Forty-one students from Little Snake River Valley School (LSRV) spent the afternoon
exploring the aquatic life in Muddy Creek, about 20 miles north of Baggs, WY. The learning adventure was a cooperative project between Trout Unlimited, the Little Snake
River Conservation District, and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Trout Unlimited Green River Project Manager Nick Walrath says the learning experience
for these students is one of the components to securing future fisheries conservation efforts.
“These forty-one students were able to see for their own eyes what species of plants, fish,
and aquatic insects live in and around Muddy Creek,” Walrath said. “Without the students being able to go outside on this field trip and leave their classrooms back in Baggs they might not even know what a valuable wildlife resource they have in their own backyard. If we want people of all ages to be good stewards of our wildlife resources we have to provide them opportunities to make the physical connection to the land and wildlife we need to protect.” Students rotated to four different stations where they learned about the plant species around Muddy Creek, the physical structure, velocity and flow of the creek, the different fish species found in Muddy Creek, and collected aquatic insects called Macroinvertebrates. “If you just drive by this area off Highway 789 all you see are sagebrush and greasewood plants and the country looks so dry and lifeless at times,” Walrath says. “But once you drive away from the highway you find these critical riparian areas, such as Muddy Creek, that provide food, cover, water, and space for so many different species of wildlife, including fish. Those are the key components to habitat and without habitat we won’t have any fish or other wildlife.” Teachers and chaperones from the LSRV School made the event possible, as well as the Weber family by providing access to Muddy Creek through their property. “Students were also treated to a demonstration on how fisheries biologists electroshock waters to sample fish populations,” Walrath said. “The technology of shocking fish has been around since the 1950’s and is nothing new, but many people have never been exposed to this technology.
Many of these students had never observed aquatic insects, or knew how to measure the flow and depth of the creek, or even why that is important for fish conservation. I think everyone learned something on this field trip, as well as having some fun. This experience was pure fun with a purpose. Providing these students the opportunity to make these real connections to wildlife in their own backyards is important because they are responsible for the future of our wildlife.”
exploring the aquatic life in Muddy Creek, about 20 miles north of Baggs, WY. The learning adventure was a cooperative project between Trout Unlimited, the Little Snake
River Conservation District, and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Trout Unlimited Green River Project Manager Nick Walrath says the learning experience
for these students is one of the components to securing future fisheries conservation efforts.
“These forty-one students were able to see for their own eyes what species of plants, fish,
and aquatic insects live in and around Muddy Creek,” Walrath said. “Without the students being able to go outside on this field trip and leave their classrooms back in Baggs they might not even know what a valuable wildlife resource they have in their own backyard. If we want people of all ages to be good stewards of our wildlife resources we have to provide them opportunities to make the physical connection to the land and wildlife we need to protect.” Students rotated to four different stations where they learned about the plant species around Muddy Creek, the physical structure, velocity and flow of the creek, the different fish species found in Muddy Creek, and collected aquatic insects called Macroinvertebrates. “If you just drive by this area off Highway 789 all you see are sagebrush and greasewood plants and the country looks so dry and lifeless at times,” Walrath says. “But once you drive away from the highway you find these critical riparian areas, such as Muddy Creek, that provide food, cover, water, and space for so many different species of wildlife, including fish. Those are the key components to habitat and without habitat we won’t have any fish or other wildlife.” Teachers and chaperones from the LSRV School made the event possible, as well as the Weber family by providing access to Muddy Creek through their property. “Students were also treated to a demonstration on how fisheries biologists electroshock waters to sample fish populations,” Walrath said. “The technology of shocking fish has been around since the 1950’s and is nothing new, but many people have never been exposed to this technology.
Many of these students had never observed aquatic insects, or knew how to measure the flow and depth of the creek, or even why that is important for fish conservation. I think everyone learned something on this field trip, as well as having some fun. This experience was pure fun with a purpose. Providing these students the opportunity to make these real connections to wildlife in their own backyards is important because they are responsible for the future of our wildlife.”
First of all, it is good brining students closer to the nature. Second of all, this is a sort of a research project. This is so cool as later on when students will need to perform research paper assignment writing they will be able to actually write it instead of suing help of top recommended essay sites online. So, one event but two goals are achieved. This is the kind of education I want for my child! I think it has to be like this everywhere.
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