Donation sponsors wetland education

Miriam Ostermann
Times Associate Editor

 

With the help of generous financial assistance, Strathmore’s elementary students will take part in an education program that teaches kids about wetlands through plant identification, waterfowl biology, and invertebrate dip netting.
W.G. Turnbull & Associates recently donated $2,000 to the Strathmore Dinner Committee, with money going towards two days of wetland education. Along with a classroom presentation, students from four classes will head out of the classroom and receive some hands-on experience through a field trip to the George Freeman Marsh. The marsh – appropriately named after a retired Ducks Unlimited Canada manager who played an integral role in the creation many wetland projects in Alberta – serves as a playground for numerous fun activities, while fostering an appreciation for the natural habitat.
“I think it’s just great that a local organization is supporting education for kids because a lot of members of the Strathmore Committee are getting older, so we want to hopefully instill a conservation ethic in the future generation,” said Ashley Rawluck, conservation program specialist with Ducks Unlimited Canada.
“I think it’s important to get them excited and thinking about it at a young age, and hopefully they’ll continue to be a supporter of not just Ducks Unlimited but conservation initiatives for the rest of their lives.”
Former Ducks Unlimited employee and volunteer Jerry Brunen, who contacted W.G. Turnbull & Associates for their contribution, will take 50 Grade 5 students from Westmount Elementary on the first excursion in one week. According to Brunen the Western Irrigation District has been heavily involved over the years in providing kids with such education.
The program will incorporate a treasure trove of biofacts allowing for the students to understand how animals have adapted to their natural environment. An interactive watershed will educate the children on how water flows across the land and the impact we have on water. The classroom presentation will then be followed by a half-day field trip to the marsh.
Representatives from the Ducks Unlimited Strathmore Dinner Committee and Western Irrigation District will educate the two classes from Westmount Elementary on June 12, while two classes from Brentwood Elementary will take part in the program on June 15.