Taking part in the Calumet Stewardship Day, 70 youth explored nearby nature

Posted July 30th, 2024 in Featured, Great Lakes Cleanup, K-12 Education
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IISG Great Lake AOC Specialist Ashley Belle, right, and on the left, Jessica Fernandez, The Nature Conservancy restoration crew lead, pose with East Chicago 5th graders at the Calumet Stewardship Day. Belle and Fernandez led the planning of this annual event.

As last April wound down and the school year was nearing its final days, 70 fifth graders from McKinley Elementary School in East Chicago, Indiana spent a day in nature learning from a variety of scientists and experts about a range of topics. 

The annual Calumet Stewardship Day took place on April 30, once again at Seidner Dune and Swale in Hammond. This natural area sits along the Grand Calumet River, which has been designated an Area of Concern (AOC) and has been undergoing a cleanup and restoration process through the Great Lakes Legacy Act. 

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and The Nature Conservancy organize the event that helps connect grade school youth to their local environment. They learn about the health of the river and the remediation and restoration efforts of the Grand Calumet River.

“Stewardship Day activities engage youth in environmental education and build support for the long-term protection of natural resources,” said Ashley Belle, IISG Great Lakes AOC specialist, who led the planning of the event along with Jessica Fernandez of The Nature Conservancy.

Over the course of the school day, the students had the opportunity to interact with professionals from a variety of environmental agencies and organizations as they rotated through hands-on activity stations, learning about topics such as dune and swale habitats, fish health in local waters, birding, and macroinvertebrate identification.

Teacher surveys showed that the event stimulated student learning and provided a valuable experience. One teacher commented, “One of my favorite parts of the day was watching my students learn how to use binoculars and identify different types of birds. For some of them, this was their first experience with binoculars.”

 

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant is one of 34 Sea Grant programs supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in coastal and Great Lakes states that encourage the wise stewardship of our marine resources through research, education, outreach and technology transfer. In partnership with the University of Illinois Extension, and Purdue University Forestry and Natural Resources, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant brings science together with communities for solutions that work. 

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Find us at Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, March 27–29! We’re linking Subnautica with Great Lakes science through fun, hands‑on activities about food webs, invasive species, and aquaponics.

Come geek out with us!

🔗 in bio for event info

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 18072583901167383
Find us at Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, March 27–29! We’re linking Subnautica with Great Lakes science through fun, hands‑on activities about food webs, invasive species, and aquaponics.Come geek out with us! 🔗 in bio for event info

Coastal protection is not limited to concrete, rocks, and steel. Coastal protection solutions exist on a spectrum, ranging from softer “green” solutions to harder “gray” structures.

Nature-based coastal solutions fall between green and gray techniques, providing multiple benefits to people and habitats.

Our three-part video series, Nature-Based Coastal Solutions in the Great Lakes, is now available to watch. Learn how nature-based coastal solutions, including nature-driven and hybrid approaches, can protect shorelines while supporting ecosystems and communities.

Watch the 3-part video series at the link in bio.

(Photo credit: Liz Spitzer, Illinois State Geological Survey, Coastal Research Group)

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 17873389053437520
Coastal protection is not limited to concrete, rocks, and steel. Coastal protection solutions exist on a spectrum, ranging from softer “green” solutions to harder “gray” structures.Nature-based coastal solutions fall between green and gray techniques, providing multiple benefits to people and habitats.Our three-part video series, Nature-Based Coastal Solutions in the Great Lakes, is now available to watch. Learn how nature-based coastal solutions, including nature-driven and hybrid approaches, can protect shorelines while supporting ecosystems and communities.Watch the 3-part video series at the link in bio.(Photo credit: Liz Spitzer, Illinois State Geological Survey, Coastal Research Group)

Managers and researchers can be faced with a need to classify the risk of new crayfish invaders. Rapid assessment tools, such as the Science-based Tools for Assessing Invasion Risk (STAIR), can assist in this process by providing a streamlined framework for analysis and decision-making.

Join us for an ICC webinar with John Bieber from Loyola University Chicago to learn how rapid assessment tools are used to classify invasive species risk and how STAIR can support invasive crayfish management.

Learn more at the link in bio.

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 17849711064650127
Managers and researchers can be faced with a need to classify the risk of new crayfish invaders. Rapid assessment tools, such as the Science-based Tools for Assessing Invasion Risk (STAIR), can assist in this process by providing a streamlined framework for analysis and decision-making.Join us for an ICC webinar with John Bieber from Loyola University Chicago to learn how rapid assessment tools are used to classify invasive species risk and how STAIR can support invasive crayfish management.Learn more at the link in bio.