VANDALIA — Cass County adventurers will soon have the chance to learn more about the environments they are exploring with an upcoming series sponsored by the Cass County Conservation District. 

Every Monday from now until Nov. 4, the Cass County Conservation District will host its Hike with a Naturalist 2019 series. For the series, every Monday at 5:30 p.m., groups of hikers will meet at Dr. T.K. Lawless Park’s maintenance building on Monkey Run Road in Vandalia. A casual hike will follow where participants discuss the nature and wildlife they see along the way while learning from a featured “naturalist,” who will share their expertise on a different topic each week. Park entry fees apply. Entry is $2 per vehicle or $15 for an annual pass. 

“We have been hiking out at Dr. T.K. Lawless Park for years, and we have been trying to do the Hike with a Naturalist thing for a while by having a specialist come out and have a specialist come out and talk to us about different plant species or animals in the park,” said Cass County Conservation District Administrator Korie Blyveis. “This year, I have every date filled from March 4 to Nov. 4 to have a different specialist lead the hikes.”

The topics that the various specialists will cover range from herpetology to spring wildflowers to foraging for edible plants and many more.

Blyveis said the hikes are designed to be casual so hikers of all ages and skill levels can participate, be active and learn more about local environments.

“It is really fun,” she said. “You will learn and get to enjoy the outdoors. We have the most wonderful park right here. It is kind of a hidden gem that we want to people to enjoy.”

Cass County Parks Director Scott Wyman agreed that the hiking series is a good way to get the community outdoors and enjoy Cass County’s parks.

“The Conservation District and the county parks have a long history of collaborative efforts, and this is just another example of reaching our community and getting folks outside to enjoy nature,” he said.

Blyveis said she would encourage anyone to come out to one of the hikes, saying that she believes anyone who participates would enjoy themselves and learn something new.

“Our goal as a district is to educate, and this is a really fun way to do that,” she said.

The hiking series was scheduled to begin Monday with Cass County Parks Board member Robert Parrish as the featured naturalist. He was set to discuss light pollution. However, due to cold weather, the hike was canceled. The series will continue Monday, March 11 with Kathy Knapman discussing geology.

For more information, visit the Cass County Conservation District’s Facebook page or call Blyveis at (269) 445-8641.