Friends of Mid-Columbia River Wildlife Refuges (Friends) was awarded a $5,000 grant for a one-year pilot education program called the Habitat Conservation Program. The Nature of Learning grant is sponsored by the National Fish and Wildlife foundation in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Wildlife Refuge system and the National Conservation Training Center, the Keystone Center, and National Wildlife Refuge Association. Of 153 applicants, 30 were chosen to receive this grant.

The Habitat Conservation Program will be administered by Friends in partnership with Mesa Elementary School and the Mid-Columbia River National Wildlife Refuge complex. We will also be involving members of the Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Society and the Columbia Basin chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society.

The goal of the program is to promote scientific literacy and conservation awareness through a project-oriented integrated learning experience at McNary National Wildlife Refuge. Beginning in late October, 18 third grade students will participate in the planting of native shrubs, grasses and forbs at the shrub-steppe demonstration site on the refuge. Students will return to the site periodically to monitor plant growth and to learn about shrub-steppe ecology and the National Wildlife Refuge System. Also starting in October, 34 sixth graders will begin conducting an on-site water quality monitoring project. Students will return periodically throughout the year to monitor water quality and to learn about wetland ecology and the National Wildlife Refuge System.

Friends is very excited about receiving support for this wonderful program. To learn more about the Habitat Conservation Program, contact Shannon Hays-Truex.

Shannon Hays-Truex
Program Coordinator
509-946-4813

On January 28, 2004, work at the Mesa Elementary school began on tule (bullrush) mats for a lodge patterned after native American Peoples who lived in desert areas. Friends met with the students to instruct them in the mat making.

Learning about nature continued .....See the students in action

On February 22, the third grade class visited McNary NWR Education Center under the sun.

The class posed for a group shot in the sunshine with the parent volunteers that came to help.

Some injured birds can be saved. Blue Mountain Rehabilitation Center explained how some rehabilitated birds can be released into the wild because of complete recovery from injuries. When recovery is complete they are released. A great blue heron was released at the pond.

In the native plant restoration plot grasses were planted to fill in the space between larger shrubs. All students and some of the volunteers got down and dirty to make new grasses feel at home among the established shrubs

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Howard Browers, USFW biologist, and Lynn from Blue Mountain Rehabilitation Center gave the students real hands on bird study.

The very next day...

On February 23, the sixth grade class visited McNary NWR Education Center in the mist.

Sixth graders pose in the chilly mist - not quite rain - before getting into groups for planting, birdwatching, and tule harvesting.

Molly Jackey, USFW biologist, identified birds that flew across the pond to accommodate the bird watchers in the mist.

Chris Simonen, Friends volunteer, pointed out the differences of animal teeth on skulls of beaver and coyote, with the sixth graders comparing the incisors, molars, and canines to their own.

Locating markers was required in the mapping unit.

Racing through the gentle mist like stalkers made the experience a great deal of fun.