GVSEA's Commitment to Education
Submitted by Don Lowen
The Goldstream Volunteer Salmonid Enhancement Association (GVSEA) demonstrates a commitment to education as old and as strong as the organization itself.
GVSEA members understand the connection between education and the annual return of healthy salmon populations. Moreover, they appreciate and welcome the opportunity to play a role characterized by the fact that their hatchery provides more salmon eggs for school projects than any other facility on Canada's west coast.
Long before they built the Goldstream Hatchery in 1987, enhancement pioneers like Howard English were hosting school field trips on the Goldstream River. Tours to the hatchery began in the mid 1990's and today, volunteers host school groups fortunate enough to win the "hatchery tour lottery", a necessity created by the exceptional demand for this event. The membership also finds time to welcome other groups, like college students and members from other enhancement organizations.
Forty years ago, a few local teachers began to experiment with classroom incubation systems that nurtured salmonids from egg to fry. Ten years later, under the jurisdiction of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Classroom Incubation Program had grown locally to fifty school projects, and that number doubled over the next ten years.
By the early 2000's, thousands of local students were witnessing the birth and early development of Pacific salmon in over one hundred Capital Regional District classrooms.
Financial assistance from the Pacific Salmon Foundation and local school districts facilitated this rapid growth, while the Goldstream Hatchery meets the annual challenge to supply up twenty thousand eyed eggs for participating schools. From broodstock capture through egg takes, shocking/picking eggs, to counting and packaging “eyed eggs” for transport to schools, volunteers happily commit thousands of hours every year to ensure the success of this program.
The very best nature documentary cannot compete with the learning potential of the outdoor classroom. Thanks to the GVSEA membership, these "hands on" lessons begin with an egg take at the hatchery, and end with students releasing salmon, salmon that THEY nurtured to the fry stage, into a local stream.
For more information on classroom incubation activities, techniques, protocols and related curriculum, go to:
DFO, Pacific Region Stream to Sea Program - www.streamtosea.ca
Greater Vancouver Classroom Salmon Incubation - www.salmonidsintheclassroom.ca
Best Practices for Experiential Learning (McGill University) - here.
Environmental Learning and Experience (BC Ministry of Education) - here.
Submitted by Don Lowen
The Goldstream Volunteer Salmonid Enhancement Association (GVSEA) demonstrates a commitment to education as old and as strong as the organization itself.
GVSEA members understand the connection between education and the annual return of healthy salmon populations. Moreover, they appreciate and welcome the opportunity to play a role characterized by the fact that their hatchery provides more salmon eggs for school projects than any other facility on Canada's west coast.
Long before they built the Goldstream Hatchery in 1987, enhancement pioneers like Howard English were hosting school field trips on the Goldstream River. Tours to the hatchery began in the mid 1990's and today, volunteers host school groups fortunate enough to win the "hatchery tour lottery", a necessity created by the exceptional demand for this event. The membership also finds time to welcome other groups, like college students and members from other enhancement organizations.
Forty years ago, a few local teachers began to experiment with classroom incubation systems that nurtured salmonids from egg to fry. Ten years later, under the jurisdiction of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Classroom Incubation Program had grown locally to fifty school projects, and that number doubled over the next ten years.
By the early 2000's, thousands of local students were witnessing the birth and early development of Pacific salmon in over one hundred Capital Regional District classrooms.
Financial assistance from the Pacific Salmon Foundation and local school districts facilitated this rapid growth, while the Goldstream Hatchery meets the annual challenge to supply up twenty thousand eyed eggs for participating schools. From broodstock capture through egg takes, shocking/picking eggs, to counting and packaging “eyed eggs” for transport to schools, volunteers happily commit thousands of hours every year to ensure the success of this program.
The very best nature documentary cannot compete with the learning potential of the outdoor classroom. Thanks to the GVSEA membership, these "hands on" lessons begin with an egg take at the hatchery, and end with students releasing salmon, salmon that THEY nurtured to the fry stage, into a local stream.
For more information on classroom incubation activities, techniques, protocols and related curriculum, go to:
DFO, Pacific Region Stream to Sea Program - www.streamtosea.ca
Greater Vancouver Classroom Salmon Incubation - www.salmonidsintheclassroom.ca
Best Practices for Experiential Learning (McGill University) - here.
Environmental Learning and Experience (BC Ministry of Education) - here.