Thirty acres of wetland to discover - photo by B. Thrune

The health of today’s children, and the future of conservation, rests in the hands of children and their guardians. Researchers have discovered that hands-on experiences in nature may be necessary for the healthy growth and development of children, and provide a lasting platform for later development of scientific theory and conservation ethics. That’s why fifth graders from Southern Bluffs Elementary School in La Crosse, WI, will soon be exploring the wonders of nature in Genoa National Fish Hatchery’s Sense of Wonder Discovery Wetland.

The Sense of Wonder Discovery Wetland was established as a place for children, educators, and families to explore, observe, and get grimy in nature. This use of the wetland was inspired by environmentalist Rachel Carson, who stressed the importance of instilling a sense of wonder for the natural world in young children. Helping kids make lasting connections with nature is a top priority for the Service. In February 2007, Director Dale Hall announced that Connecting People and Nature is one of the Service’s Top 6 Priorities. A new initiative, Let’s Go Outside, has been developed to help get children outside, and in touch with nature.

Creating an outdoor classroom from a 30-acre wetland area at Genoa is a way of communicating to children that having healthy bodies and minds, and making true connections with nature are important. As resource managers and educators, Service employees serve as guardians to nature and to the next generation. And most formal educators will say, “Children are this country’s greatest natural resource”.

Fifth-grade teacher and Friends of the Upper Mississippi Fisheries Services member Susan Houlihan and Genoa National Fish Hatchery staff members Darla Wenger and Jenny Walker have been collaborating efforts to give fifth grade students at Southern Bluffs Elementary a place to make real connections with nature. The class will spend several days experiencing nature first-hand. Activities will be based upon 5^th grade state and national curriculum standards, and will have a greater and lasting impact because students will be learning nature’s lessons by experience. These 5^th graders will become part of nature’s cycle in the marsh. They will see tadpoles develop into frogs, hear eagles calling to their mates, and identify dragonfly larvae and turtles as the class makes its way through mud, cattails, grass, and willows. A wildlife experience like this can impact a child’s life forever, and these students will have several field trips scheduled throughout the year.

As opportunities for wildlife experiences become fewer in an increasingly suburban area, the Sense of Wonder Discovery Wetland promises to be a safe haven for wildlife, children, and learning. The outdoor classroom partnership will provide students with a solid foundation for science, health, and learning conservation ethics. Helping to create a lasting, personal relationship with nature, and encouraging kids to make connecting with nature part of their daily lives, instills hope in this generation and the next for the future of conservation.

--Darla Wenger and Jenny Walker