·        GFP Commission to Meet in Watertown

·        South Dakota’s Teachers Go WILD

 

GFP Commission to Meet in Watertown

 

PIERRE, S.D.—Setting the dates for waterfowl hunting seasons is one of the agenda items for the S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Commission at its August meeting. The meeting will be held in the Whitewood Room of the Ramkota in Watertown starting at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 9.

 

A public hearing is set for 2 p.m. to take comments on setting season dates for duck and goose hunting seasons as well as establishing rules for nonresident falconry and nonresident trapping. Copies of the proposals the commission will consider can be accessed at http://www.sdgfp.info/Commission/Proposals.htm

 

Citizens who would like to provide written comments may do so until 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 8. Those comments may be mailed to Game, Fish and Parks Commission, 523 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, SD 57501 or e-mailed to wildinfo@state.sd.us. All comments must include the sender’s full name and address in order to become part of the official record.

 Comments may also be presented in person at the GFP Commission meeting during the public hearing.

 

The commission will also set aside time for citizens to comment on issues that may not be on the agenda. A commission meeting agenda can be accessed at the GFP Web site at http://www.sdgfp.info/Commission/Meetings.htm.

 

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South Dakota’s Teachers Go WILD

 

PIERRE,S.D.--South Dakota’s educators are enthusiastically taking advantage of free curriculum guides and training which provides hands-on activities for use in the classroom.

 

“We’re excited about the level of interest and participation in Project WILD efforts over the past year,” said Chad Tussing, education services coordinator for the S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Department and coordinator of Project WILD for South Dakota.

 

Sixteen training workshops were held for 250 educations from July 2006 through June 2007. Project WILD materials and information were also promoted at several conferences and in-services throughout the state. An effort is currently under way to connect Project WILD activities to state education content standards in science, math and social studies.

 

“I have to give a lot of credit to our wonderful Project WILD facilitators,” Tussing said. “A lot of them offer these workshops as volunteers and they provide a tremendous amount of energy, knowledge and practical experience to the workshop participants. Many are classroom teachers and know how well these activities can teach students.”

 

Nearly 6,500 educators have been trained in the Project WILD curricula since it debuted in South Dakota in 1989. Over 1 million educators have been trained nationally since 1983. The curriculum guides are available only through participation in a free training workshop. Some workshops also offer college credit for participation.

 

Trainings are offered at various locations throughout the state and throughout the year. Workshop formats include basic WILD activities, workshops for high school teachers of science and social studies, bird conservation and other topics. South Dakota also has a state-specific curriculum guide which teaches about mountain lion ecology and management.

 

Project WILD is an international curriculum supplement designed to teach students how to think – not what to think – about fish and wildlife conservation. The hands-on activities in the guides are appropriate for students in kindergarten through 12th grade, with many adaptations for both younger and older students. For more information, visit www.projectwildsd.info.

 

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