Wildlife Diversity Day to Be Celebrated March 6 in Charleston
“Everyone interested in learning about the rich diversity of West Virginia’s native wildlife and plants will want to be under the Capitol Dome in the Lower Rotunda March 6 for our annual Wildlife Diversity Day,” according to West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Director Frank Jezioro.
This free event will feature live animals and interactive educational exhibits from the Wildlife Resources Section’s Wildlife Diversity Program and from many groups active in managing and conserving West Virginia’s unique wildlife resources.
Exhibits will be on display from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Legislators, schoolchildren and the public will have the opportunity to see live eagles, hawks, owls, snakes, fish, butterflies, insects and mammals up close, as well as exhibits on a variety of natural history themes.
Invited organizations include:
The West Virginia Raptor Rehabilitation Center
The Three Rivers Avian Center
The West Virginia Division of Forestry
The West Virginia Division of Water and Waste Management
The Department of Environmental Protection’s Office of Water Resources
The Rehabilitation Environmental Action Plan and Youth Environmental Program, Law Enforcement and State Parks and Recreation sections of the Division of Natural Resources
The West Virginia Wildlife Center
West Virginia Department of Agriculture Plant Industries
The Mountain Institute
The West Virginia Native Plant Society
The U.S. Park Service’s New River Gorge National River
Oglebay Good Zoo
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Canaan Valley and Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuges
The U.S. Forest Service
DuPont Washington Work’s Wildlife Habitat Enhancement Committee
Butterflies from Heather
Marshall University’s Herpetology Laboratory
The Schrader Environmental Education Center.
“I encourage all West Virginians, students, teachers and parents, as well as legislators and their staffs, to take part in all the wildlife activities on March 6,” Jezioro said. “It’s a great time to learn about and observe our incredible wildlife up close. Because of this rare opportunity, this day is always one of the most popular days during the legislation session.”
The Wildlife Diversity Program conducts research, management and educational programs in the area of nongame wildlife and botanical resources throughout the state. These animals comprise more than 90 percent of all species statewide.
Monitoring federally endangered and threatened species, conducting surveys for birds and other wildlife and collaborating in the publication of wildlife books and guides for distribution to schools are all examples of projects undertaken by the Wildlife Diversity Program.
The program is also involved with projects creating wildlife habitat around schools and back yards.
For more information about the Wildlife Diversity Day, contact Jim Fregonara at the Wildlife Diversity Program, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Section, P.O. Box 67, Elkins, WV 26241; (304) 637-0245 or jimfregonara@wvdnr.gov.
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