Nature Center Releases 'GO LNC' Events Schedule

Editor's Note: The following is a news release issued by the Lawrence Nature Center.

The Friends of the Lawrence Nature Center are gearing up for another fantastic year of programs and outdoor activities at the Lawrence Township’s 45 acre preserve: .

Aimed at getting children and their families outdoors more often to enjoy the beauty of nature and the inherent benefits of being outside and exercising, the group will be hosting a series of events in the upcoming year.

This initiative is entitled "GO LNC 2012!" - the acronym for "Get Outside at the Lawrence Nature Center."

The Friends of the Lawrence Nature Center is a group of dedicated volunteers with a mission to increase people's knowledge and appreciation of this preserved ecosystem so that community members may enjoy it for generations to come.

Programs will include beginning birding, guided hikes around the nature center and in Drexel Woods, book readings, talks ranging from native plants, forest trees to slippery salamanders, holiday hikes, a Mother Earth Festival, our extremely popular Summer Family Nights, and even full moon hikes!

All of the programs are free to the public and most are geared towards families.

The Lawrence Nature Center and accompanying Drexel Woods are located at 481 Drexel Ave. in the southern section of the township. There is a trail system with over a mile-and-a-half of blazed trails, some with boardwalks to facilitate navigation during wet periods of the year. The center is owned by the township and opened during events sponsored by the Friends of the Lawrence Nature Center.

The property can be enjoyed on a daily basis for passive recreation. There are demonstrative butterfly, native plant and rain gardens, a bee hive, a chimney swift tower, and self-guided trail brochures available.

It is a wonderful place for your family to explore the wonders of nature in our township, so make 2012 your year to "Get Outside at the Lawrence Nature Center!"

For more information about GO LNC 2012! or directions to the nature center, visit our website at www.lawrencenaturecenter.net, email us at lawrencenaturecenter@gmail.com or call the Lawrence Township Recreation Department at (609) 844-7067.

2012 WINTER AND SPRING PROGRAMS

Saturday, Jan. 21 at 8:30 a.m. – Beginner Birding for Adults

Saturday, Jan. 21 at 10:00 a.m. – Beginner Birding for Kids

Thursday. Feb. 2 at 7:00 p.m. – Groundhog Day ‘Three-Quarter’ Full Moon Hike

Sunday, Feb. 12 at 8:30 a.m. – Beginner Birding for Adults

Sunday, Feb. 12 at 10:00 a.m. – Beginner Birding for Kids

Sunday, March 11 at 10:00 a.m. – Daylight Savings Day Hike

Tuesday, March 20 at 6:30 p.m. – First Day of Spring! Hike

Friday, April 27 at 6:30 p.m. – Arbor Day Hike

Saturday, May 5 at 8:00 p.m. – Excursion a pie de luna llena! (A Cinco de Mayo Moonlit Hike)

Saturday, May 12, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. – Mother Nature Festival