4-H Ecology Field Day

Laura Young
ECB Publishing, Inc.

The expansive grounds of the Jefferson County UF/IFAS Extension Office was once again the setting for 4-H Ecology Field Day on Wednesday, May 3. The event brought together third grade students from Jefferson County K-12, Aucilla Christian Academy and the Jefferson County Homeschool Association for a day of hands-on activities at five outdoor educational stations. Each presentation focused on a different aspect of the topic of ecology, the interdisciplinary study of biology and earth science.
Extension Fisheries Specialist Chuck Cichra, allowed students to seine for aquatic creatures in the pond on the property. Then, after the seining, students identified and discussed aquatic creatures' roles in their habitat.
Tom Ostertag with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission headed up the station featuring live reptiles and amphibians. The students had an opportunity to touch the specimens and learn about their behavior and needs.
Next, Tony and Rebecca Hogg from the Apalachee Beekeepers Association, demonstrated the different equipment needed to maintain a beekeeping operation and talked about the roles of bees play in our environment.
4-H Program Assistant Brian Danford talked to students about low-impact camping and how to respect the environment in order to “Leave No Trace.”
Finally, Jenny Gottsch, Stateholder Coordinator for the Florida Black Bear Management Program of the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, shared with the students how the agency is managing the bear population. The students also saw and touched the equipment used for tracking bears, learned what to do if you encounter a bear and examined bear scat and a bear skull.
The 4-H Ecology Field Day is designed to inspire students to become environmental stewards by respecting and protecting plant and animal habits. For more information a 4-H Programs, contact Jefferson County UF/IFAS Extension Director John Lilly at (850) 342-0187 or jgl@ufl.edu.