FortWhyte Alive is a 660-acre reclaimed city inexperienced area located on a former industrial web site. It’s a vibrant hub for nature exploration and environmental schooling in southwest Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The group’s wealthy historical past of conservation and science schooling is a testomony to its dedication to reconnecting individuals with the pure world.
This dedication is exemplified by way of their Arctic Science Day programming—a novel studying expertise for grade 7-12 college students to extend their understanding of the impacts of local weather change within the Arctic and study careers in Arctic local weather change analysis from environmental scientists themselves.
© FortWhyte Alive
In 2024, Nat Hab Philanthropy was proud to assist FortWhyte Alive and the College of Manitoba Middle for Earth Remark Science’s two Arctic Science Day occasions:
- A digital Arctic science expertise reached over 300 college students and their academics, together with a lot of taking part lecture rooms in distant Northern Manitoba and
- The sixteenth Annual Arctic Science Day at FortWhyte Alive.
For the in-person occasion, practically 140 college students and their academics discovered about Arctic analysis, together with:
- marine mammals
- ocean acidification
- contaminants resembling mercury and oil spills
- sediment coring
- Arctic microbiology
- snow science
Arctic Science Day 2024 © FortWhyte Alive
FortWhyte Alive Arctic Science Day Actions
Arctic Science Day at FortWhyte Alive was brimming with academic adventures designed to immerse college students within the examine of polar science and environmental stewardship. The occasion featured a collection of interactive actions that introduced the Arctic’s distinctive ecosystems into focus by way of hands-on studying experiences.
College students had the chance to interact in simulated subject analysis akin to that carried out by scientists within the Arctic. They participated in ice core drilling workouts, the place they extracted samples from ice blocks and analyzed them to grasp the historic local weather information saved inside them.
One other spotlight was the wildlife monitoring station, the place college students discovered to establish animal tracks and perceive the behaviors of Arctic fauna.
The local weather change simulation sales space makes use of augmented actuality expertise to permit college students to witness the results of worldwide warming on polar ice caps. Conventional Inuit video games offered a cultural perspective, instructing college students in regards to the indigenous peoples of the Arctic and their survival abilities.
Arctic Science Day 2024 © FortWhyte Alive
One instructor reported, “College students have been speaking in regards to the impacts of local weather change on the animals and Inuit communities ever since we’ve returned to high school.”
Arctic Science Day actions had been not solely academic but in addition aimed to encourage a way of marvel and accountability. Arms-on studying alternatives supplied a tangible connection to the science curriculum, making the ideas of local weather change and conservation extra relatable and impactful for college kids.
FortWhyte Alive’s Arctic Science Day was a testomony to the facility of experiential studying in nurturing the subsequent technology of local weather scientists and conservationists.
One other instructor shared: “Essentially the most worthwhile elements for my college students included assembly scientists, seeing artifacts, taking part in studying video games and hands-on actions.”
College students mentioned:
“I discovered that marine mammals use echolocation and completely different calls to speak.”
“I discovered about taking sediment cores and the affect of pH on ocean life.”
“I discovered that chilly water absorbs carbon and heat water releases it. The extra carbon within the water, the extra acidic it will get. Ocean acidification has an affect on ocean animals.”
Arctic Science Day 2024 © FortWhyte Alive
Arctic Conservation Schooling
FortWhyte Alive’s academic objectives emphasize hands-on studying and fostering a lifelong relationship with nature. After Arctic Science Day 2024, 92% of scholars said that they had a greater understanding of the affect of local weather change within the Arctic after this system, and the bulk said that studying in regards to the affect was probably the most worthwhile a part of the day.
The occasion’s success might be measured by inspiring future careers in science and environmental research and encouraging college students to contemplate their position in lowering human affect on our shared atmosphere.
Thirty graduate college students, college and researchers from the College of Manitoba, together with FortWhyte Alive Schooling Staff workers, supported this system supply for the day.
© FortWhyte Alive
Assembly graduate college students and scientists appeared to have a very sturdy affect on youthful college students. They reported afterward:
“I discovered how individuals acknowledge particular person sea mammals and the way they estimate the scale of their populations.”
“I discovered that there are a number of jobs you are able to do that contain Arctic science.”
