As the kids are starting to return to schools, and summer break is ending, we at ERA are thinking back on all the great EcoSplash camps we had the privilege of running this summer.
One of our favorite places to visit is Tellico Creek on Needmore road. The crystal-clear stream is home to many macroinvertebrates, salamanders, fish, crawdads, and more! One of our favorite activities there is kicking at mud and sand with our feet and cleaning rocks with our hands to catch macroinvertebrates and small fish in a mesh net. After we catch the creatures, we put them in a glass viewing container and our friendly scientists at Mainspring will tell us what they are, what they eat, and what their presence means for the ecosystem as a whole. After we talk about the creatures we find, they are released back into the creek to continue their lives in the water.
In addition to seeing these local creatures, we sometimes get to touch or hold them too. The kids learn how to hold the creatures that have claws without being pinched, and the delicate creatures without damaging them.
Our grand finale for our EcoSplash camps is a snorkeling trip in one of our many local rivers in the Little Tennessee watershed. While there, the kids learn how to approach and identify the most common fish in the river. On our most recent trip, we saw small and large mouth bass, tangerine darters, and spot fin chubs, just to name a few! If the kids need a break, there are many warm rocks and small warm pools, or hot tubs as we call them, for them to rest in.
One special day, our kids were able to explore the Little Tennessee River with snorkels. They were hunting for the local mussels, and ended up finding some pretty large ones! The kids were able to see how mussels moved through the river bed, and learn about their purpose in the ecosystem. Mussels are able to clean the water they are in, so their presence is very good for our local rivers and streams.
Getting outside is good for everyone, especially kids!
In EcoSplash, kids are able to develop intellectually, socially, and physically. For many, it is their first time rafting on the local waterways here in WNC. Not only are the kids learning, but they are able to push into their challenge zone and learn about what they are capable of physically! They also spend time with a group of other kids between the ages of 6 to 13, and make new friends!
In this day and age, it is easy for kids to spend all day inside looking at a screen instead of running around outside and exploring their beautiful home. When kids get outside, there is noticeable improvement in their mental health, muscle control, social skills, and resilience. That means getting kids outside is both fun for them, and good for them! Thanks to our friends over at Mainspring Conservation Trust for providing all the local kids with the educational resources to learn about the local environment!
About Need More Outdoors
Need More Outdoors is a local nonprofit organization with a goal of getting kids in the #828 area outdoors. They accomplish this by partnering with local businesses and organizations. Endless River Adventures and MainSpring Conservation are two of NMO’s primary partners. Through scholarship opportunities, NMO not only provides opportunity, but also helps provide financial help for the young people of western North Carolina.
Endless River Adventures would like to acknowledge, with respect, that the land we reside on and recreate on is ancestral land of the Cherokee People.