Dawn ShankDawn Shank

Mattaponi & Pamunkey Rivers Mattaponi & Pamunkey Rivers AssociationAssociation

Connecting Kids to their Connecting Kids to their EnvironmentEnvironment

MattaponiMattaponi & & Pamunkey Rivers Pamunkey Rivers AssociationAssociation

• Non-profit, all-volunteer organizationNon-profit, all-volunteer organization

• Dedicated to the protection and Dedicated to the protection and stewardship of the Mattaponi and stewardship of the Mattaponi and Pamunkey RiversPamunkey Rivers

• Currently about 100+ members – local & Currently about 100+ members – local & out of stateout of state

• 23 years old 23 years old

MPRA goalsMPRA goals• Advocate for the Advocate for the

riverriver

• Education (adult Education (adult and students)and students)

• Recreation (paddle Recreation (paddle trips, water trail)trips, water trail)

Water Trail CommitteeWater Trail Committee• 12 kiosk sites on Pamunkey and 12 kiosk sites on Pamunkey and

Mattaponi RiversMattaponi Rivers• Volunteers have adopted each site Volunteers have adopted each site • Interpretive kiosks/mapsInterpretive kiosks/maps• Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network/ Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network/

Captain John Smith Water TrailCaptain John Smith Water Trail• Partnership with Sandy Point State Partnership with Sandy Point State

ForestForest

Bird/Wildlife Projects CommitteeBird/Wildlife Projects CommitteeProthonatory Warbler Prothonatory Warbler Project Project • Assemble bird boxesAssemble bird boxes

• Put up boxes & GPS Put up boxes & GPS themthem

• Inventory boxesInventory boxes

• Contact landowners to Contact landowners to place boxesplace boxes

• Environmental Environmental educationeducation

• Annual New Year’s Annual New Year’s Day bird count Day bird count

River Stewardship Day River Stewardship Day CommitteeCommittee

Adult EducationAdult EducationSpring PaddleSpring Paddle

Education Committee

Outreach & Outreach & WorkshopsWorkshops Newsletter & websiteSet up booths at School Science Fairs & events Library programs –rain barrel workshop, river programs River/Kids’ tent at Locust Grove Wine and Art FestivalTeacher workshops

Outreach & Communications Committeewww.mpra.orgFacebook page: Mattaponi & Pamunkey Rivers Association

Legislative/River Advocacy Legislative/River Advocacy CommitteeCommittee• King William King William

Reservoir Reservoir Project Project

• Scenic River Scenic River designation for a designation for a section of the section of the MattaponiMattaponi

• Watchdog for Watchdog for problems problems

Connecting Kids to their Connecting Kids to their EnvironmentEnvironment

• Children are Children are increasingly increasingly living in a virtual living in a virtual worldworld

::

• People who care People who care have a personal have a personal connection to connection to natural resourcesnatural resources

Richard LouvLast Child in the Wood: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder

“No Child Left Inside”

Reduced time outside -----increased behavior problems, anxiety, depression

More time outside ------ understanding of natural world, relieves stress, reduces undesirable behavior, sense of freedom

Childhood obesity --- SIT, SIT, SIT

“Meaningful watershed experience” - DOE

MPRA’s goal is to provide MPRA’s goal is to provide opportunities to make that opportunities to make that connectionconnection • WaterWater

• SoilSoil

• CrittersCritters

• Sense of place – Sense of place – cultural & natural cultural & natural

• Dispel a fear of Dispel a fear of what’s out therewhat’s out there

What we do:What we do:• Volunteer in classroomsVolunteer in classrooms

• Schools of Shad: raising Schools of Shad: raising fish, art projectfish, art project

• Grasses in ClassesGrasses in Classes

• River Rats clubRiver Rats club

• Fishing DayFishing Day

• Teacher workshopsTeacher workshops

• Coordinate special Coordinate special programsprograms

• River Days/ River CampRiver Days/ River Camp

. Shirley “Little Dove” Custalow Powhatan’s People made presentations to all the 6th grade classes.

