With spring here, activity is picking up at Sarett Nature Center near Benton Harbor.

Sarett Director Nate Fuller tells us it’s a good time to visit.

“This is my absolute favorite time of year because every couple days, there’s something brand new either blooming or popping its head up,” Fuller said. “A new animal, a new bird, a new flower. Every day is something special.”

So, what are visitors doing this April?

“Everyone hits the trails, and this time of year they’re taking walks on our boardwalks where they are dipping out into the wetlands to see the marsh marigolds. We put on a phenomenal display. Marsh marigolds are a type of buttercup and so you get a yellow carpet throughout the the swamp forest.”

And the forest is alive.

“The forests are just starting to wake up. I saw my first blooming toothwort flower today. The blood roots started blooming about four days ago. Spring beauties are getting ready to lift their heads up in wild hepatica. It’s, like I say, every couple days, the next sunny, warm day, I’m excited to see who else has woken up.”

They have nine miles of trail at Sarett Nature Center.

Fuller says visitors are also likely to check out the ambassador animals indoors, and in May, the butterfly house will open with more than 500 occupants that anyone can walk among. The otters living on the property are also a popular sight, when you can catch them. Fuller says the otters are so elusive, he’s never run into them. But there are more critters to see.

“The beavers are a little more cooperative. They’ve been building dams like crazy and adding more ponds out here at the nature center. So they’re around quite a bit. The turtles have all woken up. One of our naturalists counted 44 painted turtles basking on logs.”

And bird watchers will have plenty to see at the center as the weather warms.

“Come May, we’ve got all sorts of fun birding opportunities. One of my favorite things is Birding for Beginners, for people who say, ‘I’m curious about this birding thing but i don’t want to get thrust into it with all these hard core people with binoculars. I don’t know where to begin.’ That’s one of my favorite classes to teach.”

Fuller says Sarett will also be pleased to welcome teams of volunteers for its annual Earth Day trail cleanup event this month. The center at 2300 North Benton Center Road attracts 15,000 to 20,000 weekend visitors per year, along with around 9,000 students during the week.

“This time of year, it’s lot of people from Berrien County coming out to enjoy their favorite spring hikes, but we can get a lot of visitors from the Chicagoland, Indianapolis, even Kentucky now that word’s gotten out that we’re one of the best places to visit if you’re going to be in Berrien County because kids are always free here, no entrance fees for kids. Adults, it’s a nominal expense of $3 to $5 per visit.”

Follow Sarett Nature Center’s website website for news on the latest programs and events.