Owls Hill Nature Sanctuary Inc

SEE SCHEDULE OTO PROVIDE A PROTECTED SANCTUARY FOR NATIVE WILDLIFE AND THEIR HABITATS WHILE CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH NATURE IN WAYS THAT INSPIRE EXPLORATION AND LIFELONG ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION.

CAMP PROGRAMS SPRING BREAK CAMP AND SUMMER CAMP PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE LIVES OF CHILDREN. THEY PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP NEW FRIENDSHIPS, TRY NEW ACTIVITIES, DEVELOP SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SKILLS AND BE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE. SPREAD OVER 11 WEEKS, 235 CAMPERS (AGES 5 16) SPENT 6,800+ HOURS OUTDOORS, UNPLUGGED FROM ELECTRONICS, EXPLORING NATURE. OHNS EDUCATORS AND GUEST SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS PRESENTED 300 HOURS OF INFORMAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMMING. CAMPERS TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE SUNSHINE, OPEN SPACE, AND FRESH AIR AT THE NATURE SANCTUARY. WEEKLY ACTIVITIES INCLUDED HIKING, CRAFTS, LIVE ANIMAL PRESENTATIONS, FREE PLAY, UNSTRUCTURED LEARNING AND EXPLORING THE VARIOUS HABITATS AT OWL'S HILL.

CONSERVATION & RESEARCH-1 ACRES OF INVASIVE PLANTS REMOVED.-59 INDIVIDUALS VOLUNTEERED 619 HOURS TOWARD CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECTS MONITORING PLANT AND WILDLIFE POPULATIONS.-517 BIRDS RECORDED DURING BIRD COUNTS REPRESENTING 94 SPECIES (62% DECREASE IN SPECIES FROM PRIOR YEAR)-100 BIRDS OVER 10 SESSIONS BANDED AND RECORDED. EIGHTEEN (18) SPECIES REPRESENTED IN THE FALL AND 25 SPECIES REPRESENTED IN THE SPRING.-745 BUTTERFLIES RECORDED DURING REPRESENTING 58 SPECIES (38% INCREASE IN SPECIES FROM PRIOR YEAR)-MAINTAINED LEVEL 1 ARBORETUM CERTIFICATION WITH THE TENNESSEE URBAN FORESTRY COUNCILWILDLIFE PROTECTIONWE ARE PERMITTED BY THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE AGENCY TO CARE FOR SIX (6) NON-RELEASABLE OWLS. THESE EDUCATIONAL WILDLIFE AMBASSADORS ARE ON PERMANENT OUTDOOR DISPLAY FOR OUR VISITORS; CURRENTLY TWO WORK ON THE GLOVE AND ARE USED IN SCHOOL AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS. OTHER WILDLIFE AMBASSADORS INCLUDE A CORN SNAKE, A TIGER SALAMANDER, MILLIPEDES, EASTERN BOX TURTLE AND A ROCK DOVE (FKA ROCK PIGEON). WE ALSO PARTNER WITH LICENSED NON-PROFIT WILDLIFE REHABILITATORS AS A RELEASE-SITE FOR SUCCESSFUL REHABILITATIONS. TO DATE, MORE THAN 156 REHABILITATED OWLS, HAWKS AND KESTRELS HAVE BEEN RELEASED AS WELL AS NUMEROUS MAMMAL SPECIES INCLUDING RED FOX, GREY FOX, RABBIT, AND RACCOONS.NATURE MATTERSRESEARCHERS ARE ASSEMBLING A GROWING BODY OF EVIDENCE THAT STRONGLY SUGGESTS THE IMPORTANCE OF NATURE TO CHILDREN'S HEALTH AND THEIR ABILITY TO LEARN. WHILE THE TREND IN AMERICA IS CLEARLY TILTED TOWARD INDOOR DIGITAL TIME, THERE ARE A VAST NUMBER OF BENEFITS IN MOTIVATING CHILDREN (AND ADULTS) TO BE OUTDOORS. SOME OF THESE MANY BENEFITS INCLUDE BUILDING CONFIDENCE, PROMOTING CREATIVITY, LEARNING RESPONSIBILITY, EXERCISE, REDUCING STRESS AND DEVELOPING A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.AUDIENCES WE REACHOWL'S HILL IS A SPECIAL PLACE FOR VISITORS OF ALL AGES, CLASS, GENDER, AGE AND ABILITY TO EXPLORE THE GREAT OUTDOORS, LEARN ABOUT OUR NATIVE WILDLIFE AND CONNECT WITH NATURE. WE ENGAGE A DIVERSE CONSTITUENCY WITH YEAR-ROUND SCHOOL AND PUBLIC PROGRAMMING, SCOUT PROGRAMS, WORKSHOPS, LECTURES, HIKING TRAILS, TENNESSEE NATURALIST TRAINING, OUTREACH PROGRAMS AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES.

PUBLIC PROGRAMS: (TOTAL VISITATION: 10,848) -7,159 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS (REPRESENTING 2 COUNTRIES, 38 STATES AND 30 COUNTIES IN TN)-2,607 DAY PASS VISITORS -4 COMPLETED SCOUT CAPSTONE PROJECTS (EAGLE AND STARS & STRIPES); 73 VOLUNTEERS AND 405 HOURS OF SERVICE-465 VOLUNTEERS 3,821 HOURS OF SERVICE ($110,809 VALUE)-30 ADULTS COMPLETED THE 10-MONTH TENNESSEE NATURALIST PROGRAM-MAINTAINED 4.5 MILES OF HIKING TRAILS

SCHOOL PROGRAMS OWL'S HILL EDUCATORS IGNITED CURIOSITY IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND NATURE FOR 3,290 MIDDLE TENNESSEE SCHOOLCHILDREN AND TEACHERS, REPRESENTING SCHOOLS FROM 10 DISTRICTS IN NINE COUNTIES, THROUGH NATURE-BASED SCHOOL PROGRAMMING HOSTED ON- AND OFF-SITE. FOR THE FOURTH YEAR, OWL'S HILL WAS SELECTED AS A METRO NASHVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS STEAM PARTNER; REACHING 1,208 3RD GRADE STUDENTS AND 60 TEACHERS AT 20 SCHOOLS WITH OUTREACH PROGRAMMING.