 |
 |
Parks & Rec Business
| Nature Center Programming Effective naturalist programs inspire curiosity, develop a respect of nature and promote long-term environmental stewardship. By Dr. Karen I. Shragg Over the last 35 years, the naturalists here at the Wood Lake Nature Center in Richfield, Minnesota, have worked to provide effective programming to our citizens. We define an effective program as one that inspires curiosity and respect of nature, develops an interest in natural history, offers a hands-on experience (which, hopefully, creates long-term memories) and promotes environmental stewardship. It’s a tall order. But one we believe is needed now more than ever. Repetition -- The Key To Success Through the years, we’ve learned that repeat visits (within the same year) pack more punch and have more sticking power than run-of-the-mill, once-a-year field trips. So, whenever possible, we try to expose students to indoor, grade-appropriate concepts, and then reinforce the message with practical, hands-on, outdoor experiences. To ensure we’re reaching the widest audience possible as often as possible, we’ve worked hard to form a close relationship with our local school district -- offering three free programs to each student in grades K-6 annually. Typically, our three programs revolve around the dramatic change of seasons we experience during the school year (fall, winter and spring), and force our students to draw conclusions based on their own unique discoveries. For example, in our pond-study program, a popular springtime offering, students scoop water and dirt from the marsh, observe their specimens using a microscope projector and discover that what they thought were little swimming bugs are really larvae of soon-to-be-flying insects. The connection, when the student is allowed to make it at his or her own pace, is almost magical. And powerful. So powerful, in fact, we used to stop right there, sending students on their way, secure that they had a better understanding of the value of marshes (or whatever we were studying). But fascination and even respect for the natural world doesn’t necessarily translate to responsible stewardship. Promoting Environmental Stewardship So, recently, we’ve been working to “close the loop” by adding a stewardship component to all of our classes. Sometimes this is as simple as asking students to offer ideas for protecting the portion of the environment covered in the lesson. For example, in the pond-study class, asking students, “How can you help protect the marsh?” elicits some very practical answers and, more importantly, group discussion on the topic. Or, to illustrate the concept of a watershed, we show students a storm water pipe, let them examine debris carried in from long distances and ask, “What is this doing to our watershed?” or “How is that affecting you?” We also believe it’s important to provide working models that demonstrate what students can do at home to be better environmental stewards. For example, we display working worm composters, outdoor compost bins, rain barrels, solar panels and rain gardens to show students how much nature is helped when water is saved, garbage is composted and energy is made directly from the sun. The bottom line is our world is in sore need of responsible environmental stewards. Too many species are being exterminated, and too many resources are being squandered. Evidence is pouring in that children spend less and less time outdoors observing nature’s wonders. It’s also becoming very clear that those who do not make an emotional connection to nature’s beauty are less likely to be concerned with its protection. We’re hoping that our continuing education programs (and yours), coupled with practical stewardship ideas, will help stem the tide. Grants To The Rescue Of course, the number of students you can educate (and how often you can teach them) is usually a matter of finances. Here in Richfield, we recently got a boost to our bottom line when we received a grant from REI Co-op to help us pay for transportation; a low-waste, sustainable, delicious lunch; and the basic tri-annual K-6 program for some of our students. As part of the program, employees of the local REI Co-op will come and meet the kids from a school selected because of its environmental mission and low-income status. The grant, called Project Green-Start, will help to make sure those who can benefit most from investigating a muskrat den, eating a fried cattail or making maple syrup, will get that opportunity. Again, we hope it catches on and leads to more grants, more education and more awareness. Like you, we hope the next generation will have great memories of nature and an understanding of its responsibility in its preservation. Good luck. Dr. Karen I. Shragg is the director of The City of Richfield’s Wood Lake Nature Center in Richfield, Minnesota. She can be reached via e-mail at kshragg@cityofrichfield.org. |
All contents contained within this website may not be reproduced or disseminated without expressed written permission from the Publisher.