Today is Earth Day, a time to celebrate all that this planet provides us, but individuals and families will have to celebrate on their own this year. The COVID-19 outbreak has made it difficult for gatherings of people to be held safely, but those who live under the same roof can still find ways to get outside and enjoy everything the Earth has to offer. Washington County Naturalist Megan Jorgensen tells KCII News about some activities families can still enjoy outside while practicing social distancing, “I would always recommend getting outside and going for a hike. I remember as a young kid going for a hike with my parents. Those are some of my best memories because we got the opportunity to explore and kind of discover what we could find in the woods. There are also different nature scavenger hunts that you can do. You can create them on your own or I know we’ve posted a couple of them on our Facebook page. So that’s another great way that you can get outside with your family while also bringing a little bit of interacting with nature into it or education.”

Jorgensen also recommends planting a tree, starting a garden, or hunting as activities to celebrate and enjoy the great outdoors. Executive Director Zach Rozmus says state trails have seen a 200-percent increase in usage over the past few weeks. Rozmus recommends fishing at the various conservation properties or going for a walk around the multiple trails in the county.