Fish and Wildlife Research Trip - West Ada

Fish and Wildlife Research Trip CTE News: December 2016 “Unforgettable, inspiring, amazing, and radical” were the one-word descriptors students used to describe their fourday outdoor research adventure. West Ada’s Ag Science and Natural Resource instructor, Katie Mosman, created the contextual learning opportunity for her Fish and Wildlife class to go on an interactive Research field trip in the McCall area. Seventeen students jumped on board to be part of a first annual exploration trip that included a tour of McCall Fish Hatchery and local Smokejumper Base where they learned about fire ecology. While there, the student participants were introduced to an owl brought in by Snowdon Wildlife Rehabilitation Center and engaged in a discussion about the care of such animals and the related rehab wildlife work that they do at the center. In addition, University of Idaho graduate students shared wildlife rehab veterinary care experiences. An orienteering leadership workshop was conducted by Gary Thompson, a Leadership Coordinator for the University of Idaho’s McCall Outdoor Science School. Gary has a B.A. in Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education from Brevard College. In the field, students explored the surroundings and practiced their wildlife tracking,

identification, and data collection skills to create experiments based on inquires and observations. Along with outdoor exploration they also were exposed to related careers. Watch this short video to see and hear what students appreciated about the opportunity to apply classroom knowledge in the wilderness. https://youtu.be/F0DgkzUohOQ Next time you spend a little time outdoors perhaps ponder the inspiring words of Nancy Newhall, best known for putting text to Ansel Adams famous photos, “The wilderness holds answers to questions man has not yet learned to ask.”