Now it is 23 May and time to head east to Wallowa County, in north-eastern Oregon, where the famous Snake River forms the border with Idaho. I have arranged to spend time at Wallowa Resources, a local non-profit organization formed in 1996 to 'develop, promote, and implement innovative solutions to help the people of Wallowa County and the Intermountain West sustain and improve their communities and their lands'. It brings people together to blend the ecological needs of the land with the economic needs of the community (http://www.wallowaresources.org/).
I meet Penny Arentsen, the education co-ordinator for WR. One of the WR Youth Stewardship Education Program aims is to 'promote a sense of place and environmental stewardship'. It covers all age groups and includes an Outdoor Science School Program (OWL), a Field Science and Backpacking Program (WREN), a local Watershed Monitoring Program (WET), an internship program (HAWK) and college level science courses (ACE).
I meet Penny Arentsen, the education co-ordinator for WR. One of the WR Youth Stewardship Education Program aims is to 'promote a sense of place and environmental stewardship'. It covers all age groups and includes an Outdoor Science School Program (OWL), a Field Science and Backpacking Program (WREN), a local Watershed Monitoring Program (WET), an internship program (HAWK) and college level science courses (ACE). I greatly enjoy taking part in a week-long OWL field program for 4-6th Graders, which includes 
outdoor courses on environmental stewardship, art and sensory exploration, learning wilderness survival skills from animals and how the local Nez Perce tribe used plants. Each student attends for 3 years in a row, building a knowledge of and connection with the local environment. We learned about local predators and their prey, how to build a 'wallowa' or native indian fishtrap, how to weave natural fibres, and how to recycle. The OWL week ends with a fascinating presentation on native american skills and relationship to the environment by Tim Nitts and Joe MacCormack of the Nez Perce tribe, complete with bows and arrows, huge salmon fishing nets and tanned hides.
outdoor courses on environmental stewardship, art and sensory exploration, learning wilderness survival skills from animals and how the local Nez Perce tribe used plants. Each student attends for 3 years in a row, building a knowledge of and connection with the local environment. We learned about local predators and their prey, how to build a 'wallowa' or native indian fishtrap, how to weave natural fibres, and how to recycle. The OWL week ends with a fascinating presentation on native american skills and relationship to the environment by Tim Nitts and Joe MacCormack of the Nez Perce tribe, complete with bows and arrows, huge salmon fishing nets and tanned hides. 
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