On Sunday, Aug. 15, Agassiz Environmental Learning Center will hold its annual Summerfest event. It will be held from noon to 5 p.m. at the Nature Center, which is located 3/4 mile west of Fertile on Summit Avenue. Free hot dogs, chips and root beer will be served to the first 150 visitors.
The Animal Menagerie from the Headwaters Science Center will have live animals on hand and will be doing a presentation on the proper care and feeding of animals, safe handling techniques as well as interesting animal facts. Eric Bergeson, a local writer, photographer and entertainer, will give a presentation on bird photography. Earl Johnson, from the Detroit Lakes DNR will do presentations on Trumpeter Swans and Black Bears. Afternoon coffee, lemonade and cookies will be served.
There will be nature crafts and games available for children. Visitors can also take a Sand Hill Safari motorized tour of the sand hills. GPS units will also be available for rent for those who wish to try their hand at geocaching, which is an international game that uses GPS to locate “hidden treasures.”
This event is open to the public and admission is free for members of the AELC. Admission for non-members will be a suggested donation of $1 per person. Memberships can also be purchased the day of the event. A family membership in the AELC is $35 and an individual membership is $20.
Agassiz Environmental Learning Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to combining the best of nature study, conservation education, outdoor recreation, and environmental education.
The site of the AELC is the Fertile Sand Hills, located west of Fertile on 640 acres of land. With over 18 miles of trails, the Fertile Sand Hills offer a wonderful diversity of ecosystems, including two of Minnesota’s most endangered, the prairie and oak savanna. Other ecosystems include oak woodland, lowland forest, bottomland forest and the Sand Hill River. Two of the state’s most unusual geologic features, sand dunes and sand hills, are also well represented at the site. Other interesting geologic features in the area include the Sand Hill River and the abandoned clay-pits of the Fertile Brickyards.
Each year, hundreds of area students visit the AELC to take part in the various summer and winter education programs that are offered. In addition to student visitors, hundreds of others visit the site to take advantage of the recreational opportunities available such as hiking, cross country skiing, and geocaching. For more information about the AELC, call (218) 945-3136.
