Children Learn 'Wild' Side of Nature
By Bernie Nguyen

Jesse Gabbard, an education specialist from Michigan United Conservation Clubs, explains the background of the raven he is holding to his young audience at the Mackinac Island Public Library Friday, July 14.

Mackinac Island Public Library saw its fair share of wildlife when the Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) Wildlife Encounters Program presented "Wild Woodlands" for children Friday, July 14. Jesse Gabbard, a wildlife education specialist at MUCC, brought several forest animals to show his audience while he taught them about the necessity for preservation to keep Michigan's forests safe for animals.

One of the visitors, a Virginia opossum, is the only North American marsupial. The other animals in the program included a small wood turtle, an eastern screech owl, a large raven, two black rat snakes, and a red-shouldered hawk.

Mr. Gabbard explained the biology and ecology of the animals and described the different types of habitat found in Michigan. The red-shouldered hawk is threatened, Mr. Gabbard explained, because much of its wetland habitat has been drained for agriculture or construction. It is important, he added, to achieve a balance in the use of the land because humans also benefit from the wetlands that are protected for hawks.

"This program is set up to inform a little bit, but mostly to excite people," Mr. Gabbard said. By using native Michigan animals to draw the audience in, he gets viewers interested in the everyday animals that may often be overlooked.

"Everybody forgets about our own backyards," he said.

MUCC programs, which also include the Michigan Outdoors television show and Tracks magazine, are formatted,

he said, to stimulate curiosity about the environment that audiences encounter every day. Outreach programs like Wild Woodlands, Birds of Prey, and Wonderful Wetlands, are presented at schools and libraries and are tailored to youth, although Mr. Gabbard noted that adults in the audience are often just as interested in the animals as their children are.

Citizens interested in Michigan conservation efforts can start by getting involved with local conservation groups, Mr. Gabbard said, and concerned adults should be aware of the issues before legislators, since much legislation may impact the wildlife and natural resources of Michigan.

Librarian Anne St. Onge said the wildlife program was brought to the Mackinac Island Public Library to get children interested in reading books about animals. It compliments

the summer reading program, Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales.