Education & Outreach

Salmon in the classroom is part of our outreach curriculum here at Foster Creek CD. With COVID-19 still looming, this year's outreach efforts look a bit different than in years past. However, with the help of Franklin Conservation District we are still able to provide the same salmon experience of watching the chinook salmon lifecycle, but in a virtual setting. If you're interested in getting involved with this year's curriculum feel free to email Angie at aorpet@fostercreekcd.org!

The Washington State Envirothon Committee is looking for participants for 2021 State Envirothon Competition! If you have a class or group of students interested in participating in this great event contact Angie at aorpet@fostercreekcd.org.

NEW THIS YEAR!

Foster Creek has worked hard on building outreach materials to help your team prepare for the Envirothon Competition, or for classes to use to learn how to use and interpret enviromental tools and data! Envirothon Boxes are available to rent for Forestry, Water Quality, and Soil educational experiences. Through Washington's Orca Grant these boxes are compiled with tools and supporting materials to help students get a hands on learning experience to better understand their environment and the many components of it. Contact Angie if you're interested in renting one of these boxes from Foster Creek!

Education and Outreach Events and Programs:

• Botany Day (usually spring)
• Earth Day at Chief Joseph Dam (April)
• IRIS - Initiative for Rural Innovation and Stewardship (fall summit)
• Kids in the Creek (fall)
• Library programs for adults & students (all year)
• Make A Difference Day (fourth Saturday in October)
• NCW Fair educational booth (August)
• North Central WA Regional Envirothon (April or May)
• PUD Hydropower STEM Academy
• Riparian Restoration Volunteer Days (spring, fall)
• River of Power, Chelan PUD, Rocky Reach Dam (May)
• Salmon in the Classroom (January - May)
• Soil health and water quality tours for adults & students (all year)
• Wenatchee River Salmon Festival (September)
• Wildlife in the shrub-steppe talks with a focus on four key wildlife species: Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit, Greater sage-grouse, Sharp-tailed grouse, and the Washington ground squirrel (all year, as requested)
• Guest appearances at other various events!
   

Teaching Tools:

• Aquatic invertebrate collection
  • A transportable collection of mayfly, caddisfly, dragonfly, stonefly, damselfly, diving beetle, whirligig, water strider, snail, leech, & amphipod (scud)

• Douglas County Watershed Model  
  • Engages the audience through hands-on learning 
  • Demonstrates point & non-point source pollution
  • Sparks a conversation about the various conservation practices that can be installed to reduce the impacts of pollution, enhance water quality & quantity, and increase soil health to benefit humans, fish, and wildlife
• The Incredible Journey - a water cycle game
   
• Pass the Jug 
  • Teaches students about water rights and how pollution is fluid throughout connecting watershed systems
• Salmon Survival Game
  • An active game where students take a journey through the the salmon life cycle and learn about the frequent struggles that salmon face
  • Recommended for larger groups (15+ students) where students play the role of either (1) a salmon, (2) a fisherman, or (3) a salmon predator (bear, osprey)
  • Played at River of Power - a week dedicated to 4th graders in the Wenatchee Valley to learn about salmon, Columbia River dams, and electricity
• Soil sampling equipment 
  • Hands-on experience that demonstrates how to operate high precision measuring equipment to gauge soil health (pH, moisture content, and compaction)
• Water quality sampling equipment & test results

Part of our mission is to serve our community as best as we can, which means listening to your questions and concerns to develop educational materials and opportunities that you would like to see available.

If you have input or would like more information, please contact our office at 509-888-6372.