Wildsight will start interviewing students for the 2020 Columbia River Field School soon. It is scheduled for July 15-19th this summer. Applicants must be 15-18 years old and live within the Columbia Basin Trust Region (east or west Kootenays). The Columbia River Field School is an immersive two-week learning adventure for students ages 15-18. The Field School is a 4-credit, multidisciplinary Board/Authority Approved Course (BAA) where students travel the Columbia River by canoe while exploring important aspects of the river’s story through lessons in geography, ecology, hydrology, technology, economics, politics, history and culture.
Here is more information from the Wildsight website...
https://wildsight.ca/programs/crfs/
PADDLE, LEARN, AND EARN 4 CREDITS – Summer 2020
History | Culture | Water | Energy | Environment
Students paddle key sections of the river and visit important places, including the Columbia Wetlands, historic First Nations’ sites, dams and reservoirs, and more. Along the way, they will meet with a diverse selection of highly qualified guest experts including Indigenous leaders, local and provincial government officials, scientists, conservationists, writers, artists, adventurers, and other lifelong residents.
The Field School is designed to give students a much-needed understanding of the complex challenges and opportunities of the Columbia, so they can help shape its future. On top of this, the Field School is an opportunity to meet other young people from all over the Basin, have fun together in the outdoors, and take turns practicing leadership skills.
Along the way, place-based workshops, speakers, activities, and discussions will cover the history and the future of the river, including:
- The geography of the Columbia River, watersheds as a key feature of the landscape
- Indigenous peoples: History, culture, future
- Salmon: History, cultural and ecological importance, challenges, potential restoration
- Key species and ecology: River and wetland ecosystems, endangered and threatened species, invasive species
- Water quality and quantity: Flows, flooding, glaciers and snowpack, water quality monitoring, nutrient flows
- Dams and hydroelectricity: Energy and environment, reservoirs and flood control, the history of dam construction
- Columbia River Treaty: Impacts and opportunities, the ongoing renegotiation
- Climate change: Causes, current and projected impacts, challenges and opportunities for adaptation and mitigation
- Youth: What can young people do to have a voice in decision making?
