Buncombe County's Environmental Educators Invite Youth to Learn About Reptiles and Amphibians

Get ready to embrace the warmer weather and bask in the sun with the frogs and turtles at Charles D. Owen Park! Buncombe County’s Environmental Educators invite families to participate in ecoEXPLORE Family Herpetology Day, an engaging event designed to ignite curiosity and foster knowledge about the local reptile and amphibian species. The ecoEXPLORE Family Herpetology Day is occurring at Charles D. Owen Park (875 Warren Wilson Road) on Wednesday, May 22, from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Activities are geared towards children ages 5 to 10, but families of all ages are welcome. 

Participants will be introduced to ecoEXPLORE, a dynamic web-based program created by the NC Arboretum. They will learn how to contribute to citizen science by submitting photos and completing nature-themed challenges to earn badges and prizes. Through ecoEXPLORE, children are actively engaged in year-round nature education while making valuable contributions to scientific research. This initiative by the NC Arboretum includes a different challenge each season that will keep children engaged in learning about nature year-round, while also contributing to citizen science. Learn more about the NC Arboretum program here. 

This spring, the focus is on herpetology, the study of reptiles and amphibians. Families will embark on an exploration of Charles D. Owen’s shores and woods as they encounter scaly and slimy friends along the way.  

The event will begin under the park’s park pavilion, located at the far end of the parking lot, and will run for an hour.  

In the event of inclement weather, participants are advised to contact organizers to confirm if the program will still take place. Pre-registration is not required, this is a drop-in event. Admission is free.  

To learn more about the event, or for inclement weather inquiries, please contact Rose Wall or Jen Knight by emailing environmental.educators@buncombecounty.org.