Learning about bugs and more at Scanlon Creek
by Michelle Minnoch

On Friday, grade 4 students from Sunnybrae and Innisfil Central spent part of the day at Scanlon Creek Conservation Area. In an interactive learning session, the students learned about bugs through the Hug a Bug program, and aquatic life through Scanlon's Aquatic Adventures Program.

Located in Bradford, the Scanlon Creek Conservation Area was formed in 1965 after several pieces of property were purchased by the Holland Valley Conservation Authority (now the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority). The name of the area was named after the major landowner of the 282 hectare property.

The Professor E.A. Smith Natural Resources Educational Centre, built in 1978, is where students learn about the abundance of live we have living around us. The Centre was originally built to house 40 students, but due to popular demand of the centre and its educational programs, it was expanded in 1990 to allow for 60 students and their teachers. Three portables were also added to the area for the popular programs.

Like all programs, The Aquatic Adventure program starts inside the centre, instructing students of what they will find when outside. The program allows students to study the diversity of life found in a stream. Students are taught about the different life in the streams at Scanlon, and then are given dip-nets to search the steam for life, as well as an information key to identify their finds. The students also have a work form to fill out, as all play and no work is not the motto of this class trip.

The Hug a Bug program teaches the kids about the different variety of bugs and their habitats. Students are sent out to gather bugs in their bug catchers and are given a booklet to help identify their finds.

Scanlon Creek runs an amazing variety of programs for students in the area.

From grades four to eight, students can not only learn about the life found within Scanlon Creek, but hikes, snowshoeing, treasure hunts, workshops, games, pioneer studies and more are available for the students. Scanlon Creeks provides an opportunity for students to learn about their environment 'hands-on'.

Open all year long, Scanlon Creek is not only great for students, but is a great place to spend the day. Scanlon features many marked trails throughout, and has picnic areas, including pavilions with built-in barbeques.

For more information about Scanlon Creek, you can go to www.lsrca. on.ca/scanloncreek.