Shaver's Creek opens for 2015, kicks off season with Kids Corner

Shaver's Creek, Penn State's Environmental Education Field Lab and Nature Center, opened for the year Feb. 11 with the first of five Kids Corner programs.Developed for pre-K children with an accompanying adult, Kids Corner is a free program designed to encourage children to explore the natural world with their family. Interns at Shaver's Creek plan and host each week's session, with each week featuring different activities and crafts. This spring's topics include trees, sunlight, salamanders, mammals and rain.

"My week is about a day in the life of a raindrop, and I'm going to transform the water cycle into hands-on exploration for children," said Morgan Boaman, environmental education intern. "I'm excited to offer parents and kids an opportunity to get out of the house during the winter months."Kids Corner is held from 10 a.m. to noon each Wednesday through March 11. There is no cost for the program and registration is not necessary. For more information, visit ShaversCreek.org/KidsCorner.Shaver's Creek Environmental Center also opened to the public Feb. 11, welcoming visitors of all ages to explore the Raptor Center, Discovery Room, birdfeeding window and surrounding trails of the Stone Valley Experimental Forest. Trails are open for both hiking and skiing, and many spots offer a great view of the recently-refilled Lake Perez. The Environmental Center is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week until mid-December.Visitors can observe many of Pennsylvania's animals at Shaver's Creek, including more than 20 birds of prey and a variety of reptiles and amphibians. The most recent addition to the live animal menagerie is a northern copperhead snake.

"Other snakes are commonly misidentified as copperheads, so she should serve a valuable role in educating people on how to identify this pit viper," said Jason Beale, program director of live animal care.

Shaver’s Creek also offers many engaged scholarship opportunities for students at Penn State, including courses in environmental interpretation, outdoor/adventure education and leadership. For more information, visit ShaversCreek.org/Credit.For more information on Shaver's Creek, visit ShaversCreek.org/Visit or call the environmental center at 814-863-2000.