Friends of Chakchiuma Swamp presents

The Enchanted Forest

A community +  artist collaboration celebrating nature and imagination 

Saturday, November 2, 2024 4pm - 8pm

Lee Tartt Nature Preserve   Grenada, MS
Purchase Tickets at the gate or friends-of-cs.org

$10 admission    5 & under FREE

This project utilizes art and play to amplify the wonders of nature and a sense of community.

VISION:

This creative placemaking project invites people of all ages and backgrounds to celebrate native Mississippi wildlife and the imagination!

The Enchanted Forest Event opens to the public during twilight hours on November 2, 2024. The trails feature fantastic beasts and other magical elements created by a collaboration of artists and community members during workshops conducted in the summer and fall of 2024. Colored lighting and creative activities add to the fun along the trails at Lee Tartt Nature Preserve.

The Main Event space invites people to gather and interact with a big fire pit, themed selfies stations, mysterious natural ephemera and the Green Dragon Apothecary

Nature at Night

August 16, 2024

7:30 - 9:30

Join us for a FREE Family-Friendly evening of night time adventures at Lee Tartt Nature Preserve

Event Includes:

• Mist Netting for Bats

• Backlighting for Bugs

• Stalking for Spiders

Bring: Chair, flashlight, water bottle, bug spray

The event will be led by Becky Rosamond and Amber Floyd of the Mississippi Bat Working Group & spider biologists, Gail Stratton and Pat Miller

Contact:

friends.of.cs.org@gmail.com

A FREE program for all ages sponsored by Friends of Chakchiuma Swamp. No registration required.

Night time in a swamp is full of life including Bats, spiders and moths. Join us for a family friendly evening of night time adventures at Lee Tartt Nature Preserve as we explore creatures of the night in Chakchiuma Swamp.

This Mississippi Bat Working Group will be on site with mist nets designed to catch bats to be identified, weighed and released. The evening features stories and cool facts about bats as we wait for the bats to fly.

The evening also includes guided walks in search of spiders and insects with experts Gail Stratton and Pat Miller. There will also be sheets lit up with UV lights to attract moths and other insects. All this accompanied by the magical sounds of night time in a swamp.

Bring:

Chair, headlamp / flashlight, water bottle (cold water will be provided!), close toed shoes are recommended.

NOTE: There are no restroom facilities on location.

Enjoy a Saturday morning focused on mushrooms in the forests at Lee Tartt Nature Preserve with mushroom expert Dr. Jason Hoeksema. Learn more about the mysterious world of fungi found in the bottomland hardwood forests of Chakchiuma Swamp with guided foraging experience, an interpretive talk on fungus ecology and mushroom identification focused on edibles with Q & A.

Jason is the mycology professor at the University of Mississippi with a special interest in mycorrhizal fungi. He is the founder of Delta Windbirds as well as a knowledgeable ornithologist and his camp stove culinary skills are not to be missed! 

Want to join in on the fun? Guests are encouraged to set up your own camp stove if you have one and a frying pan to sauté alongside our demo, and taste your own forage. 

Itinerary

10:00 introduction to mushroom ecology and foraging  

10:30 forage in small groups

12:00 organize harvest with mushroom identification talk

12:45 mushroom feast & potluck

Be Prepared:

• Bring a basket to collect your treasures. 

• Bring a sack lunch or potluck items, portable chair or blanket, water bottle, bug spray (be prepared for ticks) and or Thermacell and comfortable closed toe shoes.

• Some plates & cutlery will be provided, but feel free to bring along your reusable plates & utensils for sampling.

• Cold iced water coolers will be on site. Please bring a water bottle.

Registration is required, $20.00 per person. Class is limited to 40 persons.

Spring Wings

Where: Lee Tartt Nature Preserve

When: Saturday, April 29 from 10 - 2

CELEBRATE ALL THINGS WITH WINGS

Neotropical songbirds and wading birds are arriving to raise families and monarch and other butterflies are emerging to feast on native plants. Learn more and celebrate at Spring Wings!

• Paddle in canoes or kayaks on a Guided Tours

• Explore on Guided Walks with bird and butterfly naturalists

• Shop for native plants with Camp Creek Native Plants from New Albany

• Meet live raptors with Mississippi Wildlife Rehabilitation,

• Paint with foraged flower petals and color a butterfly mask

• Weave branches into a human sized bird nest

• Celebrate caterpillars during a Storytime Walk

• Go on a Scavenger Hunt in search of 30 images of native “Things with Wings”

• Learn about plant medicine from our local foraging expert Ryan Albritton

• Purchase Lee Tartt Nature Preserve and Chakchiuma Swamp swag - t-shirts, stickers, tumblers

This event is sponsored by Friends of Chakchiuma Swamp with no fees for entry or activities.

