TODAY at River Legacy

Devil's Cigar is starting to bloom

The Devil's Cigar is starting to sprout up near dead cedar elm stumps in River Legacy Parks. It can usually be seen from fall to December. This unusual fungus releases a cloud of smoke-like spores when it opens, making a hissing sound. It can only be foud in parts of Texas and Japan.

Check out the photos on our Facebook page.

Who knew fungus could be so interesting!

Vote for the Science Center as the Metroplex's Best Nature Center!

River Legacy Living Science Center has been nominated in the Metroplex Baby & Kids Best of the Metroplex 2010 Family Choice Awards as the best nature center. Vote in their online poll through November 30th to let others know about this great resource in Arlington. River Legacy has been connecting families and children to nature for more than 20 years through our environmental education programs, public programs and community events. Thanks for your Vote at http://metroplexbaby.com/Best-of-the-Metroplex.html.

W.A.T.E.R. Festival!

Join us this Saturday, September 18, for our FREE W.A.T.E.R. Festival (Water Awareness Through Education & Recreation)! Take the H2O Water challenge, investigate invertebrates, check out Julie the Dual Flush Toilet, and see Forest the Squirrel! The event also includes creek walks, story times and a rainfall simulator demonstration.

The event is from 10 am to 3 pm at River Legacy Living Science Center. See schedule of activities below:

Schedule:

Creek Walks: 11 am, 12:30 pm & 2 pm
Forest the Squirrel Appearances: 11:30 am & 2 pm
Story Times: 11:30 am, 1 pm & 2 pm
Rainfall Simulator: 12 pm
Animal Exploration: 1:30 pm

Ongoing activities:

The Incredible Journey, H2O Water Challenge, Invertebrate Investigations, Calling All Frogs, Pond Sampling, Water Color Painting, Toddler Area, Fish Printing, Water Music, Enviroscape Watershed & Julie, the Dual Flush Toilet.

Take a Swing Fore Nature!

Take a swing for nature by participating in River Legacy's 14th annual Caddy Shack Scramble on Tuesday, September 14 at Tierra Verde Golf Club. There is still time to register for this fun and entertaining tournament featuring a relaxing afternoon of golf, contests, Caddy Shack movie trivia, awards ceremony, door and raffle prizes, and barbeque dinner. Check in and box lunch starts at noon; the tournament begins with a shotgun start at 1 pm.

Individual entries, foursome teams and sponsorship opportunities still available. Call 817.860.6752 or visit www.riverlegacy.org to sign up or to learn more. All proceeds from this event benefit River Legacy Foundation and the environmental education programs of River Legacy Living Science Center.

Science Center Closed

River Legacy Living Science Center will be closed through Tuesday, August 31 for cleaning and maintenance. Please visit us on Wednesday, September 1 when we reopen at 9 am.

Thank you.

After School Clubs, Home School Classes Enrolling Now!

After-School Clubs and Home School programs start a new season of hands-on explorations and investigations in September. Register now for these unique opportunities to connect with nature. After-School Clubs are offered for students in grades K-6th and meet monthly from 4:15 to 6:15 pm.

Home School Science Classes and Home School Art Classes for students ages 5 to 11 years old also meet monthly from 2 to 3 pm.

Learn more about these classes at www.riverlegacy.org/education.html or call 817.860.6752.

Cool off at the Science Center

Looking for a cool place for you and your family to beat the heat? Visit River Legacy Living Science Center and check out our new Rough Green Snake on display and explore Summer at the Pond in our multipurpose room.

Admission to the Center is Free, but donations are accepted to help us maintain our programs and activities! This Saturday at 2 pm, participate in an animal exploration led by one of our Naturalists. RSVP for the Saturday event by calling 817.860.6752.

While you're here, be sure to buy some Hurricane Harbor tickets for the cool low price of just $15! These tickets can be used any time during Hurricane Harbor's 2010 season, which ends September 26!

See you soon!

Congratulations to AISD!

River Legacy would like to extend our congratulations to the Arlington Independent School District on being awarded a rating of Recognized by the TEA! River Legacy is proud of our long-time partnership with the School District in educating the future environmental stewards of Arlington and beyond. Fourth-graders and second-graders enhance their math and science curriculum with authentic, hands-on investigations at River Legacy Living Science Center and the adjacent River Legacy Parks.

Kudos to AISD, Superintendent and River Legacy Board Member Jerry McCullough, and to the thousands of teachers who daily make a difference in the lives of Arlington children. Job well done!

Don't Miss Out on Discount Hurricane Harbor Tickets!

Get your Back-to-School Splash in at Six Flags Hurricane Harbor for just $15 when you purchase your tickets at River Legacy Living Science Center. We still have a limited supply left, so don't delay!

The one-day admission tickets (regularly $25.99 plus tax at the gate) are valid for any operating day of Hurricane Harbor's 2010 season. For Hurricane Harbor's operating hours and days, visit www.sixflags.com/hurricaneharbortexas.

Thanks to the generosity of Hurricane Harbor, all ticket sales benefit River Legacy Foundation and our education programs.

Tickets can be purchased between 9 am and 5 pm Tuesdays through Saturdays at River Legacy Living Science Center, 703 NW Green Oaks Boulevard; or by phone at 817.860.6752.

Reward yourself with some Hurricane Harbor fun and feel good about making a contribution to River Legacy. You win. We win. What a deal!

Backyard Composting Class

Now is a great time to learn how to improve the quality of your soil and spend less time and money fertilizing and watering! Attend a FREE Backyard Composting Class from 9 to 11 am, Saturday, July 10, at River Legacy Living Science Center to learn how. The Class, led by the Arlington Master Composters, includes

• proper pile building demonstration
• live worm compost bin
• free book.

Class meets in the back parking lot of the nature center at the Compost display. RSVP to 817.860.6752.