Riverside Nature Center’s July lineup mixes nature walks with flood-warning and screwworm talks

Riverside Nature Center has a full slate of programs in July, most of them free, ranging from family nature nights to talks on two subjects still very much in the local news.

The center, at 150 Francisco Lemos St., will be closed Saturday, July 4, for Independence Day; staff said they are taking the day for reflection and celebration.

Two of the month’s talks track stories still unfolding in Kerr County. On Monday, July 13, UGRA General Manager Tara Bushnoe will lead a community conversation about the Guadalupe River Flood Warning System and RiverHub, the authority’s new public dashboard of real-time rainfall, river levels, streamflow and flood forecasts. On Tuesday, July 21, Kerr County Extension Agent Sam Womble will give a statewide and local update on the New World screwworm, with guidance on protecting pets, livestock and wildlife. A July 11 riparian plant walk with UGRA’s Travis Linscomb will also focus on how the river’s plant community is recovering a year after the flood.

The full July schedule:

• Nature Night: Secrets of the Bees — Tuesday, July 7, 6-7 p.m. A National Geographic film on bees and other pollinators, with free popcorn. Free; register online.
• Plant Walk & Talk — Saturday, July 11, 8:30-9:30 a.m. A riparian walk along the River Trail with UGRA’s Travis Linscomb on the river plant community’s recovery. Free; register.
• Community Day at Kerrville-Schreiner Park — Saturday, July 11, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. The center joins UGRA to demonstrate the Guadalupe River Basin, with music, crafts and activities; park admission waived. Free.
• Gotta Catch ‘Em Y’all: 30 Years of Pokémon — Saturday, July 11, 3-5 p.m. Native-plant “routes” to find hidden Pokémon, the science behind the creatures, and a cosplay warm-up. $5 suggested donation; register.
• Flood Warning System & RiverHub — Monday, July 13, 1-2 p.m. A community conversation with UGRA General Manager Tara Bushnoe on the flood-warning system and the RiverHub dashboard. Free; register.
• Bird Walk & Talk — Saturday, July 18, 8-9:30 a.m. A morning of bird observation with local birders; space is limited and the location is shared on registration. Free; register.
• Moth Night — Saturday, July 18, 7:30-11 p.m. A talk and live “mothing” event with wildlife biologist Craig Hensley to open National Moth Week (July 18-26). $5, or $20 per family of up to six.
• New World Screwworm Update — Tuesday, July 21, 1-2 p.m. Kerr County Extension Agent Sam Womble on the pest’s spread and on protecting pets, livestock and wildlife. Free.
• Nature Night: Butterfly Walk & Talk — Tuesday, July 21, 6-7 p.m. A family butterfly walk in the center’s garden. Free; register.
• 1-on-1 with a Naturalist — Friday, July 24, 10 a.m.-noon. A certified Texas Master Naturalist answers questions about native flora, fauna and the Hill Country environment. Free.
• Riverside Rangers — Saturday, July 25, 10 a.m.-noon. The children’s program for ages 8-12 focuses on botany in July. $7, or $65 for the full year; register.

Registration for most programs is at RiversideNatureCenter.org. The center can be reached at 830-257-4837.