Students learn about conservation at fairgrounds

Cooking with the sun, erosion control, conserving electricity among the learning stations at 47th annual event

Photos by Kristina Gabalski – Orleans County Deputy Sheriff Erin Fuller discusses staying safe this summer in and around water with local 6th graders at the “Water, boats and being safe” station at this year’s Annual Orleans County Conservation Field Days.

KNOWLESVILLE – Hundreds of sixth-graders from Orleans County this week are learning about environmental, wildlife, safety and conservation issues during the 47th Annual Orleans County Conservation Field Days at the 4-H Fairgrounds.

The program ran on Tuesday and continues today. It is hosted by Orleans County 4-H youth development. Robert Batt, 4-H youth development educator, says about 450 students from Albion, Kendall, Holley, Medina and Lyndonville Central School Districts are taking part.

Batt works to organize the event which includes more than a dozen learning/activity “stations” set up around the fairgrounds and which cover such topics as erosion control tillage, composting, wildlife habitat walk, cooking with the sun, rabies, and “conserve electricity – turn off Xbox and play with a dog.”

“We are so thankful for the diversity of wonderful instructors who come to share their knowledge with the students,” Batt says.

Various professionals and volunteers, including Orleans County 4-Hers, take part in presenting topics and also highlight potential career opportunities in the areas discussed. The event additionally gives students a chance to see some of the programming that is available to them through the local 4-H program.

Nola Goodrich-Kreese of the Orleans County Health Department discusses rabies, including its symptoms and how to keep safe, with 6th graders in Mr. Englert’s class at Albion Central School on Tuesday, the first day of the Annual Conservation Field Days which continues today.

Local 6th graders prepare to test their knowledge of conservation during the “Conservation Trivia Contest” Tuesday afternoon.

Kate, a Lincoln Longwool sheep (left), and a Navajo-Churro lamb are owned by the Dreschel family of Holley. The animals are part of the Heritage Sheep station at this year’s Conservation Field Days.

Local 6th graders take part in “Conservation Relays” during the 47th Annual Orleans County Conservation Field Days. Two classes at a time faced-off in a competition that tested their knowledge of wildlife, including animal tracks.