Summer Discovery Camp  Find your place in the natural world!

Age group  9 - 12 

Cost - $100

Maximum of 15 students

Must attend all 3 days

Healthy snacks, cold water and all materials provided

Students should be prepared for outdoor activities: small backpack or bag, water bottle, long pants (leggings are fine), short sleeved shirt, bring light weight long sleeved shirt, closed toed shoes, socks, hat, insect repellent

Camp Details

Each day students will examine, explore and consider nature’s stories and making connections starting with a single natural material through science activities, nature games, creative projects, primitive skills and hands-on wildlife opportunities! 

Camp Framework Example::

Students will rotate through 3 different focus groups with inspiring teachers and activities each day 

DAY 1 / WATER- frog, warbler, wood duck, dragonfly, newt, beaver

DAY 2 / GRASS - vireo, grasshopper, king snake, turkey, golden orb weaver

DAY 3 / MUD - crayfish, dirt dauber, swallow, raccoon, turtle, gar

Activities may include:

Creativity - natural pigments & tools, nest building, clay sculpture, printmaking

Primitive Skills - fire, cordage, shelter

Science - water quality testing, biodiversity inventory, Tree ID

Wildlife - live animals, animal signs & tracking, animal architecture, snakes, insects,

Games -  Sharing Nature book, scavenger hunt, swamp quilt 

Learn more about the birds of Grenada county and contribute to science!
Join a wide range of nature and bird enthusiasts as we participate in this century old community science activity. Lee Tartt Nature Preserve is positioned within the Grenada County count circle. We will listen and watch birds win different habitats within the preserve throughout the day. Walking the trails is not necessary but is part of the fun for many participants.

We will have a lunch meet up with other birding groups at Grenada Lake Dam and look for waterfowl and shore birds with scopes.

The event is come and go. Please call or text to find our location at any point in the day.

Dress in layers. Bring a chair, binoculars, hat and snacks.

Contact Robin at 662-230-0368 or friends.of.cs.org@gmail.com

COME TO LEE TARTT NATURE PRESERVE FOR TROLL AND DRAGON MIGRATION SEASON!

TICKETS ARE $10 FOR EVERYONE OVER THE AGE OF 5

Purchase tickets at the gate or from the ticket link on the homepage

We are gathering a magical group of artists, local businesses, volunteers, sponsors & wildlife organizations for an enchanted day of creative fun at Lee Tartt Nature Preserve in the Grenada Downtown District. 

Expect to be charmed by fantastic creations inspired by nature. Let your imagination run wild!

________________________________

Professional artists have imagined and are creating a fantastic experience for all ages that will dazzle in both daylight and darkness. Glimpses of migrating swamp dragons and river trolls, Ents, dryads, musical spiders, and other mysterious enchantments await!

Visit the Green Dragon Apothocary for hand made sweets, smore and weeneie roasting kits to warm up over at the big firepit and the costume making activity area to create a mask or head piece from natural materials. Guests will park on the downtown Grenada Square and ride in on wagon. Wild Again In Mississippi Resue & Rehab will have hands on activities featuring native mammals.  

Come to Lee Tartt Nature Preserve for Troll and Dragon Migration Season!

Tickets are $10 for everyone over the age of 5

We are gathering a magical group of artists, local businesses, volunteers, sponsors & wildlife organizations for an enchanted day of creative fun at Lee Tartt Nature Preserve in the Grenada Downtown District. 

Expect to be charmed by fantastic creations inspired by nature. Let your imagination run wild!

________________________________

Professional artists have imagined and are creating a fantastic experience for all ages that will dazzle in both daylight and darkness. Glimpses of migrating swamp dragons and river trolls, Ents, dryads, musical spiders, and other mysterious enchantments await!

Visit the Green Dragon Apothocary for hand made sweets, smore and weeneie roasting kits to warm up over at the big firepit and the costume making activity area to create a mask or head piece from natural materials. Guests will park on the downtown Grenada Square and ride in on wagon. Freedom Ranch Wildlife Center show and tell live native animals and Wild Again In Mississippi Resue & Rehab will have hands on activities featuing native mammals.  

Thanks to our sponsors:

Allison Ashmore, Devo Lancaster,

Grenada Garden Club,

Grenada Community Foundation

We are looking for curious & creative people of all ages to join the Enchanted Forest creative team. Come ready to play with natural materials & learn from our professional artists!

