A fabulous response to our Slocan River Streamkeepers booth at the 2017 Unity Festival! We were told ours was the most engaging, interactive booth for kids of the whole festival.
Education is a key component of the activities of the Slocan River Streamkeepers. Our program’s coordinator is Shanoon Bennett, a professional environmental educator and longtime Slocan Valley resident. Shanoon is an all-seasons outdoorsperson with a degree in Earth Sciences, and the founder of Huckleberry Adventures, a program dedicated to instilling appreciation for the wonders found in the wilds of our backyards.
In 2016 Shanoon was honoured, by the Columbia Basin Environmental Education Network, with an “Award of Excellence” in Environmental Education for her outstanding contribution to environmental stewardship and education.
In the Fall, Streamkeepers give presentations at local elementary schools and collect field data in conjunction with the Biology 11 class at Mt. Sentinel High School. The unique “partnership” with local schools enables students to have a hands-on experience sampling and collecting data with different types of equipment, and gives an appreciation for science at work.
2018 & the near future…
Looking forward, participation in 2019’s Youth Water Festival in Nelson for the second year in a row will again showcase the invaluable environmental contributions the Slocan River Streamkeepers have made in the education of countless students in the region.
In addition, the ‘Know Your Watershed’ program will be presented to 5 local grade 9 science classes, whereby stream/river science and student-action projects are highlighted. Wetland ecology programs will be a focus for local elementary schools, as well as an engaging interactive environmental education display on hand for local festivals.
