Riparian Ecology Station
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
- Watch Video: How forests, rivers, and salmon were meant to be together (4 mins)
- Explore the Salmon River 360: Virtual Tour
- Watch Video: Welcome to the Riparian Zone (3 mins)
MORE LEARNING RESOURCES
- Measuring Stream Canopy Closure using a Spherical Densiometer (Video)
- Introduction to Riparian Areas (World Salmon Council)
- What are riparian ecosystems?
Download the printable station guide here:
Riparian Ecology.pdf