River Day: How it startedRiver Day: How it started• Watershed education (my former Watershed education (my former

life)life)

• Virginia Naturally grant Virginia Naturally grant

• Virginia Naturally Bay Academy Virginia Naturally Bay Academy (Virginia Resource Education (Virginia Resource Education Council and Chesapeake Bay Council and Chesapeake Bay Foundation) held in June each yearFoundation) held in June each year

• Teacher workshop & River Rats Teacher workshop & River Rats Club at middle schoolClub at middle school

• Dream of River Day and River Dream of River Day and River CampCamp

• Find key school contact or Find key school contact or somebody who has passionsomebody who has passion

• Identify a good siteIdentify a good site

• Convince the administrationConvince the administration

• Identify volunteers & local Identify volunteers & local natural resource agency natural resource agency staff that can helpstaff that can help

• Figure out expenses, red Figure out expenses, red tape & hoops to jump tape & hoops to jump through – start early!through – start early!

River Day How ToRiver Day How To

River Day How ToRiver Day How To

• Safety (water?)Safety (water?)

• Links to SOLsLinks to SOLs

• Time & numbersTime & numbers

• Coordinating with Coordinating with instructorsinstructors

• Bathroom & lunchBathroom & lunch

• TransportationTransportation

• CostsCosts

• Issues to consider:Issues to consider:

• Get your ducks in a Get your ducks in a row row beforebefore you go you go talk to principaltalk to principal

River Day How ToRiver Day How To

• Possible groups to Possible groups to partner with:partner with:

• www.VirginiaNaturally.com

• www.VASWCD.org

• www.dcr.virginia.gov

• www.vce

• Watershed organizations (like Watershed organizations (like MPRA, Friends of the MPRA, Friends of the Chickahominy, Chesapeake Chickahominy, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, James River Bay Foundation, James River Assoc.)Assoc.)

• Soil & Water Conservation Soil & Water Conservation DistrictsDistricts

• 4-H (Virginia Coop. Extension)4-H (Virginia Coop. Extension)

• Park staff (county, state Park staff (county, state parks)parks)

• State agenciesState agencies

• Garden Clubs/Civic Garden Clubs/Civic organizationsorganizations

River DayRiver Day

• The scheduleThe schedule

• Number of studentsNumber of students

• Number of stationsNumber of stations

• Main themes (SOLs)Main themes (SOLs)

• Time at each stationTime at each station

• Instructors & volunteers Instructors & volunteers neededneeded

• Time to get to next Time to get to next station & “bell” to movestation & “bell” to move

• Lunch and pottyLunch and potty

• EquipmentEquipment

StationsStations • Site may be biggest factor

Site may be biggest factor

• Fish/fishingFish/fishing

• ForestryForestry

• WildlifeWildlife

• Water Quality Water Quality (sampling, seining)(sampling, seining)

• WatershedsWatersheds

• GPS/mappingGPS/mapping

• River historyRiver history

• SoilsSoils

• WetlandsWetlands

River Day How ToRiver Day How To

Great Resources:Great Resources:

Teacher workshops – Teacher workshops –

Request form on Request form on

DEQ websiteDEQ website

I’m a Project WET I’m a Project WET

Facilitator – teacher workshopFacilitator – teacher workshop

• Project WETProject WET

• Project Learning TreeProject Learning Tree

• Project WILDProject WILD

• Wonders of WetlandsWonders of Wetlands

• Schoolyard Habitat Schoolyard Habitat ProgramProgram

• VA State Parks: Your VA State Parks: Your Outdoor ClassroomOutdoor Classroom

• Outdoor classroomOutdoor classroom

• PondPond

• Butterfly gardenButterfly garden

• Walking trail Walking trail

• Vegetable garden areaVegetable garden area

• Stormwater – rain Stormwater – rain gardengarden

What about your School?What about your School?

River Camp River Camp

River Camp – 2012River Camp – 2012

2011 - 20 kids ages, 8 to 16Day camp – 3 daysFish campCritter campRiver Ecology camp

Aug. 13, 14, 15

River Camp was partially funded by a grant from Virginia Cooperative Extension 4-H.

www.mpra.orgwww.mpra.org

Join us on Facebook.

Links to our wiki space and other helpful linksQuarterly newslettersUpdates of happenings and projects

matpamrivers@gmail.com

Make & Take stuffMake & Take stuff

Ideas for Frogs & Butterfly Ideas for Frogs & Butterfly lessons to go with your pond lessons to go with your pond

or butterfly gardenor butterfly garden

mpraed.wikispaces.compraed.wikispaces.comm

Thanks for making a Thanks for making a difference in the difference in the future!future!