Mass Audubon’s South Coast Sanctuaries were recently awarded $5668.00 in grant funding from the Wareham-based Makepeace Neighborhood Fund to administer a new summer youth program, Discovery Days at the Lyman Reserve, in collaboration with The Trustees of Reservations and Wareham Land Trust.

The grant will provide a free, weekly outdoor experiential learning opportunity for 12 children, grades K-5, from the communities of Wareham and Plymouth that will allow them to explore and enjoy a phenomenal natural community resource and connect with nature.

The program will run July 21st – 24th and August 18th – 21st, and will offer overnight family camp-out opportunities at the Reserve both Thursdays, to engage parents and encourage time spent outdoors and “unplugged” as a family. The camp-outs will conclude with a light breakfast and morning hike on those Friday mornings.

The Lyman Reserve offers a mix of habitats including beach, brook, field, forest, salt marsh and pine barren, each with its own unique wildlife. Several rare species such as sea-run brook trout, barrens buck moth, and eastern box turtle call the Lyman Reserve home. This location, along with its’ ecological variety, make the Reserve a perfect place to introduce local youth to the nature within their own neighborhoods.

Interested families should contact Diane Lang at the Lyman Reserve to apply for placement at 774.302.0779 or by email at dlang@ttor.org. Applications are due no later than July 11^th.

For more information on Mass Audubon, go to www.massaudubon.org or call the Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary locally at 508-636-2437.