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Connecting Kids with Conservation
(above) NRCS District Conservationist Allison Orr shows a youngster how to
build a gourd bird house (NRCS photo — click to enlarge)
Humboldt, Iowa, school children proudly display bird houses they made out
of gourds. Assisting the children are NRCS District Conservationist
Allison Orr and Area Administrative Management Assistant Rebecca Scott (NRCS photo — click to enlarge)
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NRCS staff and local conservationists have teamed up with a Humboldt, Iowa,
church to give local elementary students a place to go and learn outside of
school. Once a month, NRCS, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land
Stewardship, Humboldt County Soil and Water Conservation District, Pheasants
Forever, and Humboldt Parks and Recreation put on an activity to help the kids
learn about natural resources. The church opens its doors every Wednesday
afternoon to give nearly 100 students a safe place to go on “early dismissal”
days.
Recently, NRCS staff and friends helped kids from this northern Iowa town make
their own gourd birdhouse.
The gourds were locally grown by volunteers. Pheasants Forever members
prepared the gourds by cleaning them and drilling bird holes in each one.
Staff from the Humboldt County Soil and Water Conservation District, showed the
children how to get seeds out, preserve them for planting next spring, and
decorate the gourds. Then each child was given a gourd and tools to make their
own birdhouse.
“This is great fun,” said District Conservationist Allison Orr. “The kids get to
learn about the environment and bird habitat while engaging in an enjoyable
activity. I don’t know who enjoys themselves more, the adults or the
children.”
“We are pleased to be a part of this community based program,” said Orr.
“Once a month our team of conservation partners puts on a program to help the
children better understand their environment and become more involved with
protecting it. We’ve put on programs that feature bats and birds of the
night. Future programs will be on fur bearing Iowa animals and birds where
the kids will see a live bald eagle.”
Your contact is Dick Tremain, NRCS
public affairs specialist at, 515-323-2736.
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