Bear Branch Nature Center
| Bear Branch Nature Center | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Nature Center |
| Location |
300 John Owings Road Westminster, Maryland |
| Coordinates | 39°38′39″N 76°59′26″W / 39.64417°N 76.99056°WCoordinates: 39°38′39″N 76°59′26″W / 39.64417°N 76.99056°W |
| Area | 4,000 sq ft (370 m2) |
| Created | 1993 |
| Operated by | Carroll County, Maryland |
| Hiking trails | 5 miles (8.0 km) |
| Parking | On-site lot |
| Other information | exhibits, live animals, observatory, planetarium |
| Website | ccgovernment.carr.org |
Bear Branch Nature Center is a nature center in Carroll County, Maryland near Westminster. It features interpretive exhibits about local plants and animals, an outdoor water feature and play area, a Discovery Room for children, an observation beehive, live animals including an eagle, hawks, owls, snakes, salamanders, turtles, frogs, and toads, a planetarium and observatory. The center is a facility of Carroll County Recreation & Parks.
The nature center is adjacent to Hashawha Environmental Center, a residential facility that is also operated by Carroll County Recreation & Parks. Hashawha Environmental Center is home to Carroll County Public Schools' Outdoor School, a residential environmental education program open to every sixth grade student in the county.
The two facilities are located on 320 acres, with more than five miles of multi-use trails, a restored 19th century cabin, a lake, a pond, and access to both Bear Branch and Big Pipe Creek. [1]
History
In 1972, the county purchased the land on which Bear Branch Nature Center and Hashawha Environmental Center are built. The name "Hashawha" is a Native American word meaning "old fields."[2]
Hashawha Tower
The Hashawha Tower is a 10m (35 ft) tall windmill donated to Hashawha Westminster, Maryland, located at Hashawha Environmental Center.
Gallery
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Butterflies on display in the Exhibit Hall
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Bear exhibit
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Lake Hashawha
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View of the caretaker's residence
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View of the Exhibit Hall
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Bee hives on the property
References
- ↑ Carroll County Department of Recreation & Parks: Hashawha/Bear Branch, http://ccgovernment.carr.org/ccg/recpark/hashawha/, accessed 29 Aug 2014.
- ↑ A Bark in the Park: The 50 Best Places to Hike With Your Dog in the ... - Doug Gelbert - Google Boeken
External links
- Hashawha/Bear Branch - Carroll County Recreation & Parks
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