HUNT HILL NATURE CENTER

Nature is omnipotent at Hunt Hill Nature Center and Audubon Sanctuary near Sarona, a center for earth awareness and environmental education.

Hunt Hill sponsors programs on nature, wilderness skills, ecology, canoeing, and natural history -- focusing on stewardship skills and immersing people in nature to deepen their understanding and appreciation for their environment. The sanctuary covers 401 acres of mature maple-basswood-oak forest, groves of ancient white pines, meadows, and tamarack bogs.

The sanctuary's diverse habitats support many plants and animals that have disappeared from other areas due to habitat deterioration and fragmentation.

In Dory's Bog, for example, visitors can find the carnivorous sundew, pitcher plants, and other unusual species. The undisturbed aquatic and terrestrial communities support ospreys, bald eagles, common loons, and other rare animals and plants.

Against that backdrop, Hunt Hill offers classes and weekend get-togethers geared to every age group.

Some of the programs are multi-day camps or residential programs for children or adults, while others are short classes held in the evening or on a weekend day.

The sanctuary is run by Friends of Hunt Hill, a nonprofit group that leases the nature center from the National Audubon Society.

Information is available by calling 635-6543.