Marine and Shellfish Education Building partnerships through hands-on experiences

INTRODUCTION

In 1979, the former Washington Department of Fisheries began a razor clam education program. The intent of the program was to educate the public about all aspects of this valuable coastal resource, as well as develop a strong resource ethic among user groups. The program now encompasses all of our shellfish resources in a format which stresses the need for a healthy marine environment. The goal for this program is to share information (educate), which ultimately changes the behavior of and creates stewardship (ownership) among user groups.

In 1988, 23 programs were presented in a wide range of settings (schools, fairs, civic groups, campgrounds, family beach walks, etc.). In 1992, almost 200 requests for programs were accommodated, but many others could not be met. Competition for field trip dates is so keen that some groups sign up a year in advance!

The new shellfish/marine fish education program is still growing. For this reason, new and innovative means must be explored to benefit additional audiences in the late '90s and into the 21st century. Recognizing that an agency representative in the classroom is still the best way to share information and influence behavior towards our marine resources, partnerships with teachers and volunteers will be imperative, as well as the use of "check out" materials if we hope to reach all user groups with our common message.

PROGRAMS FOR GROUPS

The shellfish and marine fish education program conducts special clinics and programs for civic groups and clubs. Each presentation addresses specific issues relevant to their area of concern.

Razor clam clinics are held in the spring and fall along the coast. Some beach walks are held in the spring and summer, addressing resource issues pertinent to an adult audience.

These walks are also held for natural resource agency staff as a means of cross training. These opportunities are designed to give them a better understanding of marine resource management and ways their jobs are woven into those of their peers.

CROSS AGENCY PARTNERSHIPS

The shellfish and marine fish education program works with other state and federal natural resource agencies to develop education materials, displays and programs for the citizens of and visitors to Washington State.

FIELD TRIPS

Juggling field trips is a very challenging undertaking. Daylight minus tides occur only in the late spring and summer months. The number of tides which allow for transporting children to and from the beach during class hours is very limited. The number of schools requesting field trips always exceeds the available tides.

Field trips are customized to meet the needs of each class. With coastal schools we visit the closest coastal beach. In Puget Sound, we visit the beach closest to that school. This allows for the maximum time to be spent at the beach.

Besides the "customized" beach walks mentioned earlier, there are also family beach walks. These walks are held on weekends and usually later in the mornings to accommodate the entire family. Family beach walks are usually advertised in local newspapers and are posted in campground areas where the walk will be held.

CLASSROOM PROGRAMS

The number of requests for classroom visits exceeds our capacity to accommodate them. Each classroom visit is designed for that grade level (K-12). Hands-on materials and activities are incorporated into the one-hour program (half-hour for kindergarten and 1st grade).

To help meet the demand, treasure chests have been designed and made available to teachers when an agency representative is not available. This discovery chest has the same materials that the WDFW educator uses. An interactive classroom skit is included that helps children understand how human impacts on the freshwater world affect marine inhabitants.

CD-ROM packages for shellfish and marine fish education are planned for the near future, for use in the classroom. Teacher workshops will be organized to share information/ available materials and build partnerships.

For further information on these programs and/or to learn how you might get involved, please contact:

Alan D. Rammer
Conservation Education Program Specialist
Shellfish and Marine Fish Education
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
48 Devonshire Road
Montesano, Washington 98563-9618
(360) 249-1201
or from the Olympia area call:
(360) 586-6129 ext. 201