Randall McDonald of Jefferson Township will offer Nature Zone programs at libraries next week in Evans City, Zelienople and Cranberry Township featuring a variety of games and activities for all age groups. McDonald started the program two years ago to help children connect with nature.

In his last job, Randall McDonald traveled 100 places a year working for a company that helped trees grow in urban settings, places where they usually struggle to live.

Now, McDonald is trying to do the same sort of thing with children.

About two years ago, the Jefferson Township man started The Nature Zone, an educational resource that uses nature-based enrichment programs and arts and crafts to help children connect with nature.

Three such programs will be offered at libraries next week in Evans City, Zelienople and Cranberry Township.

During the programs, McDonald said children play a variety of games and activities, including a matching game in which they try to match a skull to the animal it came from.

Some of the matches are fairly easy, he said, mentioning the bear and deer in particular. "The rest of them are hard."

Children also get a chance to see insects trapped in tree sap, as well as a tree-ring timeline.

Accommodating all age groups, McDonald's programs use coloring sheets for preschoolers and more sophisticated activities for older students.

"I have fossil ferns from local areas plus laminated regular fossils."

"I have fossilized cocoons, meglodan shark teeth," he said, explaining the 5-inch meglodan tooth is then compared to a 1.5-inch tooth from a great white shark.

"I have dinosaur poop that I dug up where they built Ekerd (Drug store) on Route 228. It looked like an octopus or something in this slate matrix," he added, explaining authenticity of the 280 million-year-old matter was verified by the University of Pittsburgh.

When explaining a tree's growth rings, McDonald asks students to speculate on the life events of the tree.

As part of the process, students learn large rings would indicate fast growth, tiny rings a drought. Carbon spots would indicate a fire.

"Every 10 years I have a brass pin on it," he said of the markers to indicate historic events. Events include the first man on the moon, the first television and first McDonald's hamburger.

"I poke a little fun at myself," McDonald said. "In 1952, there is a little baby picture of me."

Steve Twentier, director of the Saxonburg Library, described the program as an open house where families could wander in and participate in various activities.The Saxonburg library hosted The Nature Zone in February."It's like a hands-on, self-guided tour," he said."For us, we sometimes get a hundred people at a program, but we easily had 150 or more.""It was a resounding success,"he added.With a degree in forestry, McDonald also does consulting for the Tree Care Industry Association, which he joined 32 years ago.He has worked for the Davey tree company, Plant Health Care International and served in various lecture/consulting capacities.McDonald currently serves on the horticulture committee for the Botanic Garden of Western Pennsylvania, to be built on 400 acres near Pittsburgh.For more information, visit thenaturezone.net.

<b>What: </b>The Nature Zone educational program for all ages<b>Where: </b>11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday at the Evans City Library; 5:30 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Zelienople Library and 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday at the Cranberry Library<b>Admission: </b>Free<b>Information: </b>www.thenaturezone.net

A child uses a magnifying glass to get a closer look at insects trapped in tree sap during a Nature Zone program at the Saxonburg Library in February. Steve Twentier, director of the library, described the program as an open house where families could wander in and participate in various activities. The event attracted about 150 people.