DANVILLE - Celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day at Graham Cave State Park with a self-guided storybook hike featuring the children's picture book "The Busy Tree" by Jennifer Ward.
"Trees are very important to us and the environment whether they are alive or dead," said Lorie Volenberg, park natural resource specialist.
The hike is 10 a.m.-3 p.m. April 20.
Hikers can collect "tokens" at various points along the trail, to be used to build a tree at the visitor center. This is a moderate, 0.3 mile hike on Graham Cave Loop Trail that starts at the lower parking lot.
After the hike, come to the visitor center where you will be able to explore the world of trees and the role they play in our lives.
"I am very excited about our first 'Storybook Day at the Park' program," Volenberg said. "I love the idea of storybook hikes, but I wanted to take ours a little further. I decided to transform our visitor center into a fun, educational space filled with all sorts of information, interactive displays, and a few crafts for the kids, about the awesome world of trees."
Visitor center activities include:
Make your own tree.
Compare different kinds of tree bark and branches.
Learn what a tree's rings can tell you.
Play "How Old is the Tree?" guessing game.
Plant your own bean seeds and keep a diary.
Watch a leaf breathe.
Learn what trees do for us.
Play "What's Growing on the Bark?"
"As an example of one of the displays, I have a large section of a dead tree containing an old woodpecker nest that when you open the 'door' you can see just how deep into the tree the nests can be chiseled out," Volenberg said. "Many species of birds rely on standing dead trees called snags, to build their nests in and replenish their species. I think both kids and adults will leave the visitor center having learned a few new things about our trees."
According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, Missouri has 119 common species of tree. That includes 19 species of oaks alone. Missouri produces 8.3 million feet of boards per year, and trees are vital to the state's ecology.
All activities are free and open to the public. Make sure to dress appropriately for the weather during the hike. Ticks are out, and insect repellent is highly recommended.
Graham Cave State Park is in Danville off Interstate 70, between Kingdom City and St. Louis, on Route TT, 2 miles west of Missouri 161. For more information about the event, call Graham Cave State Park at 573-564-3476.
For more information about Missouri state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.