Hands on Activities take place at 10:30, 11:30, 12:30 and 1:30 unless otherwise noted.
***Hands on Activities are reserved for REGISTERED STUDENTS ONLY
***Hands on Activities are reserved for REGISTERED STUDENTS ONLY
2 Blueprints for the Future: Cyanotype Art for the SpringsDelilah Knuckley, Bibliographia Projects, Educator and Community Activist
10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 1:30 Students will explore the art of printmaking using photosensitive materials and found natural elements to create their own cyanotypes on fabric. Discover how to transfer the intricate details of nature, producing visually striking and environmentally inspired personal treasures. |
3 Prehistoric Lifeways: Wild Foraging and Paleo TechCyrus Harp, Foraging Expert
10:30, 12:30, 1:30 What wild resources can you live off of in Austin? Come and learn about the common edible, medicinal, and useful plants in Austin, and historical Indigenous foodways and material culture using local wild resources. |
4 Eliza Springs Amphitheater TourNathan Bendik, DeeAnn Chamberlain, and Sarah Donelson, Watershed Protection Department
10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 1:30 The Eliza Spring Daylighting Project was completed in 2017. This project removed the old pipe draining Eliza Spring and recreated a stream in its place. This tour is a rare opportunity to see the beautiful new stream and salamander habitat up close. The amphitheater is usually closed to the public. Eliza Spring is home to the largest known population of endangered Barton Springs salamanders. Biologists will give a tour of the amphitheater and answer all your salamander questions. |
5 Guided Snorkel Tour A (Near Spillway)Lindsey Holmes, SOS Eco-tour Guide
10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 1:30 We will be offering guided snorkel tours of the Barton Springs, where students will discover how and where Barton Springs flows from the Aquifer into the pool. Learn how to identify the plants and wildlife of the pool. We will provide snorkels and masks. Participants will be in the water for 15-20 minutes and must be capable swimmers. Please indicate the number of students that want this activity on your registration form. |
6 Testing Water ConductivityJustin Camp, Hydrogeologist Technician, and Jacob Newton, Regulatory Compliance Specialist, Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District
10:30, 12:30, 1:30 The Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District will explore water conductivity with students in a hands-on activity. Participants will learn some differences between the Trinity and Edwards aquifers, what conductivity is, and how water sources can have varying levels of conductivity. |
7 Guided Snorkel Tour B (Near Diving Board)Joel Manzo, Landscape Technician, Austin Watershed Protection
10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 1:30 We will be offering guided snorkel tours of the Barton Springs, where students will discover how and where Barton Springs flows from the Aquifer into the pool. Learn how to identify the plants and wildlife of the pool. We will provide snorkels and masks. Participants will be in the water for 15-20 minutes and must be capable swimmers. Please indicate the number of students that want this activity on your registration form. |
8 Gardening Activity - Making Seed SpheresJesus Garcia, Founder, Herbal Action Project
1:30 ONLY An exploration of symbiotic relationships, soil health & regenerative land healing. Creating Native Botanical Seeds Spheres with Mushroom Mycelium Blocks, Texas Native Seeds, Tree seeds & and botanical fertilizer blends. |
9 Live ReptilesDr. Hayley Gillespie, Site Supervisor, Austin Nature & Science Center and Christina Burkovich, Wildlife Exhibit Coordinator, Austin Nature & Science Center
10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 1:30 See live alligators and learn about this once endangered creature’s recovery from overhunting. Almost all of the 500,000 alligators estimated to live in Texas live in the coastal counties, and Travis County is on the far northern part of their native range. Our two baby alligators from the Austin Nature & Science Center are on loan to us from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department’s Alligator Swap program out of Brazos Bend State Park.
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10 Live Austin Bats!Austin Bat Refuge
Dianne Odegard & Lee Mackenzie Founders 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 1:30 Get up close and personal with Austin local bats. Veteran bat rehabilitators and educators with extensive experience in urban wildlife issues educate students about these fascinating animals. Bats are highly beneficial, harmless, and vital to the balance of nature. The Austin Bat Refuge gives bats a second chance through rehabilitation and release, conflict resolution, and education. |
11 Austin Caves, Dye Trace SimulationNico Hauwert, Ph.D., Texas Professional Hydrogeologist #5171
with Ethan Perrine of UT Grotto 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 1:30 Attendants will simulate a dye trace from the surface to see if it appears in a simulated cave. One team will inject dye and measure the flow. A second team will crawl into a simulated cave, measure a drip rate, measure air quality and collect samples to see where the dye discharges. Attendants will learn scientific data collection associated with groundwater protection, and see examples where dye studies are used to better understand and protect water supplies our cave heritage. |
12 Four Ways to Upcycle Mushroom Blocks: Grow, Feed, Build, and CleanAngel Schatz, Cody Masters, Central Texas Mycological Society
10:30,11:30 Discover four innovative ways to upcycle mushroom blocks! Learn how to transform organic waste into valuable resources for your home and community. You'll explore techniques for growing culinary mushrooms, enriching soil to feed plants, livestock, and wildlife, creating water-saving, fungal-rich compost, and utilizing myco-remediation to clean up contaminated soil. Gain practical skills to promote sustainability, enhance food security, and support a healthier ecosystem. |
13 Live Salamanders: The Importance of Local Endangered SpeciesJustin Crow, Fish Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 1:30 Featuring a 20 gallon aquarium housing several Barton Springs Salamanders that are part our the US Fish and Wildlife Service's captive assurance colony. Discussion about the Barton Springs Salamanders and the programs in place to help protect this endangered species. Additional discussions about endangered and threatened species, their importance, and their conservation. There will be several non-listed preserved specimens for individuals to handle and discuss basic fish biology. |
14 Rewilding : Tackling Climate Change One Park at a TimeGail Rothe, Environmentalist and Rewilding Expert
10:30, 11:30 Come learn about the concept of rewilding, what it means in the urban context, and how rewilding our public spaces can alleviate the urban heat island effect. Participate in the ongoing effort to rewild part of Zilker Park by planting native grasses to replace mowed areas not used for active recreation. |