BRDC Receives Virginia Wildlife Grant for Freshwater Snorkeling Program

Fish, reptiles, amphibians, crustaceans, macro-invertebrates, and more call Southwest Virginia watersheds home. BRDC’s guided freshwater snorkeling program gets youth unplugged, outside, and immersed in the cool streams and rivers of the Blue Ridge. This fascinating program highlights the organisms living beneath the surface and allows for a safe, non-intrusive engagement with aquatic species.

Blue Ridge Discovery Center has been providing a snorkeling program for several years with limited equipment. Thanks to support by the 2019 Virginia Wildlife Grant Program through a partnership between the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Foundation of Virginia, BRDC will have the means to engage more youth in our freshwater snorkeling program.

Hands-on, experiential education programs such as this connect our youth to the environment and establish the foundation to protect and sustain the integrity of our natural resources. By introducing more young people to the wonders of the Blue Ridge, we can inspire a budding generation of naturalists to be active stewards of the place we call home.

Thank you for your support!

Crayfish in Big Laurel Creek at the BRDC Field Station.

Stonefly larva in in Big Laurel Creek.

Sculpin in Big Laurel Creek.