A day for children of all ages to gather and embrace the importance of trees with a good book and an ice cream treat is coming Saturday Oct. 2 to Middleton’s Pheasant Branch Conservancy.
Books and Trees: Wander and Wonder in the Bock Community Forest offers presentations by a naturalist and tours of the local forest preservation efforts led by Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy, plus a free book about trees from Madison Reading Project.
“We’re excited to introduce our forestry preserve to more people, especially children, and show how important trees are to everyone,” said John Daly, Friends’ vice president and an organizer of the event. “The John C. Bock Community Forest at Pheasant Branch is a wonderful example of successful forest management we all can be part of.”
Adds Anne Boucher, Friends’ education coordinator, “the more we all can learn about preserving trees, the more our entire environment will benefit.”
Madison Reading Project’s Big Red Reading Bus will make an appearance with free books for all children, Pre-K through 5th grade. “Trees are a beautiful, natural resource, something for kids of all ages to treasure and protect,” said Rowan Childs, founder and executive director, Madison Reading Project. “We hope to meet tons of kids and their parents, grandparents and caregivers. We can all hug a tree!”
The Oct. 2 free event runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. with tours and informal presentations happening throughout. The Bock Forest is located just inside the Highland Way entrance to the Pheasant Branch Conservancy. Ample parking is available on the street. The Chocolate Shoppe is providing ice cream refreshments.