During the spring, the ANHC gets many requests for participation in conservation-related outreach efforts, many of which include hosting information booths. Even though we have a small staff, we try to attend as many as possible throughout the state. Some of the events that we’ve participated in this spring are detailed below.
ANHC was invited to the Second Annual Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art Garden Party event in Bentonville, where staff hosted a booth that highlighted the importance of diversity in native gardening and the benefits of bringing bats to your garden. Children were encouraged to color and/or put their name on a paper bat and place it in the "Ozark cave habitat". A map showing natural areas with caves that protect bats along with Arkansas's four endangered bats was also on display. Approximately 300-400 people were in attendance.
Audubon Arkansas and the ANHC participated in the “BamaGreen Eco-Village” corridor at the Dave Matthews Band concert at Verizon Arena. This is something that the Dave Matthews Band does in each community they visit, in which the band invites local conservation groups to set up information tables at the concert.
Bell’s Brewery held an event for conservation organizations at the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s Witt Stephens, Jr. Nature Center. The ANHC participated with an information booth.
In conjunction with the Great American Cleanup and Keep Arkansas Beautiful, the ANHC held two cleanup events this past month -- one each at Sweden Creek Falls Natural Area and Byrd Lake Natural Area.