April 8, 2005 - Celebrate Earth Day at the Oxbow Eco-Center on April 16

The Oxbow Eco-Center will honor Mother Earth with its Fifth Annual Earth Day Celebration Saturday, April 16 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the 220-acre preserve off of St. James Drive. This event is free and open to all ages.

Those attending this year's Oxbow celebration are encouraged to come with a love for nature, their dancing shoes, and a free spirit. This daylong celebration of the environment will feature live animal shows, guided hikes, canoe tours, and toe-tappin' Celtic folk music by Rowdy Micks.

"Everyday is Earth Day at the Oxbow," said Sandra Bogan, Superintendent of the Oxbow Eco-Center, "but this is the one day out of the year that everyone is reminded of how they can lighten their footprint and live more sustainably."

The Oxbow's Earth Day Celebration encourages residents to discover "native Florida" and learn new ways they can act more responsibly toward the Earth's limited resources. Visitors can tour the St. Lucie River by canoe or be guided through the forest to learn about birds, gopher tortoises and native habitats. In addition, visitors can walk around the "Conservation Circle" and learn from dozens of local and state exhibitors, who will provide information on butterfly gardening, native plant landscaping, recycling, Everglades restoration, beach preservation, wildlife, and the wonderful world of water.

Be sure to flutter through the fabulous "Butterfly Experience," a magical world where these flying jewels visit you eye to eye! This unique living habitat enclosure will allow Earth Day guests to experience the wonders of butterflies in their natural environment. It is sure to be a delightful experience!

Featured on our Center Stage will be musical melodies by the Rowdy Micks, and two amazing animal shows by the Treasure Coast Wildlife Hospital and St. Lucie Regional Herpetological Society.

Children will especially enjoy an Eco-Challenge created just for them! Designed for all ages, our young naturalists will be quizzed on their eco-knowledge and illustrate their environmental consciousness. And don't forget to visit our Kids' Korner, where there will be plenty of interactive nature games and crafts! You can even get your face painted with your favorite flower or animal.

Wisconsin Sen. Gaylord Nelson created the concept for Earth Day in 1969. The first event, held in the spring of 1970, drew more than 20 million participants nationally, causing American Heritage Magazine to call Earth Day "one of the most remarkable happenings in the history of democracy."

Located along the North Fork of the St. Lucie River, the Oxbow Eco-Center offers a rare glimpse of "the real Florida" with several distinctive habitats. The annual Earth Day celebration helps to reconnect people to the natural and cultural resources that make St. Lucie County a special place to live.

For more information about the Oxbow Eco-Center's Earth Day Celebration, please call (772) 785-5833 or visit www.stlucieco.gov/erd/oxbow. The Oxbow Eco-Center is open Tuesday through Friday 1 -5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday noon - 5 p.m. The trails are open seven days a week from dawn to dusk. The Oxbow Eco-Center is located at 5400 N.E. St. James Drive, 1-1/2 miles south of Midway Road in Port St. Lucie - across from the new Publix Shopping Center.