Families and children of all ages will have the opportunity to experience Michigan’s natural wonders firsthand when they visit the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Pocket Park during the 2005 Michigan State Fair in Detroit on Aug. 10-21.

A green oasis within the fairgrounds, the two-acre Pocket Park becomes an exciting, activity-filled Outdoor Zone during the 12-day fair to encourage families to have fun while experiencing outdoor adventures typical of Michigan’s world-class natural resources.

“The Pocket Park is a substantial effort to bring Michigan’s hunting, fishing and outdoors heritage to the residents of our state’s largest urban area," said DNR Director Rebecca Humphries. “Through this exhibit, we hope to entice families and individuals to visit our state parks and forests, learn more about fishing and hunting, and seek out more ways in which they can participate in Michigan’s great outdoors.”

Always a top destination at the fair, the Outdoor Zone is a partnership between the DNR and the Huron-Clinton Metroparks. The centerpiece of the site is a fishing pond shaped like the Lower Peninsula and stocked with more than 5,000 fish ready for catch-and-release fishing. No fishing experience is needed for parents who wish to bring their children over to the pond. The program is designed to give everyone the chance to have fun learning how to fish. DNR and HCMA volunteers will be at each fishing station to help bait the hook, untangle fishing lines and even take a fish off the hook and release it back to the pond.

Although many of the children who try their luck at the fishing pond may have gone fishing before, that’s not the case with the majority of youngsters who will get their first lesson in shooting at the DNR archery and pellet gun ranges. Most have never held a gun or bow, so the emphasis is on safety. The DNR wants all kids to learn the safe handling of guns and bows by providing them with a supervised shooting experience at the fair.

Visitors also will be able to tour the native plant landscaping and specialty gardens throughout the park or enjoy a wide variety of activities and displays, geared toward families and children. HCMA interpreters will be stationed in the Nature Fun Tent to help youngsters try their hand at several interactive exhibits aimed at introducing kids to wildlife. During the week, a DNR interpreter will present a nature program throughout the day from 1 to 5 p.m., and DNR Becoming an Outdoors-Woman coordinator Lynn Marla will be at the fair on Friday, Aug. 12, from 1 to 5 p.m., with a hunting dog demonstration.

On the weekends, there will be live reptiles and amphibians, bats and birds of prey on display from 1 to 6 p.m. Jim McGrath of Nature Discovery will present his live amphibian and reptile displays where visitors can touch a snake, see frogs and toads, and maybe even see turtles hatching. The Organization for Bat Conservation will have live bats on display and provide advice on managing your land for bats and friendly ways to deal with nuisance bats. Joe Rogers of the Wildlife Recovery Association is bringing several live birds of prey, including owls, hawks and perhaps a turkey vulture Aug. 13-14 only.

Click here to see the daily schedule of events at the DNR Pocket Park.

Admission to the Outdoor Zone and all the activities are free with admission to the fair. Located on the fairgrounds near the Big Stove, the Outdoor Zone will be open from noon to 6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, and from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

The 2005 Michigan State Fair is open daily, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Admission is $9 for adults, $2 for children 11 and under, children under 2 are free. Parking is $5.