Winston County Water Watchers promote stream, lake and river protection
Winston County Smith Lake Advocacy, Inc. (WCSLA), a citizen volunteer monitoring group in the Lewis Smith Lake Watershed, taught children about water issues in this years FAWN Program. FAWN (Forestry Awareness Week Now) is an outdoor, hands-on field day for all of Winston County sixth graders, that the Winston County Natural Resources Council has sponsored for the last dozen years (see http://wcnrc.blogspot.com/2008/10/2008-fawn-program-held-for-all-winston.html for details).
The program introduced 348 Winston County sixth graders to the wise use of our natural resources at eight learning stations, including GPS, Forest Management, Water Quality, Wildlife Management, Forest Fire Safety, ATV Safety, Forest Soils, and Beekeeping. WCSLA volunteers Mary Ann Crunk and Judy Lambert introduced the kids to the water cycle, the value of our streams and lakes, types and sources of water pollution, and how citizens can test their local water quality by becoming a certified monitor with the AWW Program. Mary Ann showed the students how to test water using the AWW test kit. Judy simulated pollution of a lake by holding up a milk jug of water ‘tainted’ with food coloring, which represented a pollutant such as motor oil. The students were amazed to learn that a single gallon of a pollutant such as motor oil will contaminate one million gallons of water in the lake. Students went away from the program with a much greater appreciation of Alabama’s water resources and knowledge of how they can get involved in protecting these resources.
Mary Ann Crunk and Judy Lambert introducing Winston County sixth grade students to the water cycle
Mary Ann Crunk demonstrates AWW water monitoring techniques to students
The Winston County Natural Resources Council expressed appreciation to the following groups and individuals for making this year’s FAWN program a success: the Haleyville and Winston County School Superintendents, all sixth grade teachers, Paul and Tiny Bowen, Charles Brannon, U. S. Forest Service, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Alabama Forestry Commission, Double Springs Lions Club, Forest Stewardship Education Committee, Representative Jody Letson, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Northwest Alabama RC & D Council, Regional Paramedical Services, Winston County EMS, Senator Roger Bedford, Winston County Soil and Water Conservation Service, Winston County Commission, Winston County Emergency Management Agency, Winston County Farmers Federation, and the Winston County Smith Lake Advocacy, Inc.