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Canoe the Great Marsh

f you are looking for an adventure this summer, I can guarantee you will find it while canoeing the Great Marsh of Fontenelle Forest’s Wetlands. I didn’t know what to expect when I started the program last year. I didn’t even know if people would be able to find the wetlands! It’s a secret place for sure, but that’s what makes it so special.

There’s a stillness over the water that comes from a habitat that is thriving and free of human worry. West of the hills the cities of Omaha and Bellevue are quickly moving, always in a hurry, but the Great Marsh is bustling in a completely different way. The breeze runs through the tall grasses at the edge of the water while Belted Kingfishers chatter their way through the large Cottonwoods. The beaver lodge stands proudly and Great Blue Herons squawk like dinosaurs with wings.  Everything moves, and yet time doesn’t seem to.

There’s a magic in our wetlands that sparks the imagination and challenges the mind, and no matter how your day was going up to that point -spending time there always makes it a great day. We all laugh (and maybe scream) when a silver carp makes a daring jump into someone’s canoe, and we build stronger relationships as we work together with those in our canoe to get where we want to go. I feel so privileged to be one of the leaders for this program, and I love that it’s a way for people of all ages to connect with each other and an ecosystem that is vital to our world!

I hope to see you all out there this summer!

– Grace Gaard, naturalist

Canoe the Great Marsh on most Wednesday  evenings and Saturday mornings throughout the summer and into September / October. Registration is required.

Visit Forest Now for a complete listing of upcoming programs.

Fontenelle Forest is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt nonprofit.

Make a tax deductible donation NOW

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