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32 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday. March 10, 1987 Students at Nonquon § A group of grade 5 and 6 students from R_H. Cornish School spent part of last Thursday hiking through a classroom Along the way, they stopped to hand-feed the chickadees, observe . the tracks of rabbits and grouse, sample the minty taste of balsam tree needles and beCome members of the "'maggot-mouth club." (More on that later) The classroom where all this fascinating stuff takes place is ac- tually the Nonguon Outdoor and En vironmental Education Centre, a 100-hectare tract of bush and marsh located just north of Port Perry in the middle of the provincial Non quon Wildlife Protection area From September to June, five days a week, students from all over Durham Region visit the Education Centre which has a couple of on-site classrooms for lectures and a wildlife museum But it is the sur- rounding lands ---- really an out- door laboratory ---- which gives the students a chance to observe, touch, hear and even taste the natural environment There are three nature trails twisting their way through the forest With a lot of patience and a handful of - sunflower seeds, the students were able to coax the skittish black-capped chickadees to feed Student guide Steve Chambers holds up a pod from the golden rod weed and is about to initiate the grade 5 and 6 students to the and wetlands. At this time of year, there is much to see and experience, even though the land is still covered with snow and the marsh is.frozen solid Under the guidance of student- teachers Steve Chambers and Mark Vanderhuur, who work for teacher Mike Whitmarsh, the Cornish students last week first donned snowshoes for their trek along the trail Actually, the snow was hard-pack, so the youngsters really didn't need the snowshoes, but trying them out is part of the outdoor experience. Along the way, they examined the fresh tracks of hare, grouse, mink and weasel, saw a raised platform in the marsh where esprey build nests each year, peered into the bur- row of some animal, and spent a lot of time trying to coax the black- capped chickadees to eat sunflower seeds from their hands. And at the conclusion of the hike (just before lunch) most of the students joined the "maggot- mouth' club. This is not nearly as gruesome as it sounds. Inside the pod of the golden-rod plant, are found the lar- I won't hurt you vae of the gall fly. The larvae are small and white, and they can be eaten. They have a sweet taste to them The day begins with a lecture in one of the classrooms, followed by the "Scratch and Sniff' hike over the trails and concludes in the after- noon with the measuring and recor- ding of weather such as temperatures and wind speeds. All of this is really just a real-life extension of the lessons the students receive in their natural science ~ classes. The Nonquon Outdoor En- vironmental Education Centre is a joint venture between Durham Board of Education and the provin- cial Ministry of Natural Resources, which owns and manages the more than 1000 hectares of land north of Port Perry. Last year, some 9,000 students were given the chance to spend a - day in this fascinating outdoor natural science lab. On weekends, the general public are encouraged to hike the trails and observe the natural phenomena. To get there from Port Perry, take old Simcoe Street north and turn left at the 10th Concession. from their hands. That's Michelle Carter with one of the small birds perched on her finger-tips. "TN | fr A \ "maggot-mouth" club. See story for an explana- tion about that. Ready to roll 'With snowshoes in place and sunglasses on, Shawn Gawley prepares for the "Scratch and Sniff" hike over a winding trail through the bush and frozen wetlands of the Education Centre. Buy Direct from the Grower AND SAVE... ALLEN UNDERHILL FLOWERS & GREENHOUSES 220 Main St. N., Uxbridge 852-6395 or 852- 6283 -- OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK -- -- Serving Durham Region for 50 Years -- THE WEDDING EXPERTS Fresh or Silk S50 00 : ® BOOK NOW! Complete - From ROSES. CUT FLOWERS. PLANTERS, GREEN PLANTS, FRESH - SILK - DRIED ARRANGEMENTS | WE SPECIALIZE IN CARING - WHATEVER YOU NEED! LOCAL DELIVERY or AROUND THE WORLD, PHONE 985-8406 NOW OPEN PRECISION AUTO ELECTRIC & GENERAL REPAIRS R.R. 1, PORT PERRY, ONTARIO LOB TNO Parts - Sales - Service - Testing Of all Electrical & Fuel Components - Air Conditioning - Brakes - Tuneups - Trouble Shooting - Service Calls OPEN: Mon to Fri 8 AM to 6 PM: Saturday 8 AM to 12 Noon NY 4 Owned & Operated by Tim Bartley sir lll a LL i EI B.S APR gl j RAE A RR