Wetlands Outdoor Education

Here are some projects I made about wetlands: Importance of Wetlands Presentation-  https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/14sx-z3V6nwi8IDf2dbV6tkNLcedHiMK8BqL8HTMPeP0 Wetland Infographic-  https://create.piktochart.com/output/29644324-wetlands

Yesterday during a presentation given by the Oak Hammock Marsh I learnt about the four main parts of a wetland. The four main parts are water, soil, forestry, and wildlife. I learnt that a wetland is usually around 2 meters deep, and if it is deeper than that, it is concidered a lake. I learnt that cutting down trees, draining wetlands, and letting cattle near water can lead to unhealthy watersheds.  There are three layers of soil including topsoil, subsoil, and a layer of parent material. We heard bird sounds and matched them with the bird they belong to. I learnt that unlike other birds the Mourning Dove sounds sad, which is how it got it’s name. We also counted the rings of a tree to find out how many years old it was and we measured the diameter of a tree. We also identified water bugs and learned how to count the rings of a fish structure. Other activities also included scat identification, fur identification, track identification, deciduous twig identification, and coniferous twi

What is interpretation? Interpretation is a way of teaching people about something, but not just so they remember, so that they understand and care about what you are teaching them about. Through interpretation people should get first hand experience with objects they can see. It is important for your audience to see, hear, and most importantly do what you are teaching. Freeman Tilden wrote a book called “Interpreting Our Heritage”, which is a book about interpretation. The most important outcome that you should be looking for while interpreting is a respect, interest, and love of nature from your audience.

        I think that the most important thing that a wetland does is balance water levels.  Wetlands absorb excess water like a spong through their roots and soils. Much of the water that floods flat land can be absorbed and stored in a wetland. That means that wetlands also contain water during times of drought. Animals can still find food during a drought because a wetland will still have some moisture to grow plants. This is especially important as we are seeing climate change alter water levels all over the world.

For my Importance of Wetlands Project I am going to include topics such as: - Filter and cleanse water - Provide a Habitat  - Protection from erosion  - Benifits agriculture  - Reduces climate change - Benifits the economy - Biodiversity  - Historicaly important  - Education and research  - Pest control - Area for specific plants - Cultural connections - Absorbs excess water  - Helps is to look at our “ecological footprint” - Recreational activities  - Base for organizations