Released on June 5, 2001
The Spruce Krew Kids Klub environmental youth stewardship Passport Programwas launched today at Condie Nature Refuge to coincide with Canadian
Environment Week activities.
"This program helps young people develop and increase stewardship of park
resources and surroundings through their direct participation in
stewardship activities," Environment and Resource Management Minister
Buckley Belanger said. "This initiative also encourages people to become
involved in meaningful activities that help to protect our recreational
areas."
The Passport Program will involve youth ages six to 13, who will carry out
activities that include learning about, participating in, and contributing
to environmental responsibility in the park they are visiting.
The Spruce Krew Kids Klub program has been piloted in several parks over
the past four summers. It has proven to be an extremely successful
environmental program, with over 4,300 participants to date.
The Passport Program, which is called the "Explorer Series" will be
available province-wide this summer in Saskatchewan provincial parks. The
series includes four levels of activities.
After completion of each level, club members will receive a certificate,
badge, patch or backpack tag. Once they complete all four levels, they
will receive an explorers backpack.
Activities can range from planting and watering a tree and keeping their
campsite free from litter, to organizing a special environmental project to
help the park.
Grades four and five students from Athabasca School in Regina took part in
the launch by planting native plants at Condie Nature Refuge to recognize
the natural prairie environment that would have existed when pioneers first
arrived. Today the native grassland is a threatened ecosystem.
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For more information, contact:
Mary-Anne Wihak
Parks and Special Places Branch
Environment and Resource Management
Regina
Phone: (306) 787-7826