Here at BRDC, we have been elated to host 150 6th graders from Carroll County in our Residential Education Program. These students were able to participate in an immersive, outdoor experience exploring, discovering and sharing the wonders of the Blue Ridge. Programs included nature journaling, salamander surveys, seed experiments, macroinvertebrate studies, decomposition, phenology, dendrology, and highland games. A favorite was the salamander survey. The survey was conducted using two plots consisting of 25 wooden cover boards. Students were placed in small groups and were asked to identify the salamander species found under the boards. Since BRDC is in the heart of salamander country, the students were able to find many different species of salamanders during the survey. During nature journaling, students were brought into our rain garden and asked to draw and write about interesting species that they found. During this activity, they were also encouraged to share and reflect on their findings with the group.
We were able to host these wonderful students with the help of a grant through the Twin County Community Foundation. This funding allowed us to kick off our residential education program allowing full immersion in hands-on , experiential outdoor education. We are so glad to have hosted these students and teachers from Carroll County and hope to see them for years to come.
