Join a Fort Worth Nature Center guide on a virtual walk every Wednesday on Facebook live. Photo by Julie Thibodeaux.

May 7, 2020

Getting cabin fever? You can now get outside with the Internet. Many of our local DFW nature reserves have started posting online lessons for kids of all ages, as well as meet ups and trail tours - some live. 

It’s the 21st century and Facebook and Zoom enable viewers to not only hear and watch but also, ask questions, post a comment and have a chat during the online presentation and even get a response. 

You Tube videos are another way that nature lovers can learn about nature and “experience” natural spaces vicariously while being trapped inside.

Rob Denkhaus, Fort Worth Nature Center manager, says they started at the beginning of April taking their regular guided hike event online. Instead of the usual half-dozen folks attending on Wednesdays at 10 a.m., they had 1,200 viewers going on the walk. The next week there were 2,400 views on their Facebook page.

Learn how birds build their nests and make a craft based on your knowledge. Posted by Trinity River Audubon Center.

At Home Activity: How Bird Nests Are Made

Maybe everyone didn’t stick around for the entire live presentation that lasted for over an hour, but it is recorded and visitors can return and pick up where they left off. 

Denkhaus was amazed with viewers asking naturalist Mike Perez to point his smartphone at a wildflower spotted along the trail or to identify something they saw in the background.

It’s been such a success that Fort Worth Nature Center hopes to have all their programs go live. And they hope to broadcast one of the bison giving birth to a calf.

River Legacy Science Center is offering online programming Monday through Friday. Everyday during the week, starting at 2 p.m. they present a half-hour program.

“We spent years and years building up a great curriculum, so we really just adapted that online,” says Christine Bartkowski, marketing coordinator for River Legacy. 

Here are some of the online nature education offerings we found in North Texas:

 

LOCAL ONLINE NATURE EDUCATION

Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge, Fort Worth
@Fort-Worth-Nature-Center-Refuge
Closed until further notice.
Virtual Wednesday Walk, live every Wednesday at 10 a.m. on Facebook.
VIDEOS

River Legacy Science Center, Arlington
@riverlegacyparks
Closed until further notice.
River Legacy Live is broadcast live on Tuesday and Thursday at 2 p.m. on Facebook.
Monday Story Time, Wild Wednesday and Fun Fact Friday are posted on Facebook at 2 p.m.
VIDEOS

River Legacy Art Contest May-May31
Draw or paint a Texas native plant or animal. No photos. Artwork must be on 8.5 inch by 11 inch paper. Contest ends May 31 with awards in four age groups, from preschool to 12th grade. Email artwork and completed entry form to contest@riverlegacy.org. Riverlegacy.org/art.

Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary, McKinney
@ConnectwithNature
Open Tuesday thru Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. walks.
VIDEOS

Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center, Cedar Hill
@Dogwood.Canyon.Audubon
Closed thru June 30
VIDEOS

Trinity River Audubon Center, Dallas
@TrinityRiverAudubonCenter
Closed thru June 30
VIDEOS

Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Center, Lewisville
@LLELALewisvilleLake
Open daily 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Science Friday live 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Facebook.
VIDEOS

Fort Worth Botanic Gardens, Fort Worth
@FortWorthBotanicGarden
Closed until May 18.
VIDEOS

Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Fort Worth
ZOOM CLASS
Spring Flower Pounding: Printing Fabric with Natural Elements
May 16, Saturday 10:30 a.m. t o 11:30 a.m. 
$15.

Perot Museum of Nature and Science, Dallas
@PerotMuseum
Closed until further notice.
Amaze Your Brain at Home posted online.
VIDEOS: Youtube, Facebook

Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, Fort Worth
@FWMSH
Closed until further notice.
Discover Lab online.
VIDEOS

Texas A&M AgriLife Water University  
Classes broadcast live on Facebook thru May 28
Learn about native Texas plants, water efficient landscape design, foodscaping and more.


MONTHLY ONLINE MEETINGS
Dallas Sierra Club 
Greater Fort Worth Sierra Club
North Texas Renewable Energy Group

 

ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT

Montopolis performs The Legend of Big Bend. Watch the full performance of the Austin-based band's multimedia tribute to the Big Bend region performed at the Green Source DFW awards in November.

Montopolis

 

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See Complete Quarantine Coverage.


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