In partnership with some of the region’s most successful outdoor education organizations, new and contemporary educational resources for the children of the Montreat community’s residents and visitors have been established under a Montreat Landcare project. 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/.) 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 with all sorts of supplies for children and adults to use in exploring the Montreat Cove Ecosystem are available for check-out at the Nature Center. Details including locations are available at http://www.montreatlandcare.org/project/children-outdoors/. (Montreat Conference Center image.)
Montreat Children Outdoors Projects Launched by Landcare
