Richmond SWCD Environmental Education

10/19/2015

I find this upsetting, but not surprising. There is way too much plastic being used...

As many as nine out of 10 of the world's seabirds likely have pieces of plastic in their guts, a new study estimates. Previously, scientists figured about 29 percent of seabirds had swallowed plastic, based on older studies. An Australian team of scientists who have studied birds and marine debris f…

10/07/2015

Join me at the Richmond County Fair!
Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 5:30pm
Richmond Soil & Water Conservation District booth....Jackie

Watershed/Nonpoint Source EnviroScape Demonstration

What Happens When It Rains? We all live in a watershed with water pollution that comes from many sources. Nonpoint sources
contribute a great deal to the pollution in our water bodies. The combined affect of pollution from many small sources can have a real impact on the quality of our shared water resources.

Teachers....ask me about bringing a Watershed demonstration to your school.

09/25/2015

Fifty things to do before your 11 3/4 years old !!!

09/21/2015

Let's Talk Trash: Cut back on food waste and loss to save money, improve access to food, and protect natural resources. About 90 billion pounds of edible food goes uneaten each year. That weighs 123x the Empire State Building. This costs consumers $370 per person each year. Grains - $22, Fruits - $4…

09/21/2015

This residual old growth redwood was on private property, and was missing its top. This tree was my pards and had 37,000 bd. ft. in it. It was fell with a St...

09/18/2015

Whether you are a formal, non-formal, home-school educator, or you work with boy or girl scouts, 4-H, or any other youth groups: Richmond Soil and Water Conservation District can assist you with teaching about natural resources (forestry, water, soil, ecology, etc.). Our commitment to quality hands-on education can be seen in our educational materials, resources, workshops, and outreach programs. We are dedicated to meeting the natural resource education needs of our community.
Why Conservation Education
Conservation Education helps people of all ages understand and appreciate our natural resources and learn how to use those natural resources wisely, while sustaining those resources for future generations. Through structured educational experiences and activities targeted to varying age groups and populations, people can develop the critical thinking skills they need to understand the complexities of ecological issues facing North Carolina today. Conservation education also encourages people to act on their own to conserve natural resources and use them in a responsible manner by making informed resource decisions.

What We Offer
Classroom presentations and assistance on natural resource topics
Wet Education for Teachers (WET), Project Learning Tree (PLT), Project WILD, Ag in the Classroom (AITC), Early Education, and Composting workshops for educators.
After School Programs
North Carolina Ag in the Classroom assistance and programs
Schoolyard Habitat assistance
Assistance and Sponsoring of the annual Envirothon
Education kits and resources for loan

Please contact us at 910-997-8244 #112 to see how we can assist you in your natural resource education needs.

09/18/2015

A Big Benefit to No Till Drill....

Science meets inspiration in this tale of nature’s best hidden innovation: soil. The Soil Story, created by Kiss the Ground, is a five-minute film that share...

09/14/2015

ROCKINGHAM — When Paige Burns first interviewed for a job with the N.C. Cooperative Extension office in Richmond County, she brought up the...

09/04/2015

Wildlife Resources Commission Hosts Free National Hunting and Fishing Day Event at Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education

On Sept. 26, kids and their families can learn about fishing, hunting and wildlife conservation in North Carolina by attending the National Hunting Fishing Day event supported by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.

The event, held in conjunction with National Hunting and Fishing Day, provide participants with opportunities to connect with nature, test their outdoor skills and learn about the important roles that hunting and fishing play in wildlife conservation through exhibits and demonstrations, many of which are interactive and hands on.

Attendees to the National Hunting and Fishing Day Expo at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education in Brevard can practice their shooting skills on an archery and pellet rifle range, learn more about fly-fishing through tying and casting demonstrations, practice tree stand safety, sample simple outdoor cooking recipes, and celebrate North Carolina’s hunting heritage. The event will run from 10a.m. until 3 p.m. For more information, contact Lee Sherrill, (828) 877-4423.

National Hunting and Fishing Day, formalized by Congress in 1971, was created by the National Shooting Sports Foundation to celebrate conservation successes of hunters and anglers. From shopping center exhibits to statewide expos, millions of citizens learned to appreciate America’s sportsman-based system of conservation funding. That system now generates more than $1.7 billion per year, benefiting all who appreciate wildlife and wild places. For more information, visit www.nhfd.org.

09/04/2015

TeachersPayTeachers.com -- 1,700,000+ free and priced teaching resources created by teachers for instant download including lesson plans, interactive

09/04/2015

September Programs at Elk K**b State Park Dance in the Rain!
North Carolina State Parks, 2015 Year of the Amphibian

Every Saturday beginning April 4th and running through the middle of November (except September 12, & 26), staff and volunteers will meet at the Summit Trailhead at 9 a.m. and work until approximately 2:30 p.m., weather permitting. Tools are provided, but volunteers should wear close-toed shoes and bring work gloves, lunch and water. Most of the time will be spent on repair work on the Summit Trail or finishing up our new cross-country ski trail, Maple Run. If you would like to be involved in a fulfilling project that will fill you with a well-deserved sense of pride, then join us on Saturdays at Elk K**b State Park. For more information, please call 828-297-7261.

Sunday, September 6th 2:00 p.m.
Spiders are something that many people fear but if you educate yourself about them, they are not as intimidating. Come learn about the different types of spiders that call North Carolina home and find out if your fear is really founded. Meet at the Park office at 2 pm for a PowerPoint presentation about our beneficial arachnids. Then we will head outside to see what we can find.

Saturday, September 12th 11:00 a.m.
Enjoy a day filled with live music, games, nature activities, hikes, wagon rides, craft and cultural demonstrations, hands-on activities, history and FOOD! Please bring a dish of food to share and join us between 11 am and 3 pm for our 11th Annual Elk K**b Headwaters Community Day sponsored by the Elk K**b Community Heritage Organization (EKCHO, Inc.).
Enjoy a day of cultural heritage and pride. Please note that if you are interested in participating in the potluck, you should bring a dish of food to share and plan to be at the park by noon.

Saturday, September 19th 2:00 p.m.
People all over the world are encouraged to view the moon on this date. It will be close to a quarter moon, the perfect time to view the moon through a telescope. Join us at Elk K**b as we participate in some astronomy related activities and view the moon through our telescope. Dress appropriately for the weather keeping in mind that it may be 10 degrees cooler her at Elk K**b than in surrounding communities.

09/04/2015

Do you help with a school or community garden? Are you teaching about pollinators in your classroom? Are you involved with kids and plants in any way?

Check out this cross-curricular unit for middle school all about bees. Provided by the National Park Service, this unit has everything needed for teachers and educators of all kinds to teach this 5 day unit as well as additional resources and suggested activities. Please use and share! Thanks!

http://www.nps.gov/subjects/pollinators/upload/FINALBee-Week.pdf
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Jessica Metz-Bugg
Education Project Coordinator
Seeking Paths in Nature
Cherokee Middle School/ Great Smoky Mountains National Park
(828)497-1947
"Culture. Curriculum. Connections."