Gary L Herman
Rocky Face Mountain Recreational Area in Hiddenite has been named an official ecoEXPLORE HotSpot to provide an opportunity for children to explore the natural world around them while receiving the benefits of time spent in the outdoors within their community. Rocky Face Park will receive a custom 12-inch by 18-inch aluminum sign that will be posted at the park to inform visitors of the park’s official designation.
The ecoEXPLORE program (Experiences Promoting Learning Outdoors for Research and Education) is an incentive-based community science initiative for children in grades K-8. Developed by The North Carolina Arboretum, this innovative program combines science exploration with kid-friendly technology to foster a fun learning environment for children while encouraging them to explore the outdoors and participate in community science.
See it, snap it, share it! Children and families will enjoy outdoor time together at Rocky Face Park to find living organisms and take photographs to share on ecoEXPLORE.net. High-quality photos will be added to the iNaturalist.org biodiversity database.
“We’re excited that Rocky Face Park has been accepted as an ecoEXPLORE HotSpot,” said Alisha Stamey, Alexander County Parks Director. “We encourage local families to enjoy the great outdoors at Rocky Face and take photos of animals and organisms along the trails to help put us on the ecoEXPLORE map.”
Stamey emphasized that park visitors are advised to stay on the marked trails due to public safety and biodiversity concerns.
Collectively, a statewide network of these family-friendly hotspots is promoted on the ecoEXPLORE.net website hosted by the Arboretum. The hotspots are designed to bring STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) enrichment to families from the mountains to the coast.
Learn more about Rocky Face Park at rockyfacepark.com
Learn more at ecoEXPLORE.net.