Staunton River Battlefield State Park held the 10th Annual Environmental Field School on June 15-19.
A total of 28 students from the Southside, Lake Country and Halifax Soil and Water Conservation Districts attended this program designed to spark an interest in environmental stewardship and to give a basic foundation in environmental sciences. Each year the Halifax Soil and Water Conservation District chooses ten fifth grade students from each county based upon the submission of an application stating their interest in environmental issues.
The five-day curriculum consists of watershed study and planning, erosion and sediment control, forestry, wildlife, biological stream monitoring, chemical monitoring, and plant identification. A wide variety of subject related games and activities reinforce and enhance the learning experience. Some of those activites included animal track molding, orienteering, archaeology exploration and conservation jeopardy.
To end up the week the students traveled to Staunton River State Park for a canoe trip and fish shocking. Through monetary donations, the Environmental Field School was administered cost free to the students.