It’s never too soon to teach children about the importance of B.C.’s wild salmon and the need for conservation.
That’s the message behind a program in North Vancouver that gives students hands-on education.
The Seymour Salmon Hatchery in North Vancouver hosts “Gently Down the Seymour,” a program where students use microscopes and thermometers to explore the life and habitat of the Seymour River Valley.
They examine specimens, test the health of the water and look for evidence of salmon spawning.
The North Vancouver District Fire Fighters’ Charitable Society contributes about half of the $90,000 it costs to run the program annually.
“(It’s) really focused on education, teaching the kids about the lifecycle of a salmon, and the importance of environmental stewardship,” society president Kyle Burdett said.
“We find that really, really important on the North Shore, because this is the next generation that’s going to be looking out for North Vancouver and keeping it a beautiful place.”
The program takes more than two thousand students a year through the hatchery.