ice Fishing and Bonfire 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Saturday, February 18, 2012

Watch an ice fishing demonstration and try it yourself as part of the DNR’s Free Fishing Weekend. Make your own fishing pole and enjoy other winter games and activities. Part of the lake will be cleared for skating. Warm up afterwards around a bonfire while you roast marshmallows and drink hot chocolate. Bring your own hotdogs to cook for lunch. Park at the Mill Lake lot on McClure Road near Chelsea or hike/ski over from the Eddy Discovery Center. Contact DNRE staff at (734) 475-3170 or (734) 475-8307 for more information.
Calendar


Animals Have Class 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Sunday, March 4, 2012

What do mammals have in common with fish, amphibians, reptiles and birds? We all have backbones! Join us for this hands-on interactive program as Science Alive brings live animals from each of these groups. Learn about the characteristics they share and the differences that set them apart. Cost: $2/person or $5/family. Advance registration requested at (734) 475-3170.
Calendar


Maple Syrup Making: From the Tree to the Pancake 1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Sunday, March 11, 2012

It’s time for that traditional rite of spring – tapping maple trees. Naturalist Tom Jameson will share his time-tested techniques for do-it-yourself maple syrup making. Following a viewing of the film “Maple Sugar Farmer,” he will lead a short walk to show how to identify maple trees and to demonstrate proper tapping techniques. Cost: $2/person or $5/family. Advance registration requested at (734) 475-3170.
Calendar


Late Glacial Hunters – The First Michiganders 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Sunday, March 18, 2012

Michigan's earliest known inhabitants hunted in a world of spruce parklands and tundra grazed by herds of caribou, musk ox, and mastodon -- a world almost unimaginable to us. Dr. Henry Wright, renowned archeologist from the U-M, will tell the story of these people and their environment as discovered through extensive research. Bring your own Native American points for identification following the program. Cost: $2/person or $5/family. Advance registration requested at 734-475-3170.
Calendar


Build Your Own Telescope 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. Sunday, March 25, 2012

The sky’s the limit when you have a telescope to view our Milky Way galaxy and its millions of stars. Be a modern-day Galileo as you make your own working telescope with astronomy buff Meg Gower. Cost: program fee $2/person or $5/family; supplies $6/telescope. Limited to 20 telescopes. Advance registration required at 734-475-3170.
Calendar


Winter 2012 Schedule of Events pdf version click here




Live Animal Educational Program at the the Gerald E. Eddy Discovery Center