Be a part of the transformation! Come with friends, family or just bring yourself.

Activities may include:

• sculpting big faces on tree trunks with mud and embellishing them with forest findings

• creating miniature campsites for our 8 inch migrating trolls

• weaving HUGE spider webs

• creating mysterious conical dwelling with vines and saplings

• carving jack o lanterns and cardboard boxes into magical creatures

• creating creatures to fly beneath the branches - owls, bats, dragonflies, moths, dragons

• assisting with lighting engineering & installation

We are looking for curious & creative people of all ages to join the Enchanted Forest creative team. Come ready to play with natural materials & learn from our professional artists!

Be a part of the transformation! Come with friends, family or just bring yourself.

Activities may include:

• sculpting big faces on tree trunks with mud and embellishing them with forest findings

• creating miniature campsites for our 8 inch migrating trolls

• weaving HUGE spider webs

• creating mysterious conical dwelling with vines and saplings

• carving jack o lanterns and cardboard boxes into magical creatures

• creating creatures to fly beneath the branches - owls, bats, dragonflies, moths, dragons

• assisting with lighting engineering & installation

join us at the Jubilee and sign up for a tour from 9 - 3

We are gathering a magical group of artists, local businesses, volunteers, sponsors & wildlife organizations for 2 enchanting days of Halloween fun at Lee Tartt Nature Preserve in the Grenada Downtown District.

Expect to be charmed by fantastic creations inspired by nature!

$5 per person 

Events include horse & buggy ride to the gate, swamp dragons, trolls and other magical creatures of all sizes, lighted trails, costumes, Green Dragon Apothecary & Sweet Shop, bonfire, live animal presentations, creative activities & more!

Thanks for your support!!  This event is a fundraiser for trail work at Lee Tartt Nature Preserve. $5000 is needed for materials and labor for the construction of 2 boardwalks

If you would like to be a Sponsor or to make a tax free donation to the Friends of Chakchiuma Swamp, please visit our DONATE page for more information on Sponsorship Levels.

Dragon Spirits Enchanted Forest $5 per person 

1:30 pm - 8:00pm

Especially crafted for our little dragons, but all ages welcome!

horse & buggy ride to the gate, swamp dragons, trolls and other magical creatures of all sizes, Green Dragon Apothecary & Sweet Shop, bonfire, live animal presentations, creative activities & more!

Please come in costume!!

SCHEDULE

1:30 - 3:30. Bewitching Birds Presentation 

Meet live Vultures, Horned Owl, & Fish Crow and learn more about them with Freedom Ranch Wildlife Center

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3:30 - 8:00. Enchanted Trails

1. Dragon’s Lair Trail - labyrinth, tree spirits, dragons,
   

2. Green Dragon Trail - Bat Lady, Potion Pot, Swamp Dragon Nursery

3:00 - 6:00. Live or Dye Potion Pot Tie dye a scarf with black walnuts

3:00 - 8:30 Swamp Dragon Nursery with Wild Again in Mississippi Rescue. Help our dragon. keepers find all the baby dragons

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3:00 - 7:30  Green Dragon Apothecary & Sweet Shop

Home made sweets, weenie roasting kits, smore kits, lanterns, t shirts, event posters, Sam Clark Dragons & Trolls

5:00 - 8:30. Firepit

join our fire master over the flames to warm your hands, roast a weenie or find some good conversation

NOTE: TICKETS CAN BE PURCHASED AT GATE

Thanks for your support!!  This event is a fundraiser for trail work at Lee Tartt Nature Preserve. $5000 is needed for materials and labor for the construction of 2 boardwalks

If you would like to be a Sponsor or to make a tax free donation to the Friends of Chakchiuma Swamp, please visit our DONATE page for more information on Sponsorship Levels.

Bats, Bonfires & Boos $25 per person

Friday, October 29th    must be 21 yrs+

Green Dragon Apothecary & a pop-up snackbar under the stars! 

Ticket includes finger foods, bourbon & wine tasting, swamp dragon inspired cocktail, bonfire, live slide guitar music with Wendy Jean Garrison, horse & buggy  ride and enchanted trails.

Please park on the square, and jump aboard our horse drawn buggy to the event. First pick up will be 5:30 pm.

Thanks for your support!! This event is a fundraiser for trail work at Lee Tartt Nature Preserve. $5000 is needed for materials and labor for the construction of 2 boardwalks

If you would like to be a Sponsor or to make a tax free donation to the Friends of Chakchiuma Swamp, please visit our DONATE page for more information on Sponsorship Levels.