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Wildlife
Habitat Site Contributes
to Education
by Judy Krebs, Education
Coordinator
The
National Wildlife Federation (NWF) has announced that the property
of
Bob and Pat Shinkle of Goshen, Ohio has been certified as an official Wildlife
Habitat site. The Shinkles have contributed
to conservation education by providing over 50 monarch caterpillars per
year
from their habitat area. As the
Education Coordinator for the Clermont Soil & Water Conservation
District,
I take these caterpillars to third and fourth grade classes in Clermont
County
Schools.
In
2002 the State Board of
Education adopted the academic content standards for science. The standard for life science focuses on
living systems and how they interact with their physical environment. Mr.and Mrs.Shinkle’s
wildlife habitat
site provides me with the materials to offer a butterfly life cycle
presentation to third grade and a life cycle of the milkweed to fourth
grade. I also am able to take pictures
of these different cycles for my presentations. As
a child growing up, my parents always taught me
the importance of
conserving our natural resources without even knowing they were doing
so; it
was simply our way of life. I look back
after teaching environmental education for 17 years and realize that
our way of
life back then is slowly dying. With my
presentations and the new standards that are being taught in the
schools, I
believe that the importance of conservation of our natural resources
will come alive again in children and families. Habitat
restoration is critical in urban and
suburban settings where commercial and residential development
encroaches on
natural wildlife areas. In addition to
providing for wildlife, certified habitats conserve our natural
resources by
reducing or eliminating the need for fertilizers, pesticides or
irrigation
water, which ultimately protects the air, soil and water throughout our
communities.
When I
develop new
presentations for schools, I often call on my parents to find something
that
fits in the presentation so students can see it up close.
Since most of our children grow up without
the benefit of wildlife friendly areas around them, certified habitats
such as
the Shinkle’s are beneficial as a learning tool, as well as a place
where
migratory species can come back to year after year.
The
mission of the National
Wildlife Federation is to inspire Americans to protect wildlife for our
children’s future. To learn more about
the National Wildlife Federation, go to www.nwf.org,
or to learn more about our
Ohio Academic Content Standards, go to www.state.oh.us
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Last updated 02/16/2008
Clermont Soil and Water Conservation
District,
1000 Locust Street, P.O. Box 549
Owensville,
Ohio 45160-0549
E-mail: susie.steffensen@oh.nacdnet.net
phone (513) 732-7075 fax
(513)
732-7077 |
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| The U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) prohibits discrimination
in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, natural
origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual
orientation,
and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all
programs.)
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for
communication
of program information (braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should
contact
the USDA TARGET Center at (202)-720-2600 (Voice and TTD). To file a
complaint
of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room
326-W,
Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, D.C.
20250-9410
or call (202)-720-5964 (voice and TTD). USDA is an equal opportunity
provider
and employer. |
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