NEWS & UPDATES - May/June 2021

Questionnaire 2: Programs

The Kootenay-Columbia Discovery Centre Society (KCDCS) would like to hear from our Members! We want to know your thoughts on various elements related to the development of a new Discovery Centre at the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area. We are doing a series of 4 Questionnaires, each one will take less than 5 minutes to complete. They will be released over a period of time in our monthly enewsletters and will be available on our website. These are the topics: Questionnaire 1: Space and Design Questionnaire 2: Programs Questionnaire 3: Displays and Exhibits Questionnaire 4: Outdoor Space, Accessibility and Trails These questionnaires are part of a larger process to develop a master plan and design for a new Centre. Each questionnaire that you fill out will give you one entry into a Prize Draw that will take place once the final questionnaire is released (so a maximum of 4 entries can be obtained). Prizes include: Bushnell Binoculars (10x42) Oil Portrait (18x24, full colour) signed by artist (local Creston artist) 4 Canoe Tours at KCDCS KCDCS t-shirt and hat If you are not a Member, you can still complete the questionnaire. We encourage you to become a Member, it is free, so that you can keep up to date on progress related to the development of a new Centre and current operations. Memberships can be obtained here. Ready to fill out the second Questionnaire? Here it is: Questionnaire 2: Programs Thank you. if you have any questions or additional comments, please reach out to us at: [email protected]

We are OPEN, Come Visit!

The Discovery Centre is OPEN for the season! We are here Monday to Saturday in May and June and 7 days a week in July and August. We are currently delivering lots of school programs and we are also offering guided canoe tours! Guided Canoe Tours Guided canoe tours are on! Join a naturalist for a 1.5 hour guided canoe tour through the wetland. You must preregister and you can bring a minimum of 4 or a maximum of 10 people. Offered daily when open. Times: 9:30am; 11:00am; 1:00pm; 2:30pm Cost:$50 Flat rate Email or call us (250-402-8661) to book!

KCDCS AGM Rescheduled to May 27th

KCDCS's AGM rescheduled due to lack of quorum New Date: Thursday May 27th, 2021 Where: Virtually via Zoom Time: 7pm You must register for the event. To register please click here. Please complete you registration promptly. We did not reach quorum, as stated in our bylaws, at the May 13th AGM. So, we have rescheduled the AGM for May 27th. According to our bylaws, whoever attends this second attempt at an AGM will constitute quorum and the meeting will go ahead. One of the resolutions on the agenda is to change this bylaw so that we do not run into this problem again.

Jr. Nat Camps Registration is now open for our summer Jr Naturalist day camps. Many of the camps at already full or close to full, so if you are interested, please get in touch soon! Click here for details. NEW! Frolicking Frogs Ages 4 & 5 (preschool age) July 26-28 Sessions: Monday-Wednesday Time: 9 am – 12 pm Cost: $65 per week Curious Caterpillars Ages 6 & 7 (completed Kindergarten or Grade 1) July 5-9 and August 9-13 Sessions: Monday-Friday Time: 9 am – 3 pm Cost: $110 per week Boisterous Beavers Ages 8 & 9 (completed Grade 2 or 3) July 12-16 and August 16-20 Sessions: Monday-Friday Time: 9 am – 3 pm Cost: $110 per week Eager Eagles Ages 10 & 11 (completed Grade 4 or 5) July 19-23 and August 23-27 Sessions: Monday-Friday Time: 9 am – 3 pm Cost: $110 per week Wandering Wolves Ages 12 & 13 (completed Grade 6 or 7) August 2-6 Sessions: Monday-Friday Time: 9 am – 3 pm Cost: $110 per week

“Miss, what’s a duck?”

From James Posynick, Chair of KCDCS This is part of a headline in an article on the BBC news 2 days ago. It is about children who, despite living in a city just a few blocks from the sea and surrounded by countryside and a forest, have little or no exposure to their natural surroundings. “Why” you ask? Well one of the main reasons is that children (and adults, by the way) have become increasingly dependent on technology as a source of information about just about everything. Why go anywhere when you can sit in front of the tv or your tablet, Google and watch nature through somebody else’s camera lens?   Parents and educators in the UK became so concerned about “nature deprivation” in their children that they created a number of charitable organizations called The Wildlife Trusts. Today they have more than 850,000 members, 42,500 volunteers, 2,000 staff and 600 trustees. All are dedicated to the mission and vision of bringing people closer to nature and creating more and bigger land reserves (“Living Landscapes”). They believe science has shown their approach can prevent and/or solve problems including climate change, flooding, economic disasters, diseases like Type 2 diabetes, mental health and cardio-vascular disease (see https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/about-us/vision-and-mission). The Wildlife Trusts are a primary example of what can be done when like-minded organizations talk to each other, plan and work together. Read more...

Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area

At this time of year, there are seasonal closures of the Duck Lake dyke to vehicle access due to poor conditions as well as seasonal migration of the northern leopard frog (March 15th - April 30th). To access advisories and up to date information related to the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area, please check out their website or Facebook page.

Memberships to KCDCS are FREE! To increase support and awareness for KCDCS' mission, we are offering free Memberships! Join the 1,000 Members and show support for environmental education in our region! This helps us to obtain grants and sponsorships to move us forward!

Become a Member

If you are interested in supporting KCDCS' mission to deliver environmental education and awareness programs, please click the link above. You can earmark your donation for ongoing program delivery or the development of a new Discovery Centre. KCDCS is a registered federal charity and can issue you a tax receipt.

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