Shaver's Creek Environmental Center facts for kids

Shaver's Creek Environmental Center is a cool place in Pennsylvania. It's located between State College and Huntingdon. This center is part of the Penn State Experimental Forest. Shaver's Creek covers a huge area of land, about 7,000 acres (28 km²). It also has a beautiful freshwater lake called Lake Perez, which is 72 acres (291,373 m²) big.

More than 100,000 people visit Shaver's Creek every year! It's open almost every day from February 1st to December 15th. The center has many fun things to see and do. You can find an outdoor theater, classrooms, and a Welcome Center with a gift shop. There are also pretty gardens, picnic spots, and a special center for birds of prey. Shaver's Creek helps people learn how to live in a way that protects nature.

Exciting Programs and Events

Outdoor School Adventures

Shaver's Creek has a special program called Outdoor School. It's been around for 50 years! This program helps elementary school kids have a great time outdoors. It's a four-day, three-night trip where kids stay in cabins.

Students from nearby areas like Centre, Huntingdon, and Mifflin come to learn. Penn State students teach them hands-on lessons about nature. Kids get to see wildlife up close, go on night hikes, and enjoy campfires. They also learn about living things in a fun way.

Meet the Birds at The Raptor Center

The Shaver's Creek Raptor Center is home to over 20 amazing birds of prey. These birds, like eagles and owls, have been hurt. Their injuries mean they can't live in the wild anymore. The only exception is an American kestrel that was once an illegal pet.

You can visit the Raptor Center every day from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. This is from March through December. You can take a self-guided tour and learn about each bird. They even have a Birds of Prey Show! It runs every Saturday and Sunday from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, from April to November.

Some of the cool birds you might see include a golden eagle, great horned owls, barred owls, and eastern screech owls. There are also red-shouldered hawks, a broad-winged hawk, red-tailed hawks, and a turkey vulture. You can also see young and adult bald eagles, and barn owls.

The Fun Children's Halloween Trail

Every year, the weekend before Halloween, Shaver's Creek hosts a free Fall Festival. It's a super fun event for everyone! You can get your face painted, carve pumpkins, and do arts and crafts. There's also live music and entertainment.

A big part of the festival is the Children's Halloween Trail. Penn State students lead guided walks through the decorated forest. Costumed characters teach you about the natural history of Halloween. For example, you'll learn why owls, spiders, and pumpkins are Halloween symbols.

The Birding Cup Challenge

The Birding Cup is a special competition held once a year. It's a fundraiser for Shaver's Creek. Teams of at least three bird watchers try to find and identify as many bird species as they can. They have 24 hours to do it!

Teams must stay within Huntingdon, Centre, and nearby counties in Central Pennsylvania. After the contest, awards are given out in State College, Pennsylvania. The "Birding Cup" goes to the team that finds the most species overall. The "County Cup" is for the team that finds the most species in just one county. There are also awards for new birders and teams that travel without cars!

Sweet Maple Harvest Festival

The Maple Harvest Festival has been a favorite at Shaver's Creek since 1984. This event celebrates the first maple syrup harvest of the year. You can learn all about how maple sugaring has been done over time.

You'll discover how to find and tap sugar maple trees. You can watch as sap is turned into delicious syrup. Interpreters even act out how people used to harvest maple, from Native Americans to modern farmers. After the show, there's live music, storytelling, and all-you-can-eat pancakes with fresh maple syrup!

External links

Images for kids

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  Wetlands at Shaver's Creek.