Nature Backpacks
It’s been a long winter, but spring is here at last. Many indoor activities might still be on hold due to the pandemic, but you can find plenty to do in the fresh air outside. With the “I Love Virginia” State Parks Kit, you can take the library with you!
Place a request for the kit (search “i love virginia state parks kit”) at RVL.info and pick it up curbside. Everything in the kit is stowed neatly into a handy backpack that you can take with you on a hike. Let’s peek at what’s inside.
First, you’ll find a free parking/entrance pass to all Virginia state parks. Douthat, Claytor Lake, Fairy Stone, Natural Bridge and Smith Mountain Lake are the closest state parks to Botetourt, but you can venture out anywhere in the state to enjoy new scenery. Use the included booklet to learn how to get the most out of your visit to a Virginia state park.
Now that you’re at a state park (or any park, for that matter), pull out your Pocket Naturalist guides for bugs & slugs, animal tracks, birds, mammals, and trees & wildflowers. There’s so much to look at, it’s hard to know where to start!
To see the little things (like bugs) up close, grab the magnifying lens so you can see the extraordinary detail in the tiniest of creatures and plants. Use the 6-inch ruler to see exactly how big these little things are, taking measurements like a proper scientist.
What if the thing you want to look at is in the water, like a little bug or tiny fish? Use the dip net to pull it out for a closer look.
Bugs don’t always stay still very long, and it’s hard to keep up with them. Use the plastic forceps to slip them into the Port-a-Bug field observation container for a few minutes so you can get a closer look. Don’t forget to let them out again!
Of course, not all things are close to the ground. Use the binoculars to get a better look at birds, trees and other things in the distance. The binoculars will make it feel like the bird (or nest, or insect way up on the tree) is right next to you, telling you all about its fascinating life in the wild.
If you need more ideas, there’s a whole list of discovery activities included in the backpack, along with a Virginia State Parks Trail Quest. What is it? You’ll have to check out the backpack to find out!
All good naturalists know that it’s important to leave nature as we find it. The Big Foot Leave-No-Trace ethics card reminds you to take out whatever you bring in, keeping the parks clean and relatively undisturbed so others can enjoy it, and so the wildlife and plants can keep doing their thing without interference.
Special thanks to the Library of Virginia and Virginia State Parks for making these kits available to public libraries across the state!
Botetourt County Public Libraries
