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| Habitat Services |
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Madness in the Marsh
California Waterfowl hosted two Marsh Madness field days for135CommunityOutreachAcademy students at Maya Archer on November 1st and 3rd, 2011. These trips weremadepossible by a generous grant provided by Hewlett-Packard Eco Fund- Roseville Sustainability Network. 
These 5th grade students spent the day immersed in Roseville’s wetlands and wildlife learningabout their natural environment. Many of the students said that they drive past Maya Archer on anormal basis to visit the Galleria Mall, but have never realized it was such a beautiful area that served such an important role. Each student was provided with a field journal to take notes and draw pictures of their experiences so they could share them with their families and friends.
As the day progressed, students participated in a Nest Mania activity that stressed the importance of wild areas for birds to reproduce, raise their young, and rest during migration, and an archery activity that enabled students to use a bow and arrow for the first time and stressed the importance of archery and hunting in cultural heritage as well as hunters as conservationists. They also enjoyed a wildlife tour of the area, while learning the proper use of binoculars, bird identification, and studying mounts and animal skins of native animals.
The students later enjoyed a wetland snack that came from the wonderful habitat that wetlands provide. Each student had the chance to taste blackberries and mint which grow on wetland banks, cranberries, rice chips, and fish which grow in wetland water, cheese to remind them that wetlands have fertile soil great for growing crops that need to be shared with farmers, and duck jerky which is a type of waterfowl they learned about on the nature hike.
The trips wrapped up with a take home message expressed in an activity called Migration Madness. In this activity, students learned about migration and the important role California's wetlands play in providing key habitat (food, water, shelter, and space) for waterfowl and all migrating birds. As they flapped their “wings” and quacked, honked, or whistled the students "migrated" back and forth between nesting and wintering habitat in the Pacific Flyway and faced several challenges migrating birds often encounter. They also had the opportunity to discover how citizens of California can help preserve and restore wetland areas to ensure waterfowl populations survive their yearly trip. The activity ended with an action step for each of the students to get involved in California's wetland conservation by submitting a drawing to the Junior Duck Stamp program. Each entry received will earn California $1 to go towards conservation education and restoration.
Throughout the day many students took pictures, completely filled their field journals, and expressed what a great time they had:
"Wow! This is the most fun field trip I have had, and I even get free food! That’s never happened before!”
"Can I come back and visit here with my family?"
"I can’t believe people throw trash out the window and it makes animals that live here sick."
"I’m going to draw a picture to help all of the animals that live in this area. I can’t wait!"
Get Your Class Outdoors
with California Waterfowl!
Programming is available for your Elk Grove USD class this school year at Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in Elk Grove. Bring your group out for a fun day discovering wetlands and wildlife.
Various opportunities come up during the year to get students involved with wetlands and wildlife, to stay on top of those opportunities, including Junior Duck Stamp Program updates, email California Waterfowl to recieve the new Teacher edition of enews. Contact California Waterfowl for information on any of our education programs or resources.
Wildlife ArT Programs
Federal Junior Duck Stamp
Everybody's a winner when you and your students participate in the Junior Duck Stamp Program! Students learn about wetlands, wildlife, and conservation as they produce their own wildlife art, 
then submit it for the competition. Every submission earns a dollar for conservation education efforts in California, and every student receives a certificate. For the teacher there is a variety of materials to help maximize student involvement. To view student artwork, learn more about the program, and
access curriculum activities, click here>>
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