Water lessons: Corvallis students get out of the classroom to learn about resource

CORVALLIS – Getting students outside in the fresh air, sunshine and water – lots of water – is the goal of Bitterroot Valley naturalists who want to pass on their love of science and the Earth. The Bitter Root Water Forum and natural resource professionals are conducting water quality monitoring field trips for valley seventh-grade students as part of their Earth Stewardship Program.

“Through ESP, we are trying to ensure that children in the Bitterroot Valley have regular exposure to natural resource topics like native fish, snowpack and watershed health by getting local professionals into classrooms every month,” said Katie Vennie, Big Sky Watershed Corps member for the water forum. “Water is such an important resource in this valley, so it’s vital that kids are exposed to the importance of water quality monitoring. Plus, it is fun. ”

More than 300 seventh-graders from Ravalli County schools are connecting with natural resource professionals for watershed and environmental education. The field trips began with Corvallis on a beautiful day at the Teller Wildlife Refuge. The students rotated through several learning stations: birds, Salish games, fish, and one of the favorites was learning about stream monitoring. Dave Schultz of the Bitter Root Water Forum was the educator at this station, where the sun and warmth of the day had students eager to enter the water at Willow Creek.

Read the whole article in the Ravalli Republic.