Winter Is The Perfect Time For Teachers To Get WILD!
ISLAND PARK – What better way is there to celebrate Ground Hog Day than to learn about wildlife and winter. Many people think that winter is the time to head south or to hibernate but for others, winter offers the opportunity to experience a whole new world unknown to most. For those teachers bold enough to try, the Idaho Department of Fish & Game (IDFG) is once again offering a special workshop focused on winter, called WILD About Winter Ecology. This workshop is held at Harriman State Park of Idaho and focuses on the adaptations used by both animals and man to survive the cold.
This workshop is different from the basic introductory WILD workshops in that it spans an entire weekend and teachers spend the whole time enjoying one of Idaho’s most beautiful state parks. Not only do teachers get to experience interesting presentations from IDFG Biologists, but also from professionals like long-time Yellowstone National Park Bear Manager Kerry Gunter. Not only will biological adaptations be discussed, but the management tools that are utilized to help wildlife and man coexist.
Along with presentations, teachers get the chance to perform hands-on experiments related to the ways that animals adapt to winter. The workshop will also expose teachers to the wide range of non-motorized recreational opportunities available to humans. Teachers will have the chance to try out fat bikes that cruise on the snow, as well as learn about dog-powered methods of winter travel.
All course materials, lodging, and food costs are covered in the course fee. Teachers wishing to take the workshop for two college credits will be able to register and pay separately. The workshop begins on Friday evening the 2nd of February with dinner and ends with lunch on Sunday the 4th. Lodging is rustic but warm and clean. Teachers are required to supply either their own snowshoes or cross-country skis to access the workshop facilities. Across snow travel during the workshop will be determined by each teacher’s personal comfort level.
For more information about the workshop, teachers can contact Regional Conservation Educator Gregg Losinski at 208-390-0635 or gregg.losinski@idfg.idaho.gov
Teachers can register online at: https://register-ed.com/events/view/103321
A short video about Past WILD About Winter workshops can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWnPY8zp2_A