Thank you to the exhibitors, students, teachers and parents that attended the 2011 Rivers Festival. A special thank you to PacifiCorp for sponsoring this great event!
Thursday, October 6, 2011
The Yakima Greenway Rivers Festival exemplifies the Greenways mission of being an environmental steward. The event raises awareness of the rivers systems to over 1,000 4th and 5th grade students,
40+ teachers and many parents that attend the event.
This year’s Rivers Festival will showcase 10 exhibits.
Yakima County Solid Waste will educate students about sustainable recycling practices.
Students will learn from the Yakima County Noxious Weed Board on how they can be part of the solution to reduce the spread of noxious weeds.
The Yakima Basin Environmental Education Program will focus on the birds and mammals of the watershed.
The Franklin County Conservation District has set up an obstacle course that simulates the river and ocean.
Learn the importance of Bull Trout in the Yakima River Basin with the Yakima Basin Fish & Wildlife Recovery Board
The Yakima Basin Fish & Wildlife Recovery Board will educate students about watershed and habitat along the Yakima River Basin.
Students will participate in a skit with the Naches Ranger Station Impact Monster and also have the chance to meet Smokey the Bear.
The Washington State Department of Transportation will present a fun, interactive exhibit to help students understand soil erosion and the impact it has on our ecosystem.
Students will go on a walk through the Yakima Area Arboretum and learn about the soils and natural composting around a rivers system.
The United States Forest Service will show students how beavers modify their habitats and the effect it creates on the existing landscape.
Rivers Fest will emphasize the Naches and Yakima Rivers systems that the Greenway path parallels. The exhibits focus on living systems and earth sciences. Many of the teachers report that they’ve used portions of past Rivers Fest presentations during the year to compliment the curriculum they are teaching in class.
By attending, you will gain a greater appreciation of the significance this event provides for our local youth. The event informs young people about the river systems right here in our valley. The Rivers Festival shows the value of combining environmental stewardship with education and sustainable practices. Students take these lessons back to the class room.
The Greenway extends our utmost gratitude to all of the exhibitors that participate, as well as the teachers and students that attend. Together, they make the Rivers Festival a success. We are excited about this year’s event!
