Celebrate Nature's Fireworks

April is Florida Butterfly & Butterfly Gardening Month. Tree Hill mascot, Bella Butterfly, invites you to celebrate Tree Hill style Saturday, April 26, 2008 at the nature center's 7th Annual Butterfly Festival.

The festival features a butterfly exhibit, games and activities for children, live entertainment, special lecturers, food and much more. Guests are encouraged to roam the trails, learn more about butterfly gardening and the environment from local experts, and shop at the Monarch Mall where vendors showcase everything from native plants to yard art and jewelry.

The event runs from noon to 5:00 p.m. and culminates with nature's fireworks - a live native butterfly release. This is a sight guaranteed to delight young and old.

"You will experience a close encounter with 1000 of the gossamer-winged creatures at Tree Hill Nature Center's signature event," exclaimed Lucy Cortese, executive director.

This year's event commemorates Tree Hill's 37th anniversary as Jacksonville's Nature Center and is the premier butterfly festival of Northeast Florida. Annually thousands of visitors flock to this unique family-oriented outdoor celebration of the butterfly. The festival focuses upon edu-tainment - education that is entertaining and enlightening to children and adults.

Over 4,000 nature enthusiasts enjoyed last year's butterfly festival. So don't miss this perfect welcome to spring. Tree Hill will recognize Festival sponsors and partners at a 1:00 pm ceremony in the new beautiful 250-seat amphitheater. Proceeds help Tree Hill Nature Center promote its three-fold mission of Teach Green, Live Green, and Conserve Green.