Bugs and brews<\/p>\n
Illinois River Watershed Partnership will host Bugs and Brews at 7 p.m. Oct. 29 at Fossil Cove brewing in Fayetteville. Learn about water quality in the region and about aquatic insects that live in our streams.<\/p>\n
Calling all ducks<\/p>\n
Learn the basics of duck calling at 6 p.m. Oct. 30 at the Janet Huckabee River Valley Nature Center in Fort Smith. Michael Meredith, avid waterfowl hunter, will teach the class. Each participant will get a duck call to keep. Minimum age is 6. Registration is required. Contact Destin Smith at Destin.Smith@agfc.ar.gov or call the center at (501) 710-6285 to register.<\/p>\n
A home for bats<\/p>\n
Build a bat box and learn about the importance of bats during a free program at 2 p.m. Oct. 31 at the Hunt Family Nature Center in Springdale. Limit is one bat box per family. Minimum age is 10. Registration is required. Call the center at (833) 356-0847 to register.<\/p>\n
Conservation summit<\/p>\n
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will hold its second annual Generation Conservation summit at the Hot Springs Convention Center and Bank OZK Arena Nov. 4-5. The summit will bring together students from around the state who will compete in conservation-related events for bragging rights, prizes and possible additional funding for their school.<\/p>\n
The summit will provide an authentic learning environment for teachers and K-12 students in Arkansas to engage and compete in Game and Fish programming and offerings. It brings awareness to the role that Game and Fish plays in the state, creating spaces for students and educators to learn directly from conservation professionals. This competition is open to public, private, charter and homeschool students.<\/p>\n
The summit will include an overall winner at the elementary, middle and high school levels based on individual competition scores. Go to agfc.com\/education<\/a> to register a school or for more information.<\/p>\n Watershed trivia<\/p>\n Illinois River Watershed Partnership will host a watershed trivia program at 5 p.m. Nov. 7 at Ozark Beer Co. in downtown Rogers. Test your knowledge of watersheds and water quality in the region. Free food and drinks will be available while supplies last and a chance to win prizes.<\/p>\n Pass hunter education<\/p>\n A free Arkansas Game and Fish Commission hunter education course will be Nov. 9, 10 and 12 at the Janet Huckabee River Valley Nature Center in Fort Smith. Anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1969, is required to pass an approved hunter safety course to hunt in Arkansas. Call the center at (501) 710-6285 to register.<\/p>\n Ducks for ladies only<\/p>\n Women are invited to register by Nov. 28 for a free mentored duck hunt for women hosted by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Twelve spots are available. Date and location for the hunt are not yet known but should be by December. Minimum age is 18. Contact kiley.vanmatre@agfc.ar.gov to register.<\/p>\n Be safe on ATV<\/p>\n A free course on ATV safety will be at 4 p.m. Dec. 10 at the Ponca Nature Center in downtown Ponca. Minimum age is 14. Participants will learn all aspects of ATV safety, best practices for rider awareness and ATV maintenance. Contact the nature center at (501) 710-6347 to register.<\/p>\n Be a park explorer<\/p>\n Youths ages 6-14 are invited to become official State Park Explorers with Arkansas State Parks.<\/p>\n Explorers are young people interested in nature, history, safety and fun. Explorers get to do neat stuff and earn an official Explorer badge and certificate.<\/p>\n Activities increase awareness of park resources and make Explorers conscious of safety. The program can be completed in as little as one weekend or over the course of multiple Arkansas state park visits. Stop by the visitor center at any Arkansas State Park to receive a free field guide and get started.<\/p>\n
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