SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Environment Sandy Springs launched EcoSleuth, a new program for boys and girls in grades 3-5 and their parents to discover the magic of nature at Lost Corner Preserve.

Program leaders Claire Adair and Janet Wells encouraged the teams to open their eyes and ears to the familiar surroundings in their backyards to see and hear things they never noticed before at the inaugural class in October. 

Through hands-on role playing, participants learned that they, themselves, are an essential part of the natural world.

Environment Sandy Springs President Jim Newbury said the pilot program’s success proved that kids and parents can be excellent sleuthing teams in their own backyards at home.

“[Parents and their children] discover what lives in the soil, how to identify the trees, shrubs, flowers, bugs and birds they see and how to document their discoveries in their own Nature Journals that we were happy to give them,” Newbury said.

Environment Sandy Springs is a nonprofit that seeks to serve all communities by connecting them with nature and each other. Its mission is to preserve the environment for generations to come by protecting and restoring ecosystems today. Its goal is to make Sandy Springs “the best neighbor Nature ever had.”

Leaving behind indoor activities, program participants ventured outdoors to search for hidden secrets in the “backyard” at Lost Corner. 

Using their personal magnifying glasses for up close detecting, a boy called out, “I found a worm!” as a girl replied, “I found a spider!” 

The kids received EcoSleuth Kits and five backyard sleuthing assignments to complete by Oct. 31 to earn their certificates at home.

“Everyone is excited about EcoSleuth,” Newbury said. “This first program was a big success, and we look forward to offering seasonal programs next year. We hope the kids find that Nature is even more fun than video games.”

For information about Environment Sandy Springs and EcoSleuth, visit environment-sandysprings.org/ecosleuth-childrens-program.

— Hayden Sumlin

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Environment Sandy Springs launched EcoSleuth, a new program for boys and girls in grades 3-5 and their parents to discover the magic of nature at Lost Corner Preserve.

Program leaders Claire Adair and Janet Wells encouraged the teams to open their eyes and ears to the familiar surroundings in their backyards to see and hear things they never noticed before at the inaugural class in October. 

Through hands-on role playing, participants learned that they, themselves, are an essential part of the natural world.

Environment Sandy Springs President Jim Newbury said the pilot program’s success proved that kids and parents can be excellent sleuthing teams in their own backyards at home.

“[Parents and their children] discover what lives in the soil, how to identify the trees, shrubs, flowers, bugs and birds they see and how to document their discoveries in their own Nature Journals that we were happy to give them,” Newbury said.

Environment Sandy Springs is a nonprofit that seeks to serve all communities by connecting them with nature and each other. Its mission is to preserve the environment for generations to come by protecting and restoring ecosystems today. Its goal is to make Sandy Springs “the best neighbor Nature ever had.”

Leaving behind indoor activities, program participants ventured outdoors to search for hidden secrets in the “backyard” at Lost Corner. 

Using their personal magnifying glasses for up close detecting, a boy called out, “I found a worm!” as a girl replied, “I found a spider!” 

The kids received EcoSleuth Kits and five backyard sleuthing assignments to complete by Oct. 31 to earn their certificates at home.

“Everyone is excited about EcoSleuth,” Newbury said. “This first program was a big success, and we look forward to offering seasonal programs next year. We hope the kids find that Nature is even more fun than video games.”

For information about Environment Sandy Springs and EcoSleuth, visit environment-sandysprings.org/ecosleuth-childrens-program.

— Hayden Sumlin