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March 29, 2024 3:16 am
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Local Kids Explore Las Vegas Wetlands Park

By JENNA RHUDE

Moapa Valley Progress

Grant Bowler third-graders got a guided tour of the Las Vegas WEtlands Park last week during a field trip. PHOTO BY JENNA RHUDE/Moapa Valley Progress.

The third grade classes from Grant M Bowler Elementary in Logandale boarded their big yellow school bus last week and headed into Las Vegas. The children, teachers and chaperones found their way to the Wetlands Park near Sam Boyd Stadium.

As the students exited the bus, they were greeted by several park volunteers. Each volunteer took a group of students on a fascinating tour into the Las Vegas park. While making their way along the miles of trails available at the park, the kids were introduced to several different species of plants and trees.

The Park is made up of 2900 acres with 6½ miles of trails. Only 210 acres make up the Nature Preserve portion of the park, where only people are allowed. The preserve prohibits dogs and horses, but thrives off the natural wildlife that exist there. While on the trails, the students were able to examine several tracks and also scat. While scat is fascinating to some people, scat or animal droppings managed to gross out some of the kids.

While crossing the Big Weir Bridge, a unique species was spotted by one of the guides. A soft-shell turtle was sunning on a large rock, just visible out of the water.

Another very interesting fact was learned as one of the 3rd grade students found a ladybug. While this insect is one we are all familiar with, the tour guide was able to share more information about the ladybug that most people do not know. Ladybugs love to eat aphids, the guide explained. While sharing this fact, the guide also told the students that aphids release a very sweet, sticky substance that ants love. So the students found out that ants will pull aphids into their tunnels and raise them for the sticky substance they produce.

The students also learned how all the water in the Las Vegas Valley finds its way through the wetlands systems. “I really liked coming here” said third grader Briellew Terril. “I learned how the wetlands work to help our environment.”

One of the most exciting treasures of the trip was the discovery of an owl in the nearby trees. The guide described how owls hunt and eat. Meg Evans said that she learned that “owls are nocturnal. I didn’t know that before, it was really fun.”

Several parents were able to join their children on this field trip as chaperones. One of those chaperones was Melissa Taylor, who is also a teacher at Bowler. However, this time she was just a parent attending the trip with her twin daughters.
“It is a great hands-on learning experience,” Taylor said of the trip,” and the kids seemed to thoroughly enjoy it.”

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