Richard Froese
South Peace News

High Prairie School Division has nominated the Boreal Centre for Bird Conservation for the 2024 Friends of Education Award presented by the Alberta School Boards Association.

“We are delighted to recognize the Boreal Centre for Bird Conservation for its significant contributions to education, community enrichment and land stewardship,” states a news release from HPSD dated Sept. 19.

“Its dedication to foster a deep appreciation for wildlife and environmental conservation among students makes it an outstanding candidate for the 2024 ASBA Friends of Education.”

Through its collaboration with the Lesser Slave Lake Bird Observatory Society, Alberta Parks and the Lesser Slave Lake Forest Education Society, the Boreal Centre provides exceptional educational experiences for students and communities.

The partnership enables the centre to pool resources, secure funding and efficiently present programs that reach thousands of students each year.

The centre actively incorporates Indigenous knowledge into its programming, working closely with local Elders and Knowledge Keepers to provide students with valuable in-person perspectives.

Located within the Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park north of Slave Lake, the Boreal Centre provides hands-on immersive learning opportunities.

Teachers have praised the centre’s staff for their professionalism, flexibility and commitment to environmental education, which deeply resonates with students.

With more than 6,000 square feet of space in exhibits and a wide range of activities, including nature walks, ecology hikes and bird observatory tours, the centre brings classroom concepts to life.

The centre’s curriculum-based programming aligns with Alberta Education’s standards and students have the chance to interact directly with scientists.

Nicole Krikun, of the Lesser Slave Lake Bird Observatory Society, emphasizes the importance of sparking a love for birds in youth to foster lifelong conservation awareness.

In the 2023-24 academic year alone, it presented 105 curriculum-based programs to nearly 2,000 participants.

Field trips and year-round programs such as snowshoeing and outdoor survival training, further enrich students’ understanding of environmental stewardship.