STRONG CITY — BARK Ranger Day will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 27 at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. After a brief orientation and presentation about the meaning behind the BARK Ranger, leash your four-legged dog and head out on a hike with the ranger along the Southwind Nature Trail. This ranger-guided hike is designed to encourage responsible ethics when exploring the preserve with your pet, and while supplies last, he’ll have a chance to win a BARK Ranger pendant.
The BARK Ranger Program can be found at various National Park Service sites across the United States. Each BARK Ranger program is unique to each site, but follows the meaning of BARK. B-Please put trash in bags and A-Always keep your dog on a leash. R-Respect wildlife and K-Know where you can go. Pets are welcome year-round on three of his trails within the preserve, and one is seasonal. A trail map showing 16 miles of dog-friendly trails is available at the visitor center or can be downloaded from the website.
This program is being offered as part of National Parks Week, a nine-day celebration of all “parks,” as well as the nation’s more than 400 national parks of all shapes, sizes, and types. And learn how the National Park Service, through our programs and partners, protects natural and cultural heritage and provides recreational opportunities in locations across the country and around the world.
This year’s National Parks Week will be held from April 20th to April 28th. National Park Service parks, programs and partners will host events and activities throughout the week. Follow National Park Week on social media and join in the fun all week long using #NationalParkWee.
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, located two miles north of Strong City on Kansas Route 177 (Flint Hills National Scenic Byway), is a unique public-private partnership between the National Park Service and conservation organizations. For more information, visit the preserve’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/NPS.TallgrassPrairie , its website at www.nps.gov/tapr , or email tapr_interpretation@nps.gov or Call the preserve at (620) 273. -8494 extension 270. To learn more about The Nature Conservancy of Kansas, visit the conservancy’s website at www.nature.org/Kansas or its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/TNCKansas.
