As she nimbly glided on the dirt road through the majestic desert landscape, the bike rider's broad grin said it all: excitement! joy! adventure! Most importantly, the educator felt re-connected to her youth. Her three-mile ride would culminate in an interactive science program at the Fish Slough Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC), a sensitive, BLM-managed wetland marsh known for its endangered fish and plants. With kindred spirits from the teaching profession, this teacher would "get down and get dirty." She would collect scientific information under the guidance of BLM scientists, and learn to understand how such data is used to sustain the area's animal and plant life.

This teacher was participating in a unique program called the Eastern Sierra Institute (ESI), a multi-agency and private-organization partnership designed to introduce Los Angeles high-schoolers (and most recently, science teachers) to the east-central portion of California. The Institute conducts week-long programs on conservation, interpretation, and environmental education.

The Institute presently focuses on "teaching teachers the old-fashioned way": through interactive, "hands-on" instruction. These city educators travel some 300 miles from Los Angeles, roll up their sleeves, march through knee-high sagebrush and around towering Jeffrey pines to collect plant and animal data, classify habitat types, and use radio collars to learn mule deer tracking techniques.

A Collaborative Effort

In 1991, several individuals from the Inyo County Office of Education, the Mono County Office of Education, BLM's Bishop Field Office, and the City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power formulated an outdoor education concept to expose Los Angeles high school students to water conservation practices and the natural wonders of the east Sierra area.

The east Sierra area contains millions of acres of undeveloped land featuring hulking mountains, breathtaking scenery, and sublime desert environments. Virtually all the land is managed by public agencies, such as the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, and the City of Los Angeles. The area offers extraoridnary opportunities to learn natural history and resource management methodologies. It is a living laboratory for geology, archaeology, botany, and biology that students can use to broaden their knowledge of natural sciences.

Over the years, other agencies have jumped on the bandwagon, including the Los Angeles Unified School District, the Inyo County Water Department, the California Department of Fish and Game, and the Inyo National Forest. Additionally, private organizations and businesses have supported this regional effort. They include Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, Specialized Bike Components, Rock Shox, and GT Bicycles. Dr. Al Farrell, a Los Angeles resident, donated mountain bikes to enable participants to ride to the learning sites and to also connect with the outdoor experience in an alternative way.

Accomplishments

Since 1991, the ESI has conducted numerous workshops for science teachers and high school students. Presently, the ESI works closely with the Los Angeles Unified School District to have elementary and high school science teachers travel to the east Sierra to participate in the program. Throughout the week, they visit different outdoor sites with various agency scientists, and apply the same field methodologies that the scientists actually use in their daily work. Exposed to the elements, teachers endure heat, cold, gusty winds, and rigorous physical activity to gain a direct understanding and appreciation of the work scientists perform.

A variety of agency scientists set up site programs for the teachers. The purpose is to train teachers to apply the methods and programs in their own schools and nearby outdoor environments. The program provides teachers with field tools through direct application and is designed to be adaptable to the teachers' local environments.

Each year, week-long programs are conducted in November and March, with 20 to 30 teachers participating in each session.

The Activities

The BLM conducts its portion of the week's program at the Fish Slough ACEC. Teacher activities in this desert marshland habitat generally begin with a mountain-bike ride to the site. At the site, BLM botanist Anne Halford and BLM wildlife biologist Joy Fatooh split up the group of teachers and take turns teaching field methods.

Joy Fatooh directs pparticipants to various field stations to observe and record elements of the Owens Valley Pupfish ecosystem. The pupfish is an endangered species and a primary focus of this lesson. Here teachers ponder the same kinds of questions biologists ask: How does the pupfish interact with dragonfly larvae? Crayfish? Raccoons? Blue herons? Non-native predator species, such as bass? After making their observations, the teachers gather together to discuss their findings and potential teaching applications in their schools.

While Joy guides her participants, Anne leads her nearby group in studying the area's plant communities. Anne directs her group to construct a plant profile, which introduces the environmental factors that influence a plant community. The teachers also observe and record flower types and structures, and the relationship of these features to pollination strategies. They note plant adaptations to the desert environment and describe the importance of soils to plants. Teachers use the Fish Slough Field Notebook as a guide.

Teachers also learn from non-BLM scientists during the week. A U.S. Forest Service archaeologist helps teachers learn to map a local Native American prehistoric site in the Fish Slough ACEC. The participants explore the site, finding and mapping grinding rocks, rock rings, petroglyphs, and other remains of prehistoric human life. Periodically, local Native Americans conduct special presentations for program participants, who learn about prehistoric Native American lifestyles.

Inyo County Water Department scientists teach participants how to record vegetation using point and quadrant transects. They learn to identify how groundwater pumping affects plants and how scientists use the data collected to monitor the effects of such pumping. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power provides groups with educational materials. Teachers also meet with an agency wildlife biologist to learn about elk herd transplant and management activities. California Department of Fish and Game biologists train participants to examine fish anatomy, study the natural history of fish, and collect invertebrates.

ESI's Future

The ESI's long-term vision is to conduct regular and ongoing programs for teachers as well as students. The Inyo County Office of Education and the Los Angeles Unified School District desire to conduct programs throughout most of the year, since the moderate weather in the east Sierra provides a setting for virtually year-round outdoor education opportunities.

During the week, participants are provided accommodations at the Bernasconi Education Center just south of Bishop, California. The Inyo County Office of Education operates this facility for ESI activities. George Lozito, the Inyo County Superintendent of Education oversees the program. He recently stated ". . . [we] are working to improve the facilities to accommodate more organizations who may wish to participate in our programs. We see the Center developing into a unique educational facility that promotes environmental, conservation, and scientific education in the field and the classroom. We support programs that directly educate students on site or prepare teachers to carry out educational programs within their home communities. Your participation, support and ideas are welcome."

For further information from the Inyo County Office of Education, visit the organization's web site at http://www.inyo.k12.ca.us.

BLM's Bishop Field Office provides teachers educational resources and referrals during the ESI's week of activities. For further information about these resources and other environmental education programs, please visit http://www.ca.blm.gov/bishop.