Beth Moore, Contributor
The campus of North Florida College (NFC) was very busy on Friday, April 22. However, the sidewalks were not filled with your typical college-aged students but instead were filled with 185 Madison County third grade students. UF/IFAS Extension and Madison County 4-H brought together all of Madison County’s third grade students for one purpose on this day: to learn about ecology. The 32nd annual (with the exception of 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions) 4-H Ecology Day was a successful learning day.
Presenters and topics included Madison County Schools STEM coordinator Nancy Varn and instructional coach Jeff Veilleux, teaching the youth about plants and what is needed for the plants to flourish. The Florida Wildlife Commission talked about their jobs and what they do to help our local environment. Forest fires can be scary, but the Florida Forest Service spent the day teaching the students about control burns and why it is important for our forests. Our friends from FAMU traveled to teach all about entomology, otherwise known as bugs. The students tried a roasted cricket and some of them even liked it. The Madison County Solid Waste Department discussed with the students the importance of recycling and how they can help save the earth one aluminum can or cardboard box at a time. Madison County Farm Bureau helped the students understand the importance of the agricultural industry, specifically all the corn we grow in Madison County. Most students have never stopped to take a look at what aquatic creatures are found at the pond’s edge. These third grade students cannot say that any longer. UF Fisheries brought dip nets and allowed the kids to dip up water from the pond’s edge. They found minnows, various insect larva, tadpoles, fish and much more. Thanks to the Madison Soil and Water Conservation District, the students learned all about erosion and the Florida aquifer. The last learning station starred the famous pollinator, the honeybee. Here, students were able to see a hive of bees up close and were able to find the queen.
Thank you to all the presenters, volunteers and NFC who that made this Ecology Day one of the best ever!