Back to Nature event teaches children about outdoors

June 14, 2019 at 4:35 a.m. | Updated June 14, 2019 at 4:38 a.m.

by Karl Richter

Children from the community look at the aquarium filled with different species of fish and turtles from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission on Thursday at Camp Preston Hunt in Texarkana, Ark. Miller County Conservation District hosted a nature education day for hands-on learning experiences for children between the ages of 9 to 16. Staff photo by Hunt Mercier
Children from the community look at the aquarium filled with different species of fish and turtles from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission on Thursday at Camp Preston Hunt in Texarkana, Ark. Miller County Conservation District hosted a nature education day for hands-on learning experiences for children between the ages of 9 to 16. Staff photo by Hunt Mercier

A group of Texarkana, Ark., children got some up-close education about nature and the outdoors Thursday.

Sponsored by Miller County Conservation District, Back to Nature day brought a school bus full of Arkansas-side children to Camp Preston Hunt, a local Boy Scouts camp, for a morning outside, a variety of presentations, souvenir T-shirts and a barbecue lunch.

An Arkansas Game and Fish Commission spokesman used a portable, see-through tank full of fish-including a rare albino catfish-to teach about the state's common native species.

The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service Red Dirt Master Gardeners demonstrated the life cycle of plants from seed to harvest, and the Arkansas Forestry Service explained fire prevention and firefighting techniques. The children also got a lesson in ATV safety.

It was the 22nd annual Back to Nature event. Hundreds of children have participated over the years in various locations, organizer Nedra Turney said.

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