The Missouri River has received a lot of attention recently and will continue to be a hot topic for months to come. There has never been a better time to educate youth about the great watershed they live in: the Missouri River Basin. A workshop will be offered to educators who work with 5-12 grade youth on October 13 and 14; registrations are due September 13. The workshop, which is free to participants, will take place at Ponca State Park. Lodging and meals are included, along with free activity guides and a stipend for eligible educators. Continuing education and graduate credit is available. Deadline to apply for graduate credit is August 16.

Jennifer Swerczek, the conservation education coordinator for the Nebraska Forest Service, said the workshop will cover a broad range of topics—hydrology and management of the river, effects of land use practices, plant and animal species that depend on the river, and water use issues, to name a few. Participants will hear from experts in the field, participate in hands-on activities, experience a Lewis and Clark re-enactment, and go on a hayrack ride. “The workshop is intended for educators,” Swerczek said, “but individuals with an interest in many other areas will enjoy it also. It’s all covered in the context of the Missouri River Basin, which is an important watershed for Nebraska.”

The workshop is made possible through funding from the Nebraska Environmental Trust, a beneficiary of the Nebraska Lottery. It is sponsored by the Nebraska Forest Service.

For more information, contact Swerczek at (402) 472-7765 or email jswerczek2@unl.edu.