Toyota Audubon TogetherGreen Program: Engaging Skiers in Conservation

Summary of Jay Peak Summer Camp 2013

Laury Saligman, Conservation Collaboratives, Montpelier, Vermont

Summary:

As part of my Toyota Audubon TogetherGreen Fellowship Program, I worked with Maria Young, Education Director at NorthWoods Stewardship Center in East Charleston, Vermont to create and run a ½ day program for the Jay Peak Summer Camp. This effort supported by ski area engagement, by bringing 100 children into the mix. The kids planted 42 trees along a reconstructed stream and studied water quality and two sites, through macro-invertebrate monitoring. The program was designed to teach children about the connection of forest cover, riparian buffers, and water quality through hands-on experience. They will be able to visit “their trees” for years to come. One program was developed and delivered five times throughout the summer. The program can be replicated at other sites in the future to support the Clear Water Carbon Fund and its goals to protect water quality, wildlife habitat, address climate change, and develop environmental stewards.

Detailed Background:

To support my work with the Clear Water Carbon Fund at Jay Peak Resort, I worked with Maria Young to develop and implement a program intended to inform, engage and lay some groundwork to develop the next generation of environmental stewards. Prior to our work, the Jay Peak camp did not have a stewardship or service learning component. Educating the children of Vermonters and visitors through tree planting and water quality monitoring, enables these kids to realize that they can make a positive contribution to an ecosystem that they love. I chose to work with Maria because of her experience in teaching children about the natural world in an outdoor setting as well as planting riparian buffers. NorthWoods Stewardship Center has worked with the Clear Water Carbon Fund to replant a riparian buffer, and through other contracts, has planted thousands of trees in riparian buffers each year.

Engaging Maria and NorthWoods in this project had many advantages for all parties concerned:

1. Brought critical expertise in environmental education and tree planting to the summer camp component of my project. Maria was able to develop an age appropriate program based on the number of campers, ages, and site. Maria was also able to serve as lead instructor for four of the five sessions.

2. Strengthened the connection between the Clear Water Carbon Fund, NorthWoods Stewardship Center and Jay Peak. This connection is important because if we are successful at “selling trees” to Jay Peak Visitors, NorthWoods will lead the planting efforts. Similarly, Jay Peak may consider calling on NorthWoods for additional environmental education programs.

Activities:

Split the summer camp kids randomly into two groups (about 10 kids each group). One group planted trees and the other went to the stream

Outcomes:

• 42 trees (cedar, red maple, white birch) planted along a reconstructed stream

• 100 children engaged in tree planting

• 100 children studied water quality via benthic macroinvertebrate monitoring. At the end of the day, the kids understood basic principles of aquatic stream diversity and the use of indicator species to determine stream quality. In specific terms, the kids attempted (with some success) to identify caddisfly, mayfly

• 5 Jay Peak Counselors and Camp Director learned the importance of involving kids in stewardship activities

• Created replicable, hands-on program that can be implemented at other camps, hosted by future Clear Water Carbon Fund supporters.

Potential Future Outcomes

The Clear Water Carbon Fund is seeking to engage other ski areas and businesses in the tourism to offer the Clear Water Carbon Fund to their visitors. Now, we have a model kids program, which has been tested and reviewed, to offer as well.