Thanks WCDA
The naturalist program
received a big boost this spring thanks tot the WCDA. We were the recipient of a grant to purchase
a pontoon boat.
I’ve forgotten how many
times the students have asked “can we go fishing in a boat” or the times with
the ecology programs a boat would have been very nice. (the large boat
substitute has on occasion been two canoes lashed together to provide a more
stable platform for setting nets and other activities.
The answer has always been
“no”, but last summer I started to say “we’ll see what happens” to the students
and began planning for a grant application.
In the conservation board
grant applications that I have written to the WCDA, I have always felt that the
conservation board is a valuable part of the counties resources and perhaps
would be one aspect (of many fine features throughout the area) that might help
“grow the county” or encourage our young people to stay in the area when they
grow up and start their own families. And thus applied with that philosophy.
The boat provides a new
avenue for the naturalist programs to grow into. Recreational activities and the learning
experiences that go along with them present a significant value to the
community. Thus
enhancing the quality of life for local residents.
Last years grant of for
funds to develop a northern rearing pond went ahead late last fall and the pond
was developed. This spring, we stocked
50,000 northern fry .
Hopefully they will grow to a fingerling size in the next few weeks for
stocking in local waters.
So, once again WCDA,
thanks for helping the environmental education programs in the county.
Young naturalist Program
The young naturalist program
sponsored by the worth county conservation board sign up sheets have been
distributed to local school students.
If your grade school students did
not bring one home, you can still sign up by going online at worthcounty.org and
following the links to either print a copy, or submit it online.
New for this years
is of course adding a boat to the fishing program! We’ll use to it fish area waters. We will also make use of it in a boater
education program. The DNR required
young people to have a certification program in order to operate boats without
direct adult supervision. This can
actually be done online at www. iowadrn.com but is not
hands on. One of our sessions will be
hands on boater education.
We will also make use of the boat in
our fisheries management class.
Also new this year is a wildlife
biologist program. We will do bird
banding as well as other hands on activities with wildlife.
Other programs that carry over from
previous years include a shooting programs, and
canoeing.
I can usually get most people into
at least one of the program offerings, so please take
a look at the web site, or fill our your application and we’ll have a fun
educational summer experience.
Steak Fry June 20 at
The annual conservation board
appreciation day steak fry is set for June 20 this year. We will be at