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<br />I <br /> <br />- <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. - - <br />- - <br /> <br />---- <br /> <br />A Department-wide Initiative <br /> <br />The Word <br />From DOW <br /> <br />EnvironmentclllUtlCcltion i~ "a <br />matter of ~urvi\".11," .1ccordlll}; <br />to Division of Wildlift-' <br />Director Perry Olson. <br />i\b.ny people chrll,N' to lin- <br />in the \Vest b('cau~ of its natural <br />bt.'auty. '\1uch of the wgion's l'Clmo.. <br />mv-fwm outd()l)[ rL'('feation-based <br />tourbm to agricultul\' and mining- <br />also is ddt-'rmilll'd bv thl..' en\'imn- <br />nwntalllualily (If our I.mds. WithtlUI <br />dft'cti\'c \"'n\'inmment.11 L't.iucatillll, <br />both our qUJlity (If Iifl' and ('COIh}.-- <br />my ".iIl deterior.ltl'. said OIStIIl, whn <br />('hairs IIw Pmit-'l"t WILD <br />f\.t,lll,lgl-'nwnt Committl''t' llf thl' <br />\Vestem Rl'giollal En\'ironmL'ntal <br />Education C(llIncil (WREEC). <br />Fllf th(l~' fl'<lSIms, OO\\' hilS <br />mddt' a sibnifk,mt inn.~lnll'nt in <br />l'll\'inlOnll'ntalt-Juc,ltil11l pn1brams <br />in Colorado. Through Projl'...-t WILD, <br />for (''(<Hl1pll', the division h,lS pnl~ <br />vidl'l..i ,1Imo~1 12J){Xlll.'achl'~ with <br /> <br />wildlife curriculum matl'rials and <br />training fm USt' in tlll'ir c1,lssnloms. <br />The division'~ Ri\'er Watch <br />Program tt>.lcht.'S tl'achl'r~ and ~ttl- <br />lil'nts 10 l'\'aluiltl' water l}uality on <br />Color,ldo rin'rs ,md contr,Kts with <br />them to adopt a pt.lrtion of a ~tn"lm <br />to moni!(lr on ,1 continuing b,bis. <br />This summer, Ol~ln and till' <br />divisi{lO sptln~lfl.J the St."C(lOd <br />Sml\\'mas~ Summit llO Educ.ltillO, <br />\\'ildlife and the Envimnml'nt, <br />which brought together top wildlift' <br />n1.l11.1gl'ment and Sl.-h{'l(ll officials <br />fwm more than 24 states. 00\\1 h,1S <br />alStl provided dOZl'ns of summer <br />jobs ,lIld su~t.lntial fundin~ to hl'lp <br />nukl' D;\JR's YllUth in l':atural <br />Rl'SOUfCl'S program ,1 success. <br />S~x'a"ing nn'lllly at thl' <br />\\'REEC's annu.11Illt'l'ling, Olson <br />s..lid th,lt as~uming n..'SpllOsibility <br />for ell\-irnnmt'ntal l'l.iuc,ltion is <br />l'SPl'l..-ially important hlf wild lift' <br />agl'ncil'S. !-it' cited changin,.; public <br />valut.'S tll\\'dni thl' elwironlllenl and <br />tht' nl'l..'l..i for wildtifl' agl'ncil'~ to Pt.' <br />rl'spon~in' hI urban dwdlers, <br /> <br /> <br />increasing minority ~xlpulations <br />,mdotht'rs_ <br />Olson acknowk-.Jgl"s that <br />this new nile for \\'ildlift-. <lgencil>s <br />h,b caused concerns among thl'ir <br />traditionill (1lstllllll'rs, who feM that <br />such ch,lIlg~ may rl,fll"Ct ,111 anti- <br />hunting bias. Hmn'\"(:'r, he argues <br />that environmentall'l.tucation is <br />nlllsistl'nt with his division's mb- <br />!"ion to pfl'sl'rn', pmtl"Ct .lnd m.ln- <br />,lgl' wildlift' and its envinmml,;-'nt <br />for thl,;-' U*. bl'lwfit ,lnd enjoyment <br />of thl,;-' F'l'op!e of thl' state_ <br /> <br /> <br />-...: <br />Youth Naturally is an important part 01 <br />DNR"s Education Program. The brainchild <br />of Parks Board member Kathy Farley, <br />Pueblo Youth Naturally (PYN) began as a <br />pilot project last summer In Pueblo State <br />Park to foster personal growth and a <br />sense of stewardship in local youngsters. <br />ThiS year. 300 students took part In PYN. <br />and 140 participated in Denver Youth <br />Naturally at Cherry Creek State Park. <br />DNR hopes to expand the program to al <br />least one additIonal park next year. <br /> <br />ActiVities Include camping. SWimming. <br />horseback ndlng. nature walks. antl-drug <br />workshops. leam-buildmg. boat ndes and <br />tree planhngs. <br /> <br />Major PYN partners besides DOW and <br />State Parks are Pueblo aty and county <br />agencies and school distncts. The Denver <br />program worked WIth the Denver Council <br />01 Boy Scouts to recruit participants. Both <br />programs received generous cash and in- <br />kind support Irom local businesses. <br />