SPANISH FORT, Ala.—Spanish Fort’s inaugural Delta Woods and Waters Expo attracted more than 700 people over three days for a crash course in environmental consciousness and, for many, an introduction to the natural beauty right in their own backyards.

“I saw magic happen today,” Mayor Joe Bonner told members of the expo’s steering committee Friday afternoon, following the event’s first two days that shepherded some 550 fourth- and fifth-graders through the intensive, hands-on exploration of the Mobile-Tensaw Delta.

At least another 150 people attended Saturday’s Family Day, but Bonner said he really had no clear count for the event because the venue’s sprawl and the expo’s tight schedule made it difficult to track new arrivals.

Hank Burch, manager of Five Rivers Delta Resource Center—which housed the event and the eight, round-robin activities ranging from kite making and boat handling to casting and the national “Leave No Trace” program—called the event a “definite success.”

“I think we had a very solid slate of activities, with a good mixture of hands-on and lecture-style presentations,” Burch said.

Claudine Andress, the expo’s acting chairman, said Five Rivers was the logical choice for a venue of an event promoting natural education and environmentally-friendly practices, and she applauded the center’s staff for its cooperation in the presence of a massive learning curve.

“It was a lot like playing a game of chess. You have to constantly keep watch over where everything is—where did you put things, where are you going next—and then you step back and think, ‘Maybe we did this right,’” she said.

Of course, organizers have almost 12 months to tweak plans for next year’s event, but Andress said most of the issues were simple logistical considerations no one could have anticipated—save one.

“We definitely should have scheduled a mid-morning bathroom stop for the school children, but you live and learn,” she said. “Our primary goal between now and next year is to identify some things we can provide that nobody else is doing, and we have to remember that this isn’t just for children. It’s for the entire community,” she said.

In that vein, Burch said he was grateful to be involved with a project aimed at helping the only 16-year-old Spanish Fort establish its civic identity.

“We discussed how many communities, big and small, have their signature events based on something the area is known for, from boll weevils to watermelons,” Burch said. “Spanish Fort is blessed with an abundance of woods and water right in our backyard, so we didn’t have to look far to select our theme. Since Five Rivers already serves as a gateway to these woods and waters, it was a natural fit to hold the event here.

“Only time will tell how the residents embrace the event. All I can say is that it appears we’re off to a good start.”