GREENVILLE – Darke County Parks invites students in grades 3-6 to join them for the December Jr. Naturalists program on Saturday, Dec. 19 from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Shawnee Prairie Preserve on State Route 502 west of Greenville.

The Jr. Naturalists program is a series of monthly programs designed to give students a hands-on introduction to natural resource management. Hikes, work projects, and independent study are all part of this fun-filled nature study club.

The December program will feature the Christmas Bird Count, a citizen science program organized in part by Audubon. Students will hit the trails at Shawnee Prairie and possibly other parks to see how many birds they can find and to participate in this annual holiday tradition dating back over 100 years.

A fee of $3 is charged for the program, and preregistration is required. Students are asked to please dress for the weather and to bring a pair of binoculars if possible. There will also be binoculars available to borrow from the nature center.

For any questions about the Jr. Naturalists program or any other Park District programs or to register for the December class, please call 548-0165 or email Hannah Linebaugh at [email protected].