Did you miss last month’s webinar with Pete Wadden, the Landscape Stewardship Coordinator at Walking Mountains Science Center, to talk about an exciting partnership in Eagle County connecting youth to their local rivers. Check it out today! Pete works with several organizations to make this program happen each year, including the National Forest Foundation, US Forest Service, Colorado Mountain College, Vail Resorts and Walking Mountains Science Center. This partnership allows the different entities to work together to achieve organizational goals, while providing unique opportunities for local youth.
This program provides valuable experience and income for local youth, while collecting data for the US Forest Service that may otherwise not be collected due to budgetary and personnel limitations. Local high school students in Eagle County have the opportunity to apply for this internship which includes college credit from Colorado Mountain College and a weekly stipend. The program is a mix of classroom activities, readings, papers and field work. Youth are encouraged to think about the importance of local resources, especially rivers, and take an active role in protecting them. Hands-on water testing and fish counts give students an opportunity to get outside and have fun in a new and engaging way.
If you are looking for an exciting way to connect high school students to their local rivers and engage them in river protection, check out Pete’s webinar Engaging Youth with Rivers through Experiential Education. Pete talks about the importance of partnerships and the amazing experience of spending 6 weeks learning about river conservation and getting out in the field. This program is an excellent way to connect youth to their local rivers and encourage stewardship values. Thank you Pete and partners for all of your hard work!
