ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

TROUT IN THE CLASSROOM           For the past couple of years the program "Trout in the Classroom" has been managed by the Coudersport High School Agricultural Class, advisor Earl Brown.  The mission of the students is to raise the trout eggs that they are given into fingerlings.  While they are growing, they must monitor the tank water quality to ensure the health of the aquatic life.   During their studies they learn about stream habitat and do appropriate studies, learn about the water resources, they are taught conservation ethics, and learn the importance of the ecosystem.  The release of the "Trout in the Classroom" for the Coudersport Jr./Sr. High School was on April 4th, 2008.  The survival rate of the fish was a release of approximately 300 fingerlings, which was more than past years.
Pictured to the right are the fingerlings that are being released into a stream in Potter County.
THE SAULTER PRESERVE             Everett Saulter originally donated this beautiful 57-acre parcel to the Headwaters Charitable Trust now owned by the County for the public to enjoy and for educational purposes. The Preserve is a diversified tract of land with many varieties of trees including native white pine, cherry, red oak, maple and other varieties of hardwoods. There is also a two to three acre clearing on the southeastern side of the tract. It is flat and produces the headwaters to the South Branch of the Oswayo Creek. The Potter County Conservation District has been given the task of helping to caring for the Preserve by the Headwaters Charitable Trust. With this in mind, the district received a Growing Greener Grant to further develop the Preserve. With the addition of an Educational Center, wetlands and a nature trail, the Preserve is now utilized to demonstrate watershed conservation measures designed to protect watersheds from non-point source pollution, such as sedimentation and nutrients, thereby increasing water quality. The Preserve has been utilized by the district to demonstrate to many students the practices observed in the natural state while on their field trips. The Preserve is open for the public to come and enjoy the many aspects of this beautiful nature center and to heighten their awareness of the County’s natural resources. The woodland and developed wetland ecosystems serve as initial sensory experiences by visitors. Trails and descriptive nature signs provide information on species types, life cycles, and their relationship to conservation. Many groups have taken advantage of utilizing the Preserve’s natural beauty for reunions, picnics, meetings or just to get away to a more peaceful setting. If you are interested in utilizing the Preserve and its educational building, please contact the District for reservations.           In preparation of the Envirothon, the Potter County Conservation District holds a Study Day for the student who will be attending the annual Envirothon. Study Day was held at The Saulter Preserve on April 24, 2008 for all participating Potter County school teams to attend. Cooperating Agency personnel assist the Conservation District staff to prepare the students for the Envirothon test. Jack Fleckenstein, PCCD Watershed Specialist reviewed Aquatics; Angela Kellert, PCCD Chesapeake Bay Technician reviewed soils with assistance from Terry Simkins, retired NRCS District Conservationist. Additional assistance with this year’s Study Day came from: Stan Hess, DCNR Forester on Forestry; Bill Ragosta and Mark Fair, PA Game Commission on Wildlife; and Jim Clark, Penn State Cooperative Extension Educator on the Current Event “Recreational Impacts”.
	The picture on the left was taken during the Envirothon Study Day held at the Saulter Preserve.  The picture is during the Wildlife Study Session.
Arbor Day Potter County Conservation District celebrated Arbor Day at the Oswayo Valley High School on April 25, 2008 in memory of Dale Saulter.           Participating in the ceremony were family members: Peggy Chappell, Tyler, Chelsea and Colton Saulter, Lavern and Betty Saulter and Sharie Anderson; Oswayo Valley Superintendent, Gary Elder,  Potter County Commissioner, Doug Morley; Pastor Burnham of Hebron Union Church; PCCD staff, Angela Kellert and Colleen Frank.  Also in attendance were  Peggy’s parents, staff and students of Oswayo Valley High School. During the ceremony, Dale was remembered for his conservation efforts while he owned and operated New Penn Construction Company.  Dale had worked on several best management practices projects for the District at Jim Currier’s, Kent Kenyon’s and also a Dirt and Gravel project on Lehman Hollow.           A flowering crab apple tree was planted in the front of the school with a plaque being placed at the base of the tree as well.            Oswayo Valley School District provided assistance in preparing for the ceremony.
Pictured to the right are Tyler Saulter, Chelsea Saulter, Colton Saulter, and Peggy Chappell.  They are standing behind  the flowering crab apple tree and plaque dedicated to Dale Saulter.
	FARM & FOREST TOUR           The Coudersport 7th grade students got the opportunity to see Dale Hoffman’s Dairy operation known as Kar-Dale Acres and tour the Saulter Preserve on what is known as the Farm and Forest Tour on May 6th, 2008.  This tour is a unique opportunity for students to get a first hand look at the life of a dairy farmer.            The Hoffman’s milk 600 dairy cows and produce 32,000 lbs. of milk a day. Their computerized operation is state of the art facility and an excellent source of education.           The second stop of the tour is at the Saulter Preserve, where the students go on a guided tour on the trail and discover animal tracks, trees, flowers and wetland identification.
