MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – On Wednesday, May 25, the East Lake Resource Conservation District was proud to host “Field Days in the Creek”  at Diamond D Ranch outside Middletown.

Approximately 75 fourth grade students from Coyote Valley and Minnie Cannon elementary schools participated in this interactive educational event on the banks of Putah Creek, where the emphasis was on seeing, touching, and learning about the natural world and natural resource management in an outdoor setting.

The children moved from one demonstration station to another over the course of an hour and a half.

Presenters included Ben Ewing from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife demonstrating backpack electrofishing; Carolyn Ruttan from the Lake County Department of Water Resources talking about aquatic invasive species such and quagga mussels; Dean Enderlin demonstrating geologic principles with rocks that naturally occur on site; Dr. Harry Lyons providing an introduction to our native trees and ways to identify them; and Joe Koschik from the US Forest Service discussing forestry and fire protection and providing a close up look at the anatomy of a real fire truck.

Although not part of the formal presentations, everyone also got a close look at post-fire resilience: although the Valley fire had reduced the riparian vegetation along Putah Creek to charred skeletons, lush new growth was already sprouting everywhere – and the massive valley oaks a little farther from the creek appeared to have come through unscathed.

After the demonstrations and hands-on activities, the students settled in for lunch – when who should appear but Smokey Bear! It was hard to tell whether the presenters, the students or the organizers were having the most fun on this beautiful day in the south county.

A project of the Upper Putah Creek Stewardship Council for many years, in 2014 Field Days came under the auspices of East Lake RCD, which is hoping to extend the program to the Konocti Unified School District at a future date.

For more information about the Resource Conservation District please visit www.lakercd.org .