South Portland Library’s nature-themed events bring education and fun to the community

Joshua Sparks of Spark’s Ark doing a presentation with live animals.

SOUTH PORTLAND — The South Portland Public Library and the South Portland Parks Department have been captivating families with a series of nature-themed events known as “Nature Storytimes.” The engaging program, initiated last fall, was born out of a collaboration between Park Ranger Sydney Raftery, the library staff, and the parks department.

“This program developed from Raftery’s desire to go out into the community to educate people about all things nature-related,” said Jessica Milton, a library staff member.

The concept for these captivating children’s programs sprang from Raftery’s passion for sharing knowledge about the wonders of the natural world with the community. The library and the parks department eagerly joined forces to create an experience that blends storytelling, hands-on activities, and creative crafts, all centered around a different animal theme each month.

courtesy photo/ Jessica Milton

Milton spoke highly of the program, saying, “Parents and children love Nature Storytime. We have a great group of regulars that attend every month, and we see new faces at every event as well, which is awesome. Not only are these programs entertaining and educational, but they also raise awareness about the importance of protecting the animals and their habitats.”

The upcoming events are expected to be as educational as they are entertaining. The next Nature Storytime is scheduled for Nov. 17 at the Main Library. There will be two sessions, one at 10:30 a.m. for children aged 2-5 and another at 3:30 p.m. for children aged 5-12. In November, participants will have the opportunity to learn about wolves. Additionally, the Branch Library on Wescott Road will host its first Nature Storytime on Sunday, Nov. 19, at 1 p.m., where attendees of all ages will explore the world of moose.

The library has been proactive in keeping the community informed about the lineup of Nature Storytime events. The Main Library in partnership with the South Portland Parks Department has announced the following schedule for the events: Nov. 17: wolves and Dec. 8: whales. The library has structured these events for toddlers, aged 2-5, can enjoy the sessions from 10:30 to 11 a.m., while children aged 5-12 can participate from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. The natural world offers numerous possibilities for exploration, innovation, critical thinking, and STEM learning. Engaging with the outdoors enables kids to acquire knowledge through hands-on experiences and test out their ideas. Nature study provides the foundation for formal science studies in the future.

In addition to these educational sessions, on Oct. 21, Joshua Sparks of Sparks’ Ark shared insights about various animals, complete with live animal friends. “As to what I do, I help people out with nuisance wildlife. Whether that is squirrels in an attic that need to be relocated, an animal caught in a fireplace that needs to be taken out or just advice on what you can do to deter animals from getting into things they shouldn’t,” Sparks said.

Sparks said he also takes in unwanted and abandoned exotics and travels all over the state doing outreach programs with some of those. Spark’s Ark has been involved with animals for 30 years. They have a private reserve where animals are rehabilitated, and the Ark is supported in part by generous donations from local animal lovers and businesses. Spark’s Ark offers help in expanding science curriculum and completing a nature, animal, or career badge.