By Casey Smith, Naturalist
Water is extremely important. It makes up 60 percent of the human body and covers more than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface. Every known organism needs water to survive, even if it’s a miniscule amount. Water is used to grow our crops, to generate electricity, and to transport goods. And right now, water is in crisis. From plastic pollution to climate change, the water of the world is suffering. Glaciers are melting, sea levels are rising, the oceans are warming up, and coral reefs are dying. According to thewaterproject.org, half of the world’s hospital beds are filled with people suffering from a water related disease. Drought contributes to more wildfires. Warmer oceans create stronger hurricanes and negatively impact the fish, crustaceans, mammals, and other marine animals who live there. For these reasons, we’ve decided to focus this year’s summer exhibits on the World of Water. All our staff have been working hard to create and build these new displays and we are excited to share them with you this summer.
Friday, May 24 at 6 p.m. will be the free kickoff event at Deer Haven Park. Check out our new exhibit on bogs, marshes, vernal pools, wetlands, and watersheds. Learn what you can do at home to help keep water clean and safe. Go “fishing” in the library, check out the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission’s 2,200-gallon mobile aquarium, and stick around for the animated movie “Deep” starting at 9 p.m. The Visitor Center will then be open daily 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
On Saturday, May 25 starting at 11 a.m., swim on over to Shale Hollow Park to drink in the new exhibits on oceans and streams. The Newport Aquarium WAVE Foundation will have live stingrays from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Then from 2:30 – 5:30 p.m., meet live aquatic turtles. Discover the water cycle and learn about small changes you can make in your everyday life that can affect the health of the world’s water. Shale Hollow Park will then be open Wednesday – Sunday, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
We can’t wait for you to join us this summer for World of Water!
