FW: News Release: Guided Tours and Events at the East Entrance of Okefenokee NWR for Sept. 2012

NEWS RELEASE

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge
2700 Suwannee Canal Road
Folkston, GA 31537

http://www.fws.gov/okefenokee



Release at Will Contact: Art Webster (912) 496-7366 ext. 233 Arthur_Webster@fws.gov

Date: August 23, 2012

Guided Tours and Events at the East Entrance of
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge
September, 2012

All activities start inside the east entrance of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, 7 miles southwest of Folkston, GA, off the Okefenokee Parkway South (GA 121/23).

Saturday, September 1
Alligator!
11:30 a.m.–noon
Did you know that the temperature of the egg determines if the alligator will be female or male? Come learn other fun alligator facts at this ranger talk on the patio of the Richard S. Bolt Visitor Center. Please bring water and bug spray.

Saturday, September 8
7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. and
Sunday, September 9
7–11 a.m.
Summer Nature Photography Workshop with John Reed
Join John Reed for a workshop to expand your basic knowledge of photography and try out new skills in some wild locations. Flower and butterfly photography will be featured. Class size is limited to 30. Pre-registration is required. Fees for the one and a half day workshop are $45 if paid by August 24, $50 before September 8, and $55 at the door. To register, call (912) 496-7836.

Saturday, September 15
Wild Waterways
11:30 a.m.–noon
You may have heard the Okefenokee Wilderness Canoe Trails have been designated a National Water Trail! You may be thinking, "That's great, but what does it mean?" Discover the answer at this PowerPoint program in our environmental education classroom behind Okefenokee Adventures.

Saturday, September 29
National Public Lands Day Celebration
8 a.m.–noon
Join us for a day set aside for service to our nation's public lands. Activities include maintenance on the historic Chesser Island Homestead. Free hot dogs and refreshments for participants! To sign up, please call Gracie at (912) 496-7366 ext. 232.

Life in the Okefenokee Is Wet and Wild
12:30–1:30 p.m.
Discovery the aquatic life of the Okefenokee! Join a ranger to gather swamp life with dip nets and then learn about what you have caught. We will be meeting at the parking lot of the Chesser Island Homestead located on Swamp Island Drive. Please bring study shoes that may become wet, sunscreen, water and bug spray.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is committed to providing access to our events for all participants. Persons needing reasonable accommodations in order to attend and participate in our events should contact Art Webster at (912) 496-7366 ext. 233 or arthur_webster@fws.gov. In order to allow sufficient time to process requests, please contact us for assistance at least five business days before the event.

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov. Connect with our Facebook pages at www.facebook.com/okefenokeewildliferefuge or www.facebook.com/usfwssoutheast, follow our tweets at www.twitter.com/usfwssoutheast, watch our YouTube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/usfws and download photos from our Flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwssoutheast.

-FWS-