Education

10.00 AM to 5:00 PM- Saturday, April 17, 2010

Bear-Y Patch Educational Area

Louisiana black bears are an integral part of the natural heritage of the bottomland hardwood forests and swamps of the lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley . Prior to human settlement, bears thrived throughout the region, but probably reached their highest population densities in the low lying bottomlands so common along the coast and in the Atchafalaya and other river basin floodplains.

The Bear-Y Patch is a family oriented environmental education area, with an emphasis on interactive exhibits, activities and presentations for both adults and children. While the overall festival theme is the Louisiana black bear, the Bear-Y Patch incorporates more than just bears, hosting exhibits related to many other components of Louisiana 's rich natural and cultural history.

The Bear-Y Patch is a great place for families and anyone else interested in the outdoors to come and learn about our unique Louisiana wildlife and habitat types. Open from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Saturday, April 17th, this part of the festival emphasizes learning about our environment while having a good time. There will be interesting information for both adults and children, with plenty of interactive programs for children. Come see the abundance of information about bears and their coastal habitats, and participate in the "Be-A-Bear" obstacle course.

The Bear-Y Patch is hosted by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Southeast Refuge Complex in Lacombe , LA. Their professional staff and the staff and volunteers from numerous state and federal agencies, and nonprofit organizations from throughout the state will be on hand to answer just about any natural science related question that you may have. It is a great opportunity to take advantage of the abundance of science resources available in the area. All this presented in a way that is fun for both children and adults interested in learning more about this wonderful place we all call home.

Exhibitors will include the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the United States Geological Survey, the US Forest Service, the US Army Corps of Engineers, the US Park Service, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the LA Department of Natural Resources, the Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge, the LA Office of State Parks, the Acadiana Nature Station, the Black Bear Conservation Committee, and many more.