Field Trips • Tuesday, August 16

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All Day Field Trips

1. Connecting School Yards to Estuaries

10:30 am–5:00 pm— A brief visit to the adventurous school yard of Strawberry Vale Elementary School in Victoria will enchant NAME participants as they explore the site of a pond and native plantings with Victoria teacher and NAME keynote speaker Lenny Ross. Lenny will show how he imagined this area could be “undeveloped” to provide a safe and magical secret garden. He will also speak to the transitions educators can make from school classrooms and gardens to planning trips to estuaries such as Tod Inlet, just north of Victoria.

For the second half of the field trip, past NAME keynote speaker Nikki Wright will lead participants through the forests, creek and brackish waters of Tod Inlet (SṈIDȻEȽ—pronounced “sneed-kwith” or Place of Blue Grouse.) At the edge of the estuary, we will form several smaller groups to canoe, play with the watershed model and marine science equipment, and handle artifacts made from plants with an Elder from a local W SÁNEĆ (Saanich) First Nations community. Transportation: carpools arranged at conference. Cost: $50 CDN ($40 USD)/person.

2. Race Rocks Tour—FULL

10:30 am–2:30pm—Located just off the shores of Pearson College, Race Rocks Ecological Reserve boasts a rich and diverse ecosystem, home to hundreds of local marine species. Your field trip will begin with a short boat ride from the docks of Pearson College to Race Rocks, where you will enjoy a guided tour of the reserve and learn about the conservation, education and research projects which take place at this unique ecological preserve. Cost: $50 CDN ($40 USD)/person.

3. Fossils, the Marine Environment and Earth History

11:00 am–4:00 pm—Come join Eileen van der Flier Keller and Cathy Carolsfeld to discover a west coast treasure of ancient and modern intertidal life at Muir Creek, near Sooke. The sandstones and conglomerates exposed in these cliffs contain a rich assemblage of fossils, telling stories of the environment 20-25 million years ago.  Through hands-on activities, we will highlight the educational value of combining life and earth science activities in our classrooms and community, and begin to appreciate the rich earth history and coastal resources in our own backyard.  Explorations will combine biology, geology, and palaeontology; model investigative skills; and allow participants to interact with the wonderful world of marine organisms - both living and fossil. We will highlight connections between Earth science topics and other disciplines, and provide take-home resources to help you apply these ideas in your own community.

Transportation: Rides for 10 participants provided by field trip leaders.  Ride-sharing will be needed for any more than 10 participants.  Please indicate if you will be able to drive and provide rides for others. Cost: $40 CDN ($35 USD)/person.

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Morning Field Trips

4. Pedder Bay Kayak Tour—FULL

10:30 am–12:30 pm—Enjoy a morning kayak trip in Pedder Bay, led by the Pearson College staff. They will provide everything you need to explore the natural beauty of the inlet against a backdrop of the Olympic Mountains and maybe even catch a glimpse of the local wildlife! All levels of kayak experience welcome. Cost: $40 CDN ($35 USD)/person (no children under 12)

5. Tour of Bird Banding Station at Pedder Bay—CANCELLED

10:30 am–1:00 pm—Rocky Point Bird Observatory ( RPBO) operates a Migration Bird Banding program daily on the property of Pedder Bay Marina, a 15-20 minute walk from Pearson College. We will begin with a short bird walk led by naturalist Anne Scarfe, and follow that with a visit to the banding station where you will observe the careful process of collecting birds from mist nets, and taking birds back to the banding station, where the banding and pertinent bird information is taken. Cost: $20 CDN ($15 USD)/person (no children under 12).

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Afternoon Field Trips

6. Wondrous Wetland Walk—CANCELLED

2:00–4:00 pm—Enjoy a leisurely stroll around Swan Lake while taking in the wonders of the land, water and its inhabitants. Meet Site Manager, Jay Rastogi and Executive Director, Kathleen Burton and learn about this urban watershed that sees over 65,000 visitors every year. Transportation: carpools arranged at conference. Cost: $15 CDN ($12 USD)/person.