2008 GOD’S COUNTRY ENVIROTHON            All five Potter County Schools attended the Study Day as well as the God’s Country Envirothon.  Again this year, the Potter County God’s Country Envirothon was held at the PA Lumberman’s Museum on Route 6 on May 8th, 2008. Seventy students from Austin, Coudersport, Galeton, Northern Potter and Oswayo Valley made up the 14 team competition. Assisting Colleen Frank with the scoring was DEP Chesapeake Bay Representative, Matt Nuss. The winning team was, the Dandy Lions, made up of Juniors, from Coudersport High School. The team went on to the state competition May 19 & 20, 2008 in State College. Second place went to the Freaks of Nature from Austin High School and third place went to the Forest Bunny Patrol team from Coudersport High School.           Cooperating agency personnel are a vital component of the Envirothon. They are needed to man the testing stations. This year Don Heiner of the PA Fish and Boat Commission and 2 of his deputies gave the Aquatics test, Bill Ragosta and Mark Fair of the PA Game Commission gave the Wildlife test, Stan Hess of DCNR Forestry gave the Forestry test, Chad Moshier, PCCD Manager and Eric Beaver, PCCD Conservation Technician gave the Soils test, and Jim Clark, Penn State Cooperative Extension Educator and gave the Current Event test with assistance from Jim’s wife.           PA Fish and Boat Commission and PA Game Commission awarded prizes to the team with the highest score on their tests. Aquatics high score went to the Forest Bunny Patrol, while the Wildlife high score was a tie between the Freaks of Nature and the Dandy Lions.           Doug Morley, Potter County Commissioner attended the awards ceremony and presented the medals to the 2nd and 3rd place teams as well as medals and trophy to the 1st place team.           The Envirothon competition requires many hours of preparation not only by the PCCD staff, but also the Lumberman’s Museum staff. The district thanks them for their continued help and support with the event. Numerous donations are needed to carry out the event. Donators this year were: Erway's Market, Costa’s Shur Save, Jubilee Foods, Herr’s Chips, and Appalachian Log and Forest.           This district also thanks the school districts for supporting this educational event. It requires many hours of preparation by the advisors and students to attend the competition.
Pictured to the left is the winning team the "Dandy Lions." Starting from left to right in the front is Joe Bartholomew, Richard Keagle, Megan Wilson, Candace Patrick, and Marissa Galeotti. To the left of the winning team is Commissioner Doug Morley, and behind  is their Supervisor Chris Fink.
MY GROWING TREE           Every year the Potter County Conservation District works in cooperation with DCNR, Bureau of Forestry on the My Growing Tree program. All five county schools participate in the program which involves the first grade students.  Stan Hess (Forester) is demonstrating tree growth to the students. Each student is presented a hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) seedling, which is Pennsylvania's State Tree, and a chart to mark the tree’s growth over the next 12 years.  Their chart allows them to track their own height and the height of their tree, which allows them to compare their growth annually.
	Pictured at right is a Forester from District #15 (Coudersport), Stan Hess with the 1st grade students from Oswayo Valley School.
CONSERVATION FIELD DAYS The Conservation Field Days was held  for two days at the Potter County Fair Grounds on May 14th and 15th, 2008.  The Conservation Field Days Staff from the Conservation District, Penn State Cooperative Extension, DCNR Bureau of Forestry, PA Game Commission, Gerald and Paula Weber, and Howard’s Cinco’s C Alpaca Farm spent those two days doing hands-on projects, demonstrations, and presentations to the 5th grade students from Galeton, Oswayo Valley, Coudersport, Austin, and Northern Potter schools.
Pictured to the left are students arriving for the Conservation Days.
COUDERSPORT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM           On May 22, 2008 the Watershed Specialist participated in a grant funded educational program that was held at the Coudersport Elementary School.  There were many other activities, presentation, and hand-on projects during the program.  For this station, the students saw the stream sample that we had taken and the different aquatic life that were caught.  They learned about aquatic life and what they can indicate in reference to stream quality.  They learned about the aquatic circle of life for the different species to which animals are predators to others.  They were tested and were told that the word of the day was macro-invertebrates, which they were meant to remember by the end of the presentation.  Some were able to see what different flies can be tied to mimic the aquatic life which fly fisherman utilize.  The bacteria, coliform, that may be in the water, was a topic that each classroom was given a test to watch over for 48 hours until a color was seen (yellow or red).  Overall they learned about the aquatic life, the environment they live in, and how they are connected and benefit each other.
	Pictured to the left is the Watershed Specialist, Jack Fleckenstein. He is presenting to the Coudersport Students the aquatic life  and what they indicate about stream quality.