Springtime at Indian Creek Nature Center

Rich Patterson from Indian Creek Nature Center writes:

"It has been a strange weather winter and many people have called asking whether the warm and then cold winter will impact the sap flow from maple trees. Probably not. It's the immediate weather that makes sap flow. The best conditions are starry nights when the temperature drops down into the 20's followed by sunny days with temperatures in the 40's. The sap season can be as short as a few days or as long as six weeks. It generally runs from late February through March.

The Indian Creek Nature Center's Maple Syrup Festival will be held from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 3 and Sunday, March 4. It features demonstrations, live music, and a wonderful breakfast. Tickets are available at the door or in advance. The Nature Center also holds syruping programs for groups by appointment on various days in March. Call 362-0664 for information. Nature Center Land steward Jean Wiedenheft will hold two burn schools this spring for people who would like to learn how to conduct prescribed burns in woodlands and prairies. Woodland burn school is on March 24 and Prairie Burn School is on March 31.

The Woman's Walking Workshop will be held all day on Saturday, April 28. Call for details.

Spring is a great time to enjoy walking the Cedar Greenbelt National Recreation Trail. Use is free, and the trail is open any daylight hour."