Education and Outreach
Youth Environmental Education
Grays Harbor Conservation District offers comprehensive and engaging environmental education programs that provide hands-on learning experiences. Our programs are designed to connect young people with their local ecosystems and inspire them to become future conservation stewards.
Salmon in the Schools
Salmon in the Schools is a unique education program that allows students to learn about their local ecosystems in a hands-on environment. Through grant funding and permits with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife we are able to provide salmon eggs, aquariums, and all the needed supplies to raise baby salmon right in your school! Along with the salmon eggs and tanks, we also provide in class lessons exploring the salmon life cycle and important habitat characteristics needed for survival. At the end of the program, once the salmon are of age to be released, we work with our local hatcheries to bring the students out to the hatchery for a tour, educational activities about salmon, and most importantly the release of the fish they have spent the past few months tending to.
Pacific Ocean Outdoor Learning Program
Pacific Ocean Outdoor Learning (POOL) was developed with the Coastal Interpretive Center and the Westport Aquarium. This program is aimed at bringing third, seventh, and tenth grade students out to the Pacific Ocean for interactive lessons on intertidal and marine ecosystems. The program consists of an in class-lesson and a field trip to Ocean Shores where the students will be led through a tidepool and marine shoreline investigation. Each field trip will be scheduled to coincide with a low tide series in order to have good accessible tidepools for all students. The curriculum for this program was developed to meet numerous learning standards for students in Washington State.
Water Quality Education
Our youth water monitoring program is designed to educate students on the importance of water quality and contaminants. Through this program, students will learn how to measure levels pf pH, nitrate/nitrite, and ammonia in water. Students will also learn how to collect data to identify trends.
This program is a great addition to our salmon and schools program, as it emphasizes the importance of clean water for salmon and the environment. The salmon tanks in the schools require daily water quality checks to ensure adequate habitat. Students are able to monito the tanks and make adjustments (water changes) as needed to ensure cold, clean, and consistent water.
Interested in bringing one of these programs into your school?
Contact our Education and Outreach Project Manager
Kelsey Hunter
360-214-9620
Volunteer Opportunities
Grays Harbor Conservation District's outreach program is dedicated to engaging the community and guiding them towards conservation stewards. The district hosts a variety volunteer events throughout the year including native tree/shrub plantings, invasive species removal, trash cleanups, storm drain marking, and other related work. Join us in our efforts to conserve the local ecosystem for future generations.
Sign up for our volunteer list to stay in the loop about upcoming events.
Upcoming Events
We currently have no volunteer opportunities scheduled. Please check back for updates or sign up for our volunteer list to be the first to know about volunteer events.
