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Riparian Ecology Station

Three people by a river, one standing, two sitting, surrounded by nature and sunlight.

OVERVIEW

Students use scientific tools and their own observations to learn about stream health, and the connections between living and non-living things in a watershed.

LEARNING GOALS

  • Students will understand that interactions between fish and forests are complex and changing.
  • Students will appreciate the importance of healthy forests for healthy salmon populations, and vice-versa.
  • Students will learn how riparian areas provide functions or ‘jobs’ in the watershed, but only if they are healthy.

VOCABULARY

  • Riparian
  • ecology
  • erosion
  • stream bank
  • survey
  • runoff
  • canopy
  • riffle
  • pool
  • run

WAYS TO PREPARE YOUR STUDENTS

MORE LEARNING RESOURCES

Download the printable station guide here:

Riparian Ecology.pdf
Educational materials for stream and riparian ecology surveys, with instructions, scoring, and images of plants, animals, and human impact.