Kids have fun and learn at Conservation event

AINSWORTH - Saving baby turtles, returning baby pheasants to their mother and spotting owls were all activities kids participated in during the Conservation Halloween hike on Saturday.

Warm weather brought many participants to Marr Park for the hike and movie. Kids in a variety of costumes walked the path to five different stations, learning how to be a conservationist.

This year, Washington County Conservation decided to hold the event with extra precautions.

With access to a lot of acres, Washington County Conservation Executive Director Zach Rozmus said they are able to spread people out.

The five different stations were spread out on the path. Each station talked about a different ecosystem such as prairies, wetlands and forests.

In the wetlands, kids searched for 'baby turtles” to bring back to the nest. The little lima beans were then returned back to their nest.

At the prairies, kids learned about what Iowa looked like before the 1800s and the types of animals that lived on the prairie.

In the forest, kids learned about the different trees and bushes that are native to Iowa. They also learned about the different animals that reside there.

Rozmus said the theme changes every year. The event allows kids to have fun but also learn about different aspects of conservation.