In March 2017, FortWhyte Alive received funding from a number of sources to enhance programming around Aquatic Education, Monitoring and Restoration.
As a part of this new area of focus, FortWhyte Alive is now offering teacher workshops and school outreach programs using a water monitoring protocol called Riverwatch, already popular in southern Manitoba through the South Central Eco Institute.
FortWhyte Alive has also joined forces with Lake Winnipeg Foundation's Community Based Monitoring Network to encourage schools to collect water samples for phosphorus testing. This program will allow your students collect water samples that will analyzed in a professional lab. All participating classrooms will be able to follow their samples online and will be contributing to a better scientific understanding of water quality in the Lake Winnipeg watershed.
Upcoming Events
Currently booking water monitoring sessions for Spring 2018. Contact kfroese@fortwhyte.org.
See our Fall 2017 Riverwatch Winnipeg Report.
Teacher PD: Riverwatch Spring Water Monitoring Workshop
This FREE workshop is targeted at Grade 8-12 teachers.
FortWhyte Alive and Lake Winnipeg Foundation can engage you and your students in hands-on science through water quality monitoring of Winnipeg’s waterways. Find out how your students can get outdoors to learn more about local water quality, and contribute their findings to water science in our watershed! This workshop will cover Riverwatch water monitoring equipment and activities as well as how to take water samples using Lake Winnipeg Foundation Community Based Monitoring methods.
Location and Time
Friday, April 13th, 1:00-3:30pm
FortWhyte Alive, 1961 McCreary Rd., Winnipeg Manitoba, Lakeside Meeting Room.
Registration and Fees
Free of charge - coffee break refreshments provided.
Register at: https://goo.gl/forms/YMhaaypz4zh8AMpx2 .
Deadline is April 6, 2018.
Need more info?
Contact Katrina Froese, Education Program Coordinator
Email: kfroese@fortwhyte.org or call 204-989-8355 ext. 203.
How to Get Involved
1. Attend a professional development workshop. Teacher workshops will be provided annually and on a request basis, as funding allows. Schools must have a representative teacher attend a workshop before making a booking with a student group. Rural teachers: please contact South Central Eco Institute or your local Conservation District.
2. Book a Riverwatch kit experience and/or Lake Winnipeg Foundation Community Based Monitoring water sampling kit. FortWhyte will supply the Riverwatch Water Monitoring Kit which contains all the scientific equipment you will need to monitor water's physical, chemical and biological properties. Lake Winnipeg Foundation provides the specific equipment you need to take water samples to be sent in for phosphorus back at their lab. The FortWhyte Alive Coordinator will be available to assist when you take your students out to do a Riverwatch session. FortWhyte Alive and Lake Winnipeg Foundation will set up sampling site(s) for your school group. We ask that any schools involved commit to sampling at an identified site at least twice during the school year.
See the Urban Riverwatch Manual and Sampling Protocols
Note that the Lake Winnipeg Foundation kits are also available to teachers by contacting Chelsea Lobson, CBM Coordinator at cbm@lakewinnipegfoundation.org.
3. Get involved with other water related programming options. There are a number of ways to get involved depending on your level of experience, time commitment, student learning goals, and grade and course focus.
- Outdoor Educator: These teacher professional development workshops, provided free with funding from Manitoba Education, will help you become more comfortable with teaching outdoors, and can help you to take an outdoor classroom project to the next level.
- FortWhyte Alive School Programs: Expand the learning with a guided school program.
- FortWhyte Alive High School Science Days: FortWhyte brings in scientists and experts to lead a full day of educational, hands-on workshops for high school students throughout the year. Arctic Science Day in March, Dig It Soil Science Day in May, and Freshwater Ecology Day in October are great low-cost ways to connect your students with current knowledge and field research methods. Contact kfroese@fortwhyte.org to get on the mailing list.
- Slow the Flow Leak Detector Challenge: This simple in-school water audit for all grades occurs in October and March. Students can check school facilities for drips and leaks, submit their findings to the school principal or maintenance, and receive water conservation themed prizes from FortWhyte Alive.
Project Funders, Thank you!
RBC Blue Water Project
WWF-Loblaw Water Fund
Honda Canada
Lake Winnipeg Foundation
City of Winnipeg Water and Waste Department: Slow the Flow: Water Education Resource
Weblinks
South Central Eco Institute: Kent Lewarne of Prairie Spirit School Division developed the Riverwatch program in Southern Manitoba’s rural schools in collaboration with the Manitoba Conservation Districts. The SCEI Handbook is the source of the Winnipeg protocol. All Winnipeg data collected will be uploaded to the SCEI database to contribute to growing knowledge about water quality across Manitoba.
Lake Winnipeg Foundation: Participating schools have the opportunity to collect water samples for phosphorus testing in a professional lab. Students can contribute to a better scientific understanding on water quality in tributaries to the Red River & Lake Winnipeg.
Oak Hammock Marsh’s River Watch Program
Lake Winnipeg Basin Information Network
Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium: Lake Ecology Field Program Onboard MV Namao
Manitoba Eco-Network's Water Caucus
Canadian Geographic: OPEN Water
Manitoba Sustainable Development: Fisheries Branch: Stop Aquatic Invasive Species