2008 Program Highlights

In the winter and spring, Maarja Roth and Sally Leider teamed up to support youth stewardship of the St. Croix River Watershed by integrating watershed ecology and art.

In our weekly classes at Scandia and Marine Elementary schools, fifth grade students were engaged in creating personal books of watercolor images, sketches, poems and creative writing about the St. Croix Watershed. The unique books were displayed at the Mill Stream Day Celebration in Marine on St. Croix.

The project inspired in youth a caring connection with their watershed as they:

• Became keen observers of life in the watershed
• Became aware of the geography of the watershed and their place within it (their watershed address)
• Learned about native and exotic species in the watershed
• Explored ways our actions on the land affect the quality of our surface and ground water

We encouraged students to share their beautiful books and the contents of their watershed folders with family and friends as a means of expanding watershed education into the community.