Immersion Education: Kids in the Creek

Immersion Education: Kids in the Creek

 Abstract: From dissecting fish eyeballs to being swallowed alive by a giant salmon tent, the Deschutes National Forest aquatics program has helped provide educational opportunities the past two decades for Central Oregon youth of all ages (and parents) while having fun.  While the various education programs differ in style and technique, the focus has been on field-oriented, hands-on activities to provide an environment conducive to learning and promote interest, awareness, and appreciation of aquatic resources.  Several thousand Central Oregon youth each year are exposed to fisheries and water resources.  Emphasis areas have been in partnership with the non-profit Kokanee Karnival Youth Education Program, Wolftree, Inc., and Summit High School of Bend.   Kokanee Karnival is a school-year long program targeting 4^th and 5^th grades that has 6 major components involving both classroom and streamside experiences: spawning ground field trip; classroom egg incubator; angling clinic field trip; fish dissection; angler education; and community service project.  In the Wolftree program, biologists mentor a small group of students ranging from elementary to high school age in the forest allowing exploration and discovery.  Students hone their problem solving skills through study of forest and aquatic ecosystems.  Summit High School students assisted biologists and hydrologists from 2003-2006 in collecting pre and post project data for a large-scale restoration project of Tumalo Creek which had been damaged by wildfire and salvage logging.  Data was collected on sediments, channel morphology, macroinvertebrates, and riparian vegetation.  Students analyzed data, summarized results, and presented findings in a public forum.  Through these various programs, the future care and protection of our aquatic resources is being crafted.