Stream Ecology In and Out of the Classroom II

This project is a continuation of an educational program within the Branch of Natural Resources (BNR) at the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon (CTWSRO). Emphasis of this project is to teach stream ecology and watershed stewardship to students in grades K - 12th in various counties. The concept of watershed stewardship was to be introduced to students through both classroom and outdoor field activities. Monitoring the effectiveness of the project was based on: number of outdoor field trips, number of classroom presentations, classroom hours, schools and other institutions reached, participants in workshops/training events within the project, and press releases. The mission statement of this Education and Outreach Program (EOP) is to “connect students to the natural world to become stewards of the land for the preservation of native species for future generations”
Goals of the EOP include:
1. Instill awareness of watershed stewardship
2. Establish and enhance community partnerships
3. Engage students and community members in community service projects
4. Provide educational outreach opportunities for tribal members interested in natural resources field during and after high school.

The need for the project was due to the lack of environmental education and outreach opportunities available for the youth of Warm Springs and in the Madras area. In other areas of Central Oregon, outdoor learning opportunities were available to youth by various organizations, such as Wolftree (an environmental education organization), but their availability to deliver those coordinated events locally was limited. We did learn of some annual local events taking place, such as “Seeds of Discovery” and “Sullivan’s Fish Pond Tour” (described in public awareness section), but these events were not allowing kids to explore the creek in a scientific, hands-on, way.
Activities
Classroom and outdoor activities occurred in the Deschutes River Watershed. The majority of the outreach was with elementary school classes (grades 3-5). Schools that participated in the project include Warm Springs Elementary (Warm Springs), Buff Elementary (Madras), Jefferson County Middle (Madras), Madras High School (Madras), South Wasco High School (Maupin), and Fossil Elementary (Fossil). Classroom activities included a watershed model by Enviroscape teaching point and non-point source pollution, curriculum activities by Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) and the Stream Scene (curriculum activity guide by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife), steelhead dissections and Gyotaku art (fish imprints), Eggs to Fry Incubation project, and a macro-invertebrate water quality lesson. Outdoor learning activities include leading field trips to local streams for salmonid fry releases, stream sampling, and a tour at the Warm Springs National Fish Hatchery.
One project in particular involved the SMILE (Science and Math Investigative Learning Experience) program, a group of fourth and fifth grade students at Warm Springs Elementary. For ten weeks on every Thursday, project personnel would teach the class. Topics covered over the ten weeks include, fish ecology and biology, water quality, watershed stewardship, and macro-invertebrates. The class went on three field trips; the first was to release the steelhead raised in the classroom; the second and third was to perform field sampling based on a hypothesis formed in the classroom.
• Pi Ume Sha Health Fair – A one-day event to interact with the Warm Springs community members about watersheds.
• “Seeds of Discovery” –
• Sullivan’s Fish Pond Tour –
• Natural Resources Day –
• Salmon Camp at Hancock Field Station
• Warm Springs National Fish Hatchery tour
• Culture Camp –

In watersheds where outreach will occur support natural spawning populations of numerous species of fish including but not limited to spring Chinook, fall Chinook, bull trout, summer steelhead, and lam-prey. These species of fish among other aquatic organisms will benefit indirectly as the education and outreach program seeks to teach students and public about stream ecology and the importance of fish conservation. It is also the goal of the program to emphasize the importance of fish conservation as part of tribal members cultural heritage.