Here’s a midseason summer rundown of some events from 2023 leading up to this June within the Shuswap community!
September 2023 – Farmers Market Display
Kicking off the fall season for Salmon Arm, Club leader Molly hosted a NatureKids special visit to the local Farmers Market. Visitors stopped by our booth to learn about NatureKids BC and made their nature-themed bookmarks. It was a wonderful way to welcome new members to our close-knit community of nature lovers!
October 2023 – Bat Buddy Explorer Day
October brought some spooky fun with a Bat Buddy Explorer Day. Families learned all about bats with the Salmon Arm NatureKids BC Club. They explored these fascinating creatures and their importance to our ecosystems and pest control. Did you know bats are some of the most threatened species in Canada due to disease?
Known as white-nose syndrome, a fungus initially introduced to North America from Europe. This disease has greatly impacted a large distribution of species known as the little brown bat, the northern long-eared myotis, and the tri-coloured bat.
December 2023 – Christmas Bird Count
During the winter holidays, NatureKids BC bundled up to participate in the annual Christmas Bird Count project. Clubs across the province, including Prince George, Vancouver, Salmon Arm, Kamloops, Nicomekl, Vancouver, and Salt Spring Island, joined forces for another birding citizen science project hosted by Birds Canada. With binoculars in hand, the clubs raced to identify and count as many birds as possible! Salmon Arm received expert help by teaming up with Nature Mentor John Woods. Thank you to everyone who participated, making it another successful birding adventure!
March 2024 – What is a Watershed?
Springing back into nature, the Salmon Arm Club offered an engaging day of learning about watersheds. Families explored what a watershed is through fun, interactive activities spent inside and outside learning the importance of these natural systems.
April/May 2024 – Birding for Families
Joined with local nature experts, birding families united again for a morning walk on the Salmon Arm Wharf. The Salmon Arm NatureKids BC Club, Shuswap Naturalists Club, and Salmon Arm Bay Nature Enhancement Society guided families in learning about western grebes and other waterfowl. Spotting scopes provided close-up views of common birds, making it an educational and enjoyable experience for all!
June 2024 – Pond Study, Pond Dipping, and Water Testing
Trailing into June, the Salmon Arm Club ended the spring season with another citizen science project; an eventful afternoon of hands-on pond dipping and water testing near the Shuswap Memorial Cemetery trails. Families learned about water testing and discovered some of the fascinating water creatures in the pond. This adventure offered a hands-on, educational adventure highlighting the importance of water quality and aquatic life. Check out our freshwater testing toolkit page.
Thank you to all our members and volunteers for attending and making these events fun, educational and interactive for everyone! A special thanks to the Shuswap Community Foundation for sponsoring the Salmon Arm Club and these events. Stay updated and see photos from our events by following us on social media.
See you on the next adventure!
Have an idea of where you want to see the NatureKids go next? Let us know in the comments!
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Written By Jenna Northmore, NatureKids Communications & Research Assistant Co-op Student. Jenna is currently studying Earth & Environmental Science at UBC Okanagan.