Families seeking quality outdoor experiences in Montreat, with a little education as a bonus, will want to take advantage of Montreat Landcare’s Children Outdoors project and its three components. First, ecoEXPLORE is an incentive-based citizen science program for children in grades K-8. It combines science exploration with kid-friendly technology to foster a fun learning environment for children while encouraging them to explore the outdoors, take pictures, and participate in citizen science. (See https://www.ecoexplore.net/about/.) Secondly, TRACK Trail is a self-guided, science-based nature walk for children in Montreat, one of 160 such trails across America. Four colorful brochures guide parents and children in identifying birds, flowers and trees and even doing “animal athletics.” (See http://www.kidsinparks.com/montreat.) Nature backpacks are not available for check-out due to Covid-19 restrictions. See http://www.montreatlandcare.org/project/children-outdoors/. Good places to begin are at the TRACK Trail kiosk at the Moore Center and the nearby Nature Center adjacent to Flat Creek. (Image courtesy of N.C. Arboretum.)
