Nature center to mark Arbor Day

WESTAMPTON The Rancocas Nature Center will sponsor its first Arbor Day festival on Sunday, when it will celebrate spring and show off some of its treasures.

Those treasures include 250-year-old trees on the grounds of the 210-acre nature center within Rancocas State Park. Activities will include tree planting, identification, grafting, and pruning, as well as discussions of the ecosystems of trees and how local Indians used them.

Events for children will include leaf rubbings, scavenger hunts, and necklace-making. The Friends of Rancocas Nature Center will give away 500 seedlings, including loblolly pine, pitch pine, willow oaks, and white dogwood. Admission to the festival is free.

Activities begin at 1 p.m. and end at 4. The center recommends hiking shoes and outdoor clothing.

Parking is limited at the main entrance at 794 Rancocas Rd. Visitors also can park at Rancocas State Park, using the entrance marked by a brown state park sign near the Irick Road traffic light on Rancocas Road. A shuttle bus to the center will operate starting at noon.

For more information, call 609-261-2495, or visit www.RancocasNatureCenter.org.

- David O'Reilly