EARTH DAY EVENTS

Springs Preserve to celebrate 'What on Earth Day'

In honor of Earth Day, the Springs Preserve, located at 333 S. Valley View Blvd., is planning a very special celebration Saturday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. to recognize the world's greenest day.

"What on Earth Day" will feature fun and informative events and attractions for all ages. Admission to the event is free (regular admission prices apply for museum and gallery access).

Scheduled activities include Green Dreamers Science and Art Fair, Earth Day Olympics, scavenger hunts and special tours, performances by Earthcapades Environmental Vaudeville and Mad Science, featuring hands-on science activities for kids.

In addition to the activities and performances, guests can enjoy spring blooms in the 8-acre botanical gardens, experience water-smart desert landscaping, walk the trails to the Cienega Wetlands and view the remnants of the valley's historic past.

Event attendees will also receive discounts on Kohler WaterSense toilets, which use 20 percent less water than their counterparts. WaterSense is a partnership program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to promote water-efficient products and practices across the country.

Visit www.springspreserve.org for additional information or call 822-7700.

Celebrate Earth Day at Red Rock Canyon

Valley residents are invited to celebrate Earth Day at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area on Saturday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. The free public event at the Red Spring picnic area in Calico Basin will offer environmental education on how to live a more "green" lifestyle, children's activities and appearances by Mojave Max and Summerlin Sam.

The event is hosted by Friends of Red Rock Canyon in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management and is sponsored by The Howard Hughes Corp., developer of Summerlin; Red Rock Canyon Interpretive Association; and REI.

Summerlin has a long history as an environmentally friendly community. In 1987, three years before development began, Hughes made its first land exchange with the BLM to preserve and protect the area around Red Rock Canyon. This exchange contributed to the creation of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area as it exists today. A second land exchange in 2002 added another 1,000-plus acres of sensitive high ground into the conservation area and set aside more than 1,200 acres for a future county trails park.

For more information on Earth Day at Red Rock Canyon, call 515-5360 or e-mail friends@friendsofredrockcanyon.org.

To attend the event, travel west on Charleston Boulevard approximately four miles past the Las Vegas Beltway, toward Red Rock Canyon; make a right at the Calico Basin sign and continue to the Red Spring picnic area. Parking is free.