Spring is here! And this year that has meant lots of sunshine during many of our field trips with students this month. We started the month with an Eye on Nature trip at Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge which was great fun and gave students the chance to practice their observational skills and participate in community science. South Sound GREEN, along with Pacific Shellfish Institute, also met North Thurston Public Schools students at both Meyer’s Point Environmental Field Station and Squaxin Park for high school biology field trips where students tested water quality, collected and looked at plankton, went on nature mapping walks, and surveyed riparian buffers. In addition to being out in the field, SSG has been working on preparations for Olympia School District nearshore trips happening next month with 3rd and 8th graders. We have a lot to look forward to this spring!
We also helped to coordinate the South Puget Sound Regional Envirothon competition that took place at Squaxin Park this month. Teams of high school students from 11 schools and five counties competed in hands-on environmental exams including an oral presentation. Students also had the chance to talk with environmental scientists and educators about their careers. It was a great day – congratulations to everyone who participated! If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about the competition or would like to be involved next year, please contact Sam Nadell at snadell@thurstoncd.com.
TEACHERS – we are currently planning the 2024 Summer Institute for Teachers, so please, keep an eye out for information coming soon!
