Teachers Complete WETSHOP Training at L.D.W.F. Fisheries Research Lab
OutdoorHub 07.29.11
July 28, 2011– Twenty enthusiastic teachers from 12 parishes participated in the 13th Annual WETSHOP hosted by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) on Grand Isle during the week of July 10-15.
WETSHOP is coordinated by the LDWF Education Program and is focused on providing 4th grade through high school teachers an in-depth look at issues related to wetland ecology and coastal land loss in Louisiana. Over 250 teachers have participated in the program since it began in 1998.
Utilizing LDWF’s Fisheries Research Lab facilities, participating teachers attended 55hours of instruction over six days and covered a wide variety of topics including wetland ecology, fisheries management and coastal restoration. A portion of each day was devoted to field instruction on subject matter involving maritime forests, beach ecology, coastal restoration projects, bird life, marsh and swamp habitats, and marine organisms.
Participating teachers are prepared to teach their students about coastal ecology and the threats facing coastal Louisiana, as well as teach other teachers so they can effectively educate even more students regarding coastal issues. The “train the trainer” model expands WETSHOP’s impact to an estimated 40,000 students.
WETSHOP is sponsored by LDWF with grant funding provided by the Barataria Terrebonne National Estuary Program (BTNEP) and the Louisiana Systemic Initiatives Program (LaSIP). In addition to this funding, WETSHOP is a collaborative effort with partners that provide experts in their field for presentations and educational materials. These agencies/organizations include: BTNEP, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, LDWF, The Nature Conservancy-Louisiana, Louisiana College Sea Grant Program, theCoastal Planning, Protection and Restoration Act and Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium.
The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with managing and protecting Louisiana’s abundant natural resources. For more information, visit us at www.wlf.louisiana.govon Facebook at www.facebook.com/ldwffbor follow us on Twitter @LDWF.
For additional information, contact Angela Capello at 318-748-6999 or acapello@wlf.la.gov.
