Mainstreams, the non-profit water education society founded by Jim and Laura Duncan of Kimberley, will be winding it up after almost 18 years in the area.
In that time Mainstreams has taught thousands of students in the Columbia Basin about the essence and importance of water.
Mainstreams also coordinated the Columbia Basin Water Quality Monitoring project from 2006 to 2018, rescued the Watershed Network from oblivion from 2013 to 2017, conducted many workshops for government agencies and the public in Montana, Idaho and British Columbia and coordinated a major stream restoration project on Joseph Creek in Cranbrook.
Educational programs included Creek Science, 1.5 hour sessions for students in Grade to 12. Students go to local creek for lessons in creek ecology, calculating creek speed, capturing and observing macro invertebrates, observing and recording data and more.
Mainstreams also brought along their stream trailer to community events, a most popular program. The Stream Trailer illustrates the dynamics and importance of riparian vegetation. The stream trailer will move on to be used by Wildsight in Creston.
Mainstreams also developed a one hour in class lesson on Strategies for the Kootenays (Climate Change Adaptation) and another series on Macro Invertebrate Ecology.
These lessons have been delivered all over the Columbia Basin.
Mainstreams has also done a lot of work restoring the riparian area along Mark Creek in Kimberley.
READ: Mainstreams continues riparian and aesthetic enhancement project along Mark Creek
READ: Mainstreams offers another water education evening
a
carolyn.grant@kimberleybulletin.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter