Winter 2012 Programs are held at the EB Lyons Center at 1pm.
Programs are open to the public, all ages and are free of charge.

February 12 - An Organic Approach to Sustainable Farming
Francis Thicke, Ph.D  will present , Today’s industrial agriculture is on an unsustainable course because of its energy use, soil erosion and degradation of air and water quality.  A sustainable agriculture will protect and rebuild our natural resource base while being profitable and socially responsible. There are promising technologies we could develop now to produce energy on farms to power farms, making farms more self-sufficient and keeping the wealth created by agriculture on farms and in rural communities.
Children’s Program: Available in the lower level of the Nature Center during the program, Children are invited to explore concepts of planting and composting while listening and learning songs about food and farming. 

 February 26 - Forest Gliders - A Glimpse into the world of Flying Squirrels Gerald Zuercher will present, "Flying squirrels are perhaps the most unique of the squirrel family.  Mines of Spain has a population of Southern Flying Squirrels, the smallest member of the flying squirrel group in North America.  University of Dubuque scientists have been studying the local population for several years and are unlocking some of their secrets. 
Children’s Program: During the Program, there will be activities for children in the lower level of the Nature Center.  We will be exploring traits of Flying Squirrels and how they live. 

March 11 - Geology of Northeast Iowa
Rudy Pruszko will provide information on the land formations found in northeastern Iowa.  The rocks and minerals unlock the mysteries about what if underground. Explore underground caverns and learn about what lies beneath us.
Children’s Program: Children are welcome to the lower level of the Nature Center to see just how much Geology ROCKS!  They will create and bring home a project that ROCKS!

March 25 – Geocaching 101
Richard & Sandy Hyman and Ron & Jennifer Tigges will share information on Geocaching.   Geocaching 101 Learn what Geocaching is all about:  Geocaching is a real-world outdoor treasure hunting game. Players try to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, using GPS-enabled devices and then share their experiences online.  We will cover the basics and go out for a short hunt (weather permitting).
Children’s Program: During the program, children are invited to the lower level of the nature center to learn about maps and go on a scavenger hunt for items in and around the center.