LEESBURG — The Lake County Parks & Trails Division is inviting the public to celebrate 2009 Earth Day on Saturday, April 18, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at PEAR Park, located at 5336 University Ave., Leesburg, with nature hikes, educational presentations and informational exhibits.

Bird watching hikes with Park Ranger Gallus Quigley are scheduled for 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. A butterfly hike is set for 10:30 a.m. and a geocaching tutorial is scheduled for 10 a.m.

Beginning at 10 a.m., a series of speakers will present educational topics, including:
• 10 to 10:50 a.m. — “Florida Invasive Plants” by Lauren Brothers, Environmental Technician with Lake County Public Lands Section
• 11 to 11:50 a.m. — “Surficial Geology of Central Florida” by Eugene Bouley with PEAR Association
• 12 to 12:50 p.m. — “Rock Cycle Display” by Eugene Bouley
• 1 to 1:50 p.m. — “Birding Lake County” by Gallus Quigley, Park Ranger with Lake County Parks & Trails Division
• 2 to 3 p.m. — “Land Restoration” by Wendy Poag, Park Ranger with Lake County Parks & Trails Division

In addition, at 10 a.m. a host of exhibitors will display informational booths about protecting the environment. Exhibitors include Trout Lake Nature Center, Ocklawaha Valley Audubon Society, Lake County Water Authority, St. Johns River Water Management District, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, PEAR Association, Florida Native Plant Society, Audubon Center for Birds of Prey, master gardeners from the Lake County Agricultural Center, Lake County Public Lands Section and Lake County Department of Environmental Utilities.

The PEAR Park Association, which is a volunteer group of local residents, will be selling food, refreshments and native plants to raise funds for restoration and education efforts at the park.

For more information about the 2009 Earth Day, call Park Ranger Gallus Quigley at (352) 253-4950, e-mail parksandtrails@lakecountyfl.gov or log on to www.lakecountyfl.gov.