Listen closely next time you walk near the riverbank, and you’ll hear a low, rhythmic chorus of frogs echoing through the weeds. These tiny creatures rely on us to keep their watery homes safe and clean. You don’t need a degree in wildlife biology to be a conservation champion – you just need a willingness to look a little closer at the world around us.

World Nature Conservation Day is observed every year on July 28. It is a beautiful reminder that a healthy environment is the foundation for a happy, thriving community. Best of all, protecting our local ecosystems is a team effort that the whole family can join.

Here are five simple, hands-on ways your family can celebrate right here in our North Texas backyard.

1. Explore and Protect the Riparian Buffer

Step onto Arlington’s nature trails, and you are immediately surrounded by the hum of a living forest. As you follow the winding paths closer to the banks of the Trinity River, the dense wall of green trees and thick grasses completely transforms the landscape. This dedicated band of vegetation running right along the water’s edge is what scientists call a riparian buffer, and it serves a vital, year-round purpose for our entire ecosystem.

Think of this buffer as nature’s giant sponge and water filter. During heavy seasonal downpours, the deep roots of our native trees and grasses keep the soil intact, trapping pollution before it reaches the water and drastically reducing flooding in our neighborhoods. When the weather turns blistering hot, this same dense canopy casts essential shade over the water, keeping the river cool enough for fish and aquatic life to survive. From protecting the shoreline to providing a safe haven for wildlife, this hardworking strip of land is active every single day of the year.

• Family Activity: Take a walk along the river overlooks.
• The Conservation Rule: Challenge your kids to see who can spot the most exposed tree roots, and remind them to stay on the designated paths so those vital roots and grasses don’t get stepped on or damaged.

2. Ditch the Single-Use Habit on Hikes

Every piece of trash that stays out of our forest keeps a local animal safe. When plastic bags or bottles wind up near the water, they break down into tiny pieces that look like food to the turtles, fish, and birds that call the Trinity River home.

• Family Activity: Invest in fun, reusable water bottles for the kids and pack snacks in washable containers for your next park visit.
• The Conservation Rule: Turn it into a game of “Leave No Trace.” See if your family can complete an entire afternoon hike without generating a single piece of trash to throw away at the trailhead.

3. Map the Park as Citizen Scientists

River Legacy Parks is a massive 1,300-acre floodplain home to more than 300 plant and animal species. Our land is bursting with biodiversity – which just means a wide, healthy variety of living things sharing an ecosystem. We need to know who is living here to protect them properly!

• Family Activity: Download a free, kid-friendly nature app like iNaturalist before your visit.
• The Conservation Rule: Let your children use your phone to safely photograph bugs, leaves, and tracks along the paths. The app automatically identifies the species, turning your family walk into a real scientific survey that helps researchers track the health of our local wildlife.

4. Immerse Yourself with the Discovery Trail App

Technology and nature come together to form an incredible learning tool on our trails! Families can completely transform their outdoor experience using the Discovery Trail App, an augmented reality mobile experience that brings the local wilderness to life right before your eyes. It serves as a fun, educational guide that helps you navigate the lush woodlands surrounding the Nature Center.

As you explore, you can use the app to uncover virtual wildlife at eleven interactive markers scattered throughout the grounds. Kids can capture photos, complete interactive quizzes to test their knowledge, and learn fascinating details about native plants and animals. A huge shoutout goes to Virtual Wild for creating this immersive experience. We also extend our deepest thanks to the Women Inspiring Philanthropy organization for funding the iOS app, and the Sid W. Richardson Foundation for funding the Android version.

• Family Activity: Download the Discovery Trail App on iOS or Android before heading out.
• The Conservation Rule: Use the interactive guide to actively discuss the area’s rich biodiversity as a family. Completing the quizzes together helps reinforce respectful wildlife observation and deepens your connection to the local ecosystem.

5. Give Back Through Local Cleanups

A healthy environment is a community achievement. Every year, about 1,000 volunteers give their time to help us deliver programs and keep our trails pristine. Taking care of this space is a proud tradition passed down from neighbor to neighbor.

• Family Activity: Check the River Legacy calendar for volunteer opportunities like Privet Patrol. 
• The Conservation Rule: If you can’t make a formal event, bring a pair of gloves and a small grocery bag on your next family walk. Gathering just a few stray pieces of litter along the 10-mile mountain bike trail makes a massive immediate impact for the next family – and animal – that passes through.

6. Turn Your Own Backyard Into a Wildlife Haven

Preservation doesn’t have to stop when you leave the park gates. You can extend right into your own neighborhood by creating a safe stepping stone for traveling wildlife.

• Family Activity: Visit a local nursery to pick out native Texas wildflowers, like Purple Coneflower or Texas Lantana, to plant in your garden or backyard pots.
• The Conservation Rule: Native plants require much less water to thrive and provide essential food for local pollinators like Monarch butterflies and bumblebees. Your kids will love watching the backyard come alive with color and movement!

The Legacy Starts With You

Our community has kept these bottomland woods wild and beautiful for generations, and the next chapter belongs to our children. Every major environmental victory begins with a single family choosing to value the natural world around them.

This World Nature Conservation Day, visit the River Legacy Nature Center to explore our interactive environmental exhibits and see native wildlife up close. You can also directly empower the next generation of caretakers by making a donation to support our hands-on environmental education programs.

Plan your family visit to the Nature Center today!