If you are concerned about the environment and want to know more about our wildlife and how to preserve both, a visit to the Patuxent Research Refuge National Wildlife Visitors Center is the perfect activity for you and your family.

Located in Laurel, Md., just off the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, the Patuxent Wildlife Center offers the whole family. Hiking trails, tram rides, exhibits, children’s activities and events galore. The visitors center recently underwent renovation and is once again open for business.

From the beautiful mile and a half drive through woodlands, to the incredible exhibits, you will find so much to please you and make you glad to be there. As you approach the visitors center, you will come upon a sculpture of a wolf family. The sculpture is an introduction to one of the exhibits you will see inside. Walking through the door, you will be greeted by a large polar bear, emblematic of the crisis some of our wildlife is undergoing. Moving into the exhibit hall, you will see this sentiment evidenced in the exhibits. The name of the exhibit hall, Wisdom of Wilderness, is taken from a quote by Charles Lindberg: “The future depends on our ability to combine the knowledge of science with the wisdom of wilderness.” As you enter the exhibit area, you will see displays on global concerns, such as pollution and deforestation, prompting you to begin considering what we can all do to improve the health of our planet.

The interactive exhibits that follow will fascinate adults and children alike. You will learn about the migratory patterns of birds; experience the habitat areas of the Chesapeake Bay, the prairie, Hawaiian rainforest, among others, pressing buttons along the way and watching with surprise as creatures appear and disappear among the trees; and finally find yourself in the threatened and endangered species exhibit, featuring 14 species that may disappear if we don’t find ways to mitigate the threat to their existence.

You will see displays of life-sized gray wolves, whooping cranes, sea otters and Canvasback ducks, showing their lifecycles. You will learn how these creatures live in the wild, take care of their young, find food. Here you can view a video, see scientific tools and learn what scientists are doing to assist these valued, threatened creatures. In the viewing pod, you can stop and view the lake through binoculars and scopes. Kids love looking out the large window through these viewing tools that bring the wildlife habitats closer to them. Kids also feel right at home in the lobby of the visitors center, where they can indulge in several hands-on areas.

In addition to spending time with the exhibits in the visitors center, you should take a look outside at the butterfly garden, whose plants draw the beautiful creatures in the summer. You can also spend time fishing in the lakes on the refuge. One of the most fun things you can do is to take a tram tour through the refuge. This guided tram tour, which will take you through woods and wetlands and past lakes, is a great way to experience the center and to learn about the wildlife there. You can see a variety of birds and other wildlife along the way. Tram rides are available from March 14 to mid-November. Call or check the website for schedule. Groups can reserve the tram at other times. If you prefer to walk, the refuge offers several trails that give you the opportunity to view wildlife at your leisure. The trails are a wonderful place for birding. The refuge has 270 observed species of birds. You might make it 271. The trails on the South Tract of the Wildlife Center, where the visitors center is located, are for walking only. On the North Tract, the trails are open to hikers, bikers and horseback riders. You can find out more about the North Tract at the visitors center.

As the name implies, the Patuxent Research Refuge is also a research center where scientists strive to learn more about our threatened wildlife and our threatened environment and how to protect both. The Wildlife Research Center has numerous responsibilities including administering bird banding for all of North America and working with the endangered whooping cranes. The research center is not open to visitors, except during the Patuxent Wildlife Festival in October when visitors can view the whooping cranes. At the visitors center, ask about the interesting story of the whooping crane migration and the ultralight aircraft.

Admission to the visitors center and all events and programs are FREE. There is a minimal charge for the tram tour. The center is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily and closed on federal holidays. The facility is fully accessible. It is located off Powder Mill Road between the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and Rt. 197, south of Laurel, Md.

For information, visit http:// patuxent.fws.gov or call 301-497-5763.