Wild River State Park's feature program this weekend is "Tools From Stone, Archaeology, and Atlatl Throwing" on Saturday, August 9, at 2 p.m. at the parks visitor center. Guest presenter Rod Johnson from the Minnesota Archaeological Society will show techniques used to make arrow and spear points from flint, and take park visitors out for a chance to try out the Stone Age hunting technology of spear throwing. A simple accessory called an "atlatl" or throwing stick allowed hunters to throw a spear much farther and with enough force to bring down animals as large as buffalo. Johnson will also give tips on the importance of preserving the stories of how people lived in the past by preserving archaeological "finds" for scientific investigation.
Besides spear-throwing, you'll also find this weekend to be a good time to visit the park for star-gazing and other programs. Guest astronomer Steve Tonsfeldt will give programs at 9 p.m. Friday, August 8 and Saturday, August 9 to introduce visitors to magnificent views of space and a chance to handle actual meteorites and see photos of massive impact craters around the world. Take advantage of Wild River's dark skies afterward, and watch the annual Perseid meteor shower. Telescopes will be available for star viewing as well.
And, if you want to try your hand at applying irresistible force to an invasive European Buckthorn or two, by ripping them out of the ground with a well-designed tool called a Weed Wrench, come to the program on "Big Bad Bullies" at 11 a.m. Saturday, August 9 at the visitor center. Find out why the only good buckthorn is a dead buckthorn.
Here's the complete schedule of programs at Wild River State Park for the weekend of August 8-10:
FRIENDS OF WILD RIVER STATE PARK GUEST PRESENTER Friday, August 8 9 p.m. at the campground amphitheater. Prairie Skies and Perseid Meteors. What better place to view the night sky than the open prairie! Join guest astronomer Steve Tonsfeldt for images of some of the most impressive and beautiful sights from space. Following the slides, (about 10:00 p.m.) take a short walk into the prairie to the astronomy site near the campground amphitheater for a live view of the night sky’s features through telescopes, and watch the Perseid meteor shower. Bring bug spray, flashlights, and binoculars if you have them. There are benches at the site, but meteor watching is best from a reclining lawn chair or lying on a blanket.
Saturday, August 9 11 a.m. at the visitor center. Big, Bad Bully! No one likes a bully, not even plants. Our native woodland species are fighting a losing battle against European Buckthorn, a small but nasty tree. Learn about buckthorn’s mission to conquer America, its secret weapons, and what can be done to help prevent the takeover of our landscape and the native plants our wildlife needs for its survival. After the program, if you want to try your hand at using a weed wrench (so powerful you can rip out buckthorn by the roots with one hand behind your back!), we’ll provide you with that opportunity.
Saturday, August 9 2 p.m. at the visitor center. Tools From Stone, Archaeology, and Atlatl Throwing. See a demonstration of the techniques needed to make an arrowhead or spear point from stone; learn the importance of preserving the record of what life was like in the distant past, as revealed by human-made artifacts; and see if you can equal the performance of ancient hunters who brought down game animals with throwing spears called atlatls. You may be surprised at how far you can throw a spear using Stone Age technology. Our guest presenter is Rod Johnson from the Minnesota Archaeological Society.
FRIENDS OF WILD RIVER STATE PARK GUEST PRESENTER Saturday, August 9 9 p.m. at the campground amphitheater. Prairie Skies and Perseid Meteors. Join guest astronomer Steve Tonsfeldt for a slide show of meteorite impact craters, and a chance to handle actual meteorites. Following the slides, (about 10:00 p.m.) take a short walk into the prairie to the astronomy site near the campground amphitheater for a live view of the night sky’s features through telescopes, and watch the Perseid meteor shower. Bring bug spray, flashlights, and binoculars if you have them. There are benches at the site, but meteor watching is best from a reclining lawn chair or lying on a blanket.
Sunday, August 10, 11 a.m. at the visitor center. Slithery Snakes!. Are snakes slithery, sneaky, and slimy? Or are they cool, quiet, and cautious? Learn about the snakes found in this park, see a live example (named Ripley), and touch a representative of this fascinating group of animals. After the program, it’s feeding time, for those who want to watch.
All of the programs during the weekend are free of charge. Entry to Wild River State Park requires a Minnesota State Park vehicle permit. Daily permits are available at the park for $5. or you can purchase a 12-month permit good in all Minnesota State Parks for $25.
Wild River State Park is located 3 miles north of Minnesota Highway 95 at Almelund, halfway between Taylors Falls and North Branch. For park information, call (651) 583-2125 or visit http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/wild_river/index.html. For naturalist program information call (651) 583-2925.
