March
2007
Rivers in the Classroom0
The ‘Rivers in the Classroom’ project, run by the Argyll Fisheries Trust, sets out to establish a programme in local primary schools in Argyll & Bute that will foster a caring attitude towards freshwater ecosystems containing important local and UK Biodiversity Action Species such as Atlantic salmon, freshwater pearl mussels and otters.
The children in P.5-7 are going to be involved in this project over the next few months. The project involves the life cycle of trout as a tool to promote children’s awareness of river ecology in general.
Trout eggs have been taken into the classroom and are kept in a self contained hatchery (i.e. an aquarium). Pupils will be actively involved in looking after the fish eggs, monitoring their progress and finally helping to stock the fish into a suitable burn near Loch Awe. In addition to the trout hatching and stocking project, the Fisheries Trust biologist has carried out classroom teaching to raise pupils’ awareness of freshwater ecosystems and factors affecting freshwater habitats and species. This should help to show how both pupils and local communities can assist with caring for their local burns, rivers and wetlands and the species that inhabit them.
