Want to learn how to charm a worm?

Media Release
31 January 2012
- for immediate release

Want to learn how to charm a worm?

Have your children asked you what that bug is called that is hanging around the garden shed or how do you charm a worm, and you don’t know? To find out the answers and get the children involved in outdoor fun while learning about nature, join Lincoln University at its ecology nature picnic scheduled for Sunday 19 February 2012 from 11.00am to 3.00pm.

“Bring your children or grandchildren, (tear them away from computer games or the TV), bring a rug and a picnic basket and come and join us in some fun, nature focussed outdoor activities on our beautiful campus” says Sue Unsworth, Science Outreach Co-ordinator at Lincoln University.

“The picnic area will be between the bookshop and the library and is a short stroll from the bus stop on campus or from the free car parking in the Orchard car park. Fun activities include animal face painting, bringing along a bug or plant to be identified, having a go at worm charming, throwing flax darts and going on a bike ride to look at our organic farm”.

Starting at 11.00am Lincoln University experts and ecology students will be on hand and making every effort to engage with youngsters. At 11.30am a scavenger hunt will start. At 12:00noon Lincoln University’s Professor Steve Wratten will give a short talk about ‘getting to know your good beasties in the garden’. If kids and parents have bought their bike and helmet to the picnic, at 1.00pm it’s time to explore the organic ‘patch’. It’s then back to Lincoln University at 2.00pm to hear Dr Tim Curran talk about ‘tropical turtles and python poo’. During the whole event there will be ten fun activity stations around campus.

For more information about the ecology nature picnic visit www.lincoln.ac.nz. If it’s raining on Sunday 19 February 2012 the picnic will be held on Sunday 26 February 2012.

About the Department of Ecology, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Lincoln University
The Department of Ecology sits within the Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences. They focus on modern approaches and tools in molecular, behavioural, community and ecosystem ecology. Research and teaching is supported by excellent laboratory and field facilities, as well as an Entomology Research Museum and a Plant Pathology Unit. Lincoln University introduced the first ecology course in New Zealand and continues to pioneer advances in this subject, providing practical hands-on experience in land-based applied ecology.

You can get a taste of the work that they do at their research blog (http://ecolincnz.blogspot.com/).

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