Wild Child Eco-Exploration Camp > Detailed Itinerary
Over the course of two weeks, this camp teaches principles of biodiversity, climate change, natural history and how the aforementioned concepts relate to conservation efforts in the Yukon. These concepts will be explored at length while participating in fun hands-on actvities. Students will be encouraged to develop their creativity and critical thought skills, as well as new outdoor hard-skills. On the final day of the camp there will be a completion ceremony at which all students will be recognized for the unique way in which they contributed to the camp and students will showcase their learning through a final presentation to parents. ( Parents are encouraged to attend )
Wild Child Eco-Explorations Camp is an interactive learning experience with hands-on activities that are structured to be fun, while at the same time challenging the student to grow as a person and to value their ability to develop educated opinions, share them with others, and to work towards positive change.
Camp Activities:
--- Canoeing --- Hiking --- Birding --- Plant Identification --- Tracking --- Navigation Skills --- Multi-day Overnight Camping,
Visits To or From:
--- Teslin Bird Banding Centre --- Beringia Centre --- Yukon Wildlife Preserve --- Parks Canada Presentation --- Discussion with First Nation Elder --- Fish Lake --- Yukon River Fish Ladder --- Chadburn Lake --- Kusawa Lake ---
Note: All meals included in this itinerary are listed as: ( B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner ) Students need to be at Rotary Park each morning at 9 am and are available to be picked up at 5 pm ( except on camping nights)
Day 1: Meet at Rotary Park and then Transfer to Chadburn Lake
• Introductions
• Camp Guidelines
• Camp Objectives
• Student and Instructor Expectations
• Team Building
Day 2: Hike Bonnavile Lakes Trail ( Fish Lake)
- Natural History
- Wetlands, Amphibians and Birds
- Introduction To:
- Survival Skills
- Navigation
- Tracking
- Birding
Day 3: Paddling Chadburn Lake, Visit to Fish Ladder
- Fish Ladder Visit and activity
- Paddling (canoeing) at Chadburn
- Introduction of principles of Leave No Trace camping and travel techniques
- Aquatic Invertebrates
Study
- Continue Working On:
- Survival Skills
- Navigation ( GPS and Map )
- Animal Tracking
- Birding
Day 4: Yukon Wildlife Preserve
- Yukon Wildlife
- Conservation Biology
- Participate in daily activities of preserve staff
Day 5: Beringia Centre, Chadburn Lake
- Natural History workshop in the morning at the Beringia Centre, co-lead with Beringia Centre Staff
- Leadership skills workshop at Chadburn Lake in afternoon
- outdoor games and wilderness crafts session
Day 6: ( D ) Teslin Bird Banding Centre ( overnight camping trip)
- Drive to Teslin
- Visit the George Johnson Museum
- Introduction to the staff at the Teslin Bird Banding Centre
- Participate in a birding walk
- "Project Wild" Games ( if time permits )
- Campfire program ( cooking skills over campfire )
Day 7: (B, L, ) Teslin Bird Banding Centre
- Participate in banding
- Bird identification skills
- Return to Whitehorse.
Day 8: ( D ) Kusawa Lake Camping Trip
- Drive to Kusawa Lake and set up camp
- Games and fun in the sun on the beach
- Fishing for pike at the Mendenhall Landing
Day 9: (B , L , D ) Kusawa Lake Camping Trip, Hiking Day Trip
- Activities co-lead with Parks Canada Staff
- Hike on Kusawa Lake Ridge in afternoon
- Campfire crafts
Day 10: (B, L, D) Kusawa Lake Camping Trip, Paddle on the Takhini River
- Visit from Yukon Wildlife Viewing Staff
- Beach walk ( studying the riparian zone )
- grayling fishing on Takhini River
Day 11: (B, L, ) Kusawa Lake Camping Trip
- Cultural and Heritage Focus
- Visit from Champagne-Aishihik First Nation Elder for story telling
- Work on presentations for completion ceremony
- Drive back to Whitehorse for 5:00 pm
Day 12: ( L ) Completion Ceremony
- Wrap-up activities in the morning at Chadburn Lake and opportunity for students to work on their presentations for parents
- 12:00 pm: Parents barbecue lunch and presentation by students to their parents based on their learning
- Presentation of prizes and certificates to students
