Nature Trail Part 1
Cowichan Estuary Nature Trail - Open Air Classroom Series (Part 1): Introduction
One goal of environmental education is for people to develop a respect for the world’s natural resources. Giving people an opportunity to have hands-on experience with those resources can assist them in developing respect for the environment. One way to provide this unique experience is through the use of nature trails which offer a unique opportunity for education. It is recognized that trails help to protect habitat for native plants and animals, raise environmental awareness, can be used as tools in research and as environmental classrooms. By leading users into a natural classroom people of all ages can learn more about nature, culture or history along trails. Trails provide an opportunity to touch, see, smell, hear, or taste the resources. This kind of learning experience encourages people to make their own observations.
The Cowichan Estuary Nature Trail – Open Air Classroom serves as classical example. Its purpose is to illustrate the ecological importance of estuaries, show-case the Cowichan estuary’s central importance to First Nations and provide recreational and educational opportunities to a diversity of different target groups and age classes. Enhanced, active education along the trail is achieved through the use of self-explaining interpretative panels with focus on specific ecological topics and issues designed to build awareness of the natural, cultural, and historical attributes of the trail environment being located in the center of the estuary
Although not quite finished yet the completed first section of the wheelchair accessible estuary trail is attracting an increasing number of visitors. It also has served University of Victoria students already the second year in a row as open-air classroom. In October 2015 two groups of UVIC students taking a course in Coastal Geography visited the trail for the first time. The classes were guided along the trail by Dr. Goetz Schuerholz, Chair of CERCA, explaining the ecological and socio-cultural role of the estuary, and the role of the Cowichan Estuary Restoration and Conservation Association in its efforts to restore the ecological integrity of this fragile ecosystem. In October 2016 students taking the same course, visited the trail, this time guided by CERCA’s Co-Chair Dr. Geoff Strong supported by CERCA Director Will Datene, artist photographer, who continues to use the estuary as one of his favourite spots inspiring his art work
The Cowichan Estuary Nature Trail is approximately 1.6 km long and extends into the middle of the Cowichan Estuary. Addressed at a large diversity of target groups of all ages the trail is expected to attract University- and school classes, birders, nature lovers, photographers, artists, and recreational walkers alike. The educational outcome is hoped to be a raised level of awareness with a better understanding and appreciation of the ecological functions of estuaries, threats to their ecological integrity, and the potential for rehabilitation.
This article constitutes the first of a series of articles to be published on the CERCA website over the next few months, each focusing on one or two of the specific topics show-cased by the twenty interpretative signs placed along the trail and at the trailhead kiosk.
Dr. Goetz Schuerholz
Chair
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