WILD & Blue Schools

Isn't it time you encouraged the young people in your charge to get their hands dirty? Seriously, if you're looking for hands-on opportunities for students to actively participate in wildlife conservation, then a habitat project is for you. Each year, youngsters from coast to coast undertake wildlife habitat improvement projects in their schoolyards and communities. Not only do bears, bats, fish, and foxes benefit from these noble efforts; so do young Canadians, who learn that all life forms, including people, are creatures of habitat. Learning that our environment provides the food, water, shelter, and space we need to survive gives us a deeper appreciation of the place we call home.

• Blue schools develop and carry out a "Blueprint for Ocean Action." Becoming blue, or ocean friendly, is a reachable goal for every school in Canada. It means achieving important goals, such as helping to prevent marine pollution, conserving aquatic habitat, and celebrating Oceans Day, June 8.
• Both the WILD and Blue School initiatives share the goal of inspiring youth to value our natural world while instilling in them a sense of responsible stewardship through habitat projects.
• These programs achieve this goal by cultivating students' awareness of conservation principles and through hands-on habitat projects that enable participants to turn awareness into action.