Get into nature 'now'

HURON TWP.– Erie MetroParks naturalists currently provide up to 35 public programs each month, however, most of these programs require local residents to drive to a park location. In a departure from traditional programming, naturalists plan to take nature education and activities straight to the people of Erie County. The Erie MetroParks Nature on Wheels, also known as "EMP NOW," is a mobile nature unit bringing nature education to nontraditional locations within the area. A special vehicle will be used to transport the park's nature education animals and other programming supplies. The mobile unit is equipped with soil water testing kits, digital microscopes and other resources for birding, insect exploration, tree and mammal identification and more. "We want to bring nature education into areas of Erie County that may not have easy access to our parks," program manager Mike Hensley said. "We created 'EMP NOW' with the goal of increasing accessibility to residents within Erie County." Park naturalists explain that exposure to nature is central to Erie MetroPark's mission of connecting the community with nature and conservation. Want to go? Erie MetroParks Nature on Wheels program plans to roll out on June 15 and has a tentative schedule of stops in partnership with the Sandusky Recreation Park of the Week program at the following locations all from 12:30-1:30 p.m. • June 15 at Foxborough Park • June 22 at Farwell Park • June 29 at Lions Park • July 6 at Churchwell Park • July 13 at Central Park • July 20 at Jaycee North Park • July, 27 at Huron Park Erie MetroParks also plans to host EMP NOW at large community events, including at Touch-a-Truck on Aug. 2, and the Erie County Fair, Aug. 9-15 Additional information can be found on the Erie MetroParks website, eriemetroparks.org/empnow