The Berrien County Parks Commission sponsors interpretive naturalist programming at Love Creek Nature Center for groups and the general public. Join us for a general public event or contact us at (269) 471-2617 to arrange a program for your group or organization.

Bugs, Slugs & More!  Saturday, Sept. 12, 3:00 p.m. Fall is a great time to find interesting insects and other crawling creatures in fields, gardens and prairies of southwest Michigan. With that in mind we're planning a series of fun youth activities this afternoon to create an awareness and interest for these common backyard animals.

Home Schooler's Outdoor Discovery Class. Beginning Friday, September 18 at 1:30 p.m. This field class will help elementary-aged home school students learn about the nature of southwest Michigan. Participants will also enjoy outdoor recreation activities such as cross-country skiing, mountain biking (on safe trails, of course!) and Voyageur canoeing! The class will meet monthly, as well as a few additional times for special activities such a night hike and owl prowl. Most sessions will be held at Love Creek, but a few will take place at off-site locations. Class fee of $60 per child includes all sessions, activities and refreshments. Group size is limited and pre-registration is required. Call (269) 471-2617 for more information or to register.

Fall Fitness Hiking at Love Creek. Beginning Saturday, September 19 at 2:00 p.m. The trails at Love Creek offer great fall hiking opportunities for both scenic and health benefits! Beginning today and continuing through Saturday, October 31 we'll offer "Fall Fitness" hikes with a park naturalist lasting about 90 minutes each. Our intent is not to race, just to walk a bit of a steadier pace than a typical "nature" hike. (There will always be opportunities to shortcut back if you don't wish to hike as long....) To keep it interesting we'll mix things up with a different route each time and pick the trails with the best current fall colors. We think this should be great fun and hope you'll grab a friend and join us. Other than the usual park entry fee, there is no cost for these hikes and pre-registration is not required. Join us for one-or the whole series of seven hikes!

Preschooler's Outdoor Discovery Class. Beginning Thursday, September 24. 9:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m.  Let us share our  enthusiasm for the outdoors with your 4-6 year old during this monthly class. Each session will include fun, age-appropriate activities about a nature-related topic-and conclude with simple refreshments of course! Class fee of $50 per child covers all 10 sessions into early June. Group size is limited to insure a quality experience. Call (269) 471-2617 to register and note you have your choice of a morning or afternoon session. 

Fall Fitness Hiking at Love Creek. Saturday, September 26 at 2:00 p.m. Week #2. See September 19 for program description.

Camouflage for Survival. Saturday, September 26, 3:00 p.m. In a world filled with danger, animals have many ways to stay out of sight. During today's youth program we'll explore ways animals blend into their surroundings through camouflage. Included in the program will be a demonstration with some live animals and a fun activity to test the observation skills of all participants.

Fall Fitness Hiking at Love Creek. Saturday, October 3 at 2:00 p.m. Week #3. See September 19 for program description.

October Trail Hike-At Night!  Saturday, October 3, 7:30 p.m. Join us for an early fall exploration of Love Creek's trails at night. With luck, we'll hear or see an owl. Afterwards, we'll relax around a campfire with cider and smores! Group size is limited and registration is required. Fee: $3 per person. Please call (269) 471-2617 to register.

Weekday "Nature of Fall" Hiking Group. Beginning on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 10:00 a.m. During this "class" for adults we'll explore the nature of fall in southwest Michigan and enjoy a bit of exercise on the trails of Love Creek and other area parks. Participants should be willing to walk 3 miles or so over a couple of hours per session. Our pace will generally be easy, but occasional climbing (on dune or hilly trails) will sometimes be a part of an outing. Fee of $15 includes five weekly sessions through November 4. (Additional daily entry fees may be required at some of the locations we visit.) Group size is limited. Please call 471-2617 for information or to register.

Fall Fitness Hiking at Love Creek. Saturday, October 10 at 2:00 p.m. Week #4. See September 19 for program description.

Fall Forest Fungi. Saturday, October 10, 3:00 p.m. From Shaggy Manes to Dead Man's Fingers, the fall forest is often home to a variety of mushrooms and fungi. During today's program we'll carefully search Love Creek's woodlands for the most unusual and colorful of these. We'll also show you how to separate some of the major fungi groups and discuss important do's and don't of mushroom collecting.

Fall Fitness Hiking at Love Creek. Saturday, October 17 at 2:00 p.m. Week #5. See September 19 for program description.

Fall Fitness Hiking at Love Creek. Saturday, October 24 at 2:00 p.m. Week #6. See September 19 for program description.

Fall Colors on the St. Joseph River. Saturday, October 24, 1:00 p.m. Join us for a group paddle on the St. Joseph River in one of our replica 34' Voyageur canoes. We'll explore a stretch of river that typically has nice fall colors at this time. Canoe experience is not needed, but space is limited. Call (269) 471-2617 for more information and to register. $5 per person fee includes shuttle transportation.

Fall Fitness Hiking at Love Creek. Saturday, October 31 at 2:00 p.m. Week #7. See September 19 for program description.

Halloween Animals that are Hard to Love: Spiders, Snakes & Such...  Saturday, Oct. 31, 3:00 p.m. Before you head out to trick or treat, join us in the nature center's program room to learn about spiders, snakes and a few other "hard to love" animals of Southwest Michigan. We'll have live examples of some and we'll discuss what's fact and what's fiction about their behaviors.

Click here for our 2009/10 Preschool Outdoor Discovery Class flyer!

Click here for information about some of the school group programs offered by the Love Creek staff. Many of these can be modified or adapted for other groups as well. Call us for more information!

Additional Love Creek Notes:

Berrien Birding Club: To help promote recreational bird watching in southwest Michigan, the Berrien County Parks Commission and Love Creek Nature Center sponsor the Berrien Birding Club. Field trips are free and open to all. For a list of upcoming field trips and events, call (269) 471-2617 or click here.

Fields & Forests Mountain Bike Trail: Mountain biking is allowed at Love Creek on the Fields & Forests Bike Trail!  The current trail distance is 4.5 miles. For most mountain bikers it won't be a technically challenging trail, but it is a trail close to home. The uphill sections may test one's legs and lungs if so desired, but otherwise it should be a good trail for beginning mountain bikers. Some sections of the trail are shared and cyclists are required to yield to hikers. Trail open April 1 to October 31.