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Wildlife Biologist Jim Wright shows how to spot birds along the river. BLM SCEP Cheryl Mandich teaches the kids about sage-grouse. BLM firefighter Luke Fortner teaches the kids about campfire safety. Smokey Bear & BLM firefighter Luke Fortner teach the kids about campfire safety.

Boys and Girls Club Environmental Education Day along River

By Jim Wright, Wildlife Biologist, Casper Field Office & Lesley Collins, Public Affairs Specialist, High Plains District Office 

On June 3, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Casper Field Office sponsored an environmental education day along the North Platte River for the Mills Boys and Girls Club.

“It’s important to get kids outside so they learn what nature has to offer,” noted BLM Wildlife Biologist Jim Wright. “I hope they can take away from this experience that nature and the outdoors can be fun.”

Over 50 kids and ten BLMers spent a day at Trapper’s Route along the North Platter River. They spent the day learning about: riparian/wetland birds, geology, hydrology, campfire safety and Smokey Bear, Leave No Trace, sage-grouse and riparian use, invasive non-native plants, and riparian vegetation.

Kids ended the day by trees and shrubs along the river. They planted: cottonwoods, chokecherries, golden currents, and silver buffalo berries to provide forage for wildlife and prevent erosion along the river.

“We learned about how rivers grow and about birds. My favorite part was looking at birds. I saw a whole bunch,” said Boys and Girls Club participant Noah Brown. “It’s awesome here and you can learn a lot about Nature.”