“There are numerous applied sciences concerned in learning marine mammals, like drones, planes and satellites.”
“There’s a bunch of jobs and careers associated to Arctic science, and it’s a really significant profession for this technology.”
By bringing the mysteries of the Arctic nearer to residence, FortWhyte Alive not solely educates but in addition conjures up motion towards preserving these important habitats for generations to return.
© FortWhyte Alive
Conservation Schooling & The Way forward for the Arctic
Arctic Science Day serves as a platform for elevating consciousness in regards to the significance of polar areas in our international ecosystem, partaking younger minds by way of interactive science-based actions.
FortWhyte Alive gives different Arctic local weather change-themed applications as part of our choices of College Packages:
- Due North: The Altering Arctic is focused at Grade 4-5 college students
- Arctic Expertise is geared towards Grade 7-9 college students
© FortWhyte Alive
In the course of the applications, college students be taught in regards to the affect of local weather change on snow and ice, the Arctic Ocean meals chain, and Inuit communities by way of grade-appropriate, partaking, hands-on actions. College students get to take part in a conventional blanket toss sport as a bunch. We focus on ways in which college students can cut back greenhouse gasoline emissions and air pollution.
Instructor suggestions consists of:
- This system elevated college students’ consciousness of actions to scale back air pollution.
- The scholars say that probably the most enjoyable was the blanket toss—they loved studying about its cultural goal for the Inuit, in addition to having fun with that they had been all working collectively.
In 2024, FortWhyte Alive hosted two faculties for Due North applications for a complete of 80 college students. We hosted three faculties for Arctic Expertise, with an total complete of 115 college students.
© FortWhyte Alive
Go to FortWhyte Alive
Would you want to go to FortWhyte Alive your self? The city reclaimed wildlife protect, recreation space, and environmental schooling heart in southwest Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, represents 20% of Winnipeg’s city inexperienced area.
Nat Hab vacationers on our polar bear adventures have a particular alternative to go to FortWhyte Alive and be taught extra about their academic initiatives once they choose to spend an Further Day in Winnipeg.
© Nat Hab Expedition Chief Judy Wilson
Nat Hab Philanthropy is proud to associate with and sponsor FortWhyte Alive’s different conservation and nature-based academic programming, too. Over 100,000 guests get pleasure from FortWhyte Alive’s many applications, trails and reveals yearly. FortWhyte gives curriculum-based academic applications in each French and English to round 30,000 Okay-12 college youngsters every year. The FortWhyte Farms initiative introduces deprived youth to city agriculture-based, social and vocational abilities coaching.
© FortWhyte Alive
About FortWhyte Alive
In 1888, the realm was dubbed Fort Whyte after a prime Canadian Pacific Railway official who battled to take management of the location from a rival railway.
Beginning in 1907, The Canada Cement Firm (now Lafarge) used a lot of what’s now FortWhyte Alive to mine clay and gravel to make cement. By the Nineteen Fifties, floods and different sources of clay made the Fort Whyte web site out of date.
The Wildlife Basis of Manitoba noticed the commercial web site as a possible habitat and began reclamation work.
© FortWhyte Alive
By the Nineteen Eighties, FortWhyte Alive’s focus shifted from wildlife conservation solely to incorporate environmental schooling, with the institution of the Fort Whyte Basis and the opening of trails and an Interpretive Middle.
During the last 30 years, FortWhyte Alive has grown tremendously, including prairie grassland to forest and wetland habitats and increasing volunteer alternatives, workers and environmental teaching programs.
Situated on the normal lands of the Anishinaabe, Ininiwak, Anisininewak, Dakota, and Dene peoples, in addition to the Nationwide Homeland of the Purple River Métis, as we speak FortWhyte Alive serves as a major instance of how we are able to handle city landscapes for sustainable growth.
© FortWhyte Alive
Discover the Arctic Wilderness & WWF Arctic Program
In case you are enthusiastic about Arctic science, discover the Arctic wilderness with Nat Hab. Nothing compares to East Greenland for an epic Arctic expedition—and there’s no higher technique to expertise it than from our wilderness Base Camp.
For extra on Arctic conservation, WWF maintains a library of Arctic sources and information at WWF World Arctic Program hub.
Photographed by Nat Hab Expedition Chief © Colby Brokvist
