No Trout Left Behind in NJ classrooms

RELEASE: March 20, 2009 – Volume XLI, No. 12

Nothing beats dirt and water for getting kids interested in nature. The state’s “Trout in the Classroom” program is a great hands-on example of how kids can learn about the environment and how it connects to their own homes and communities.

Over the last century, eastern brook trout populations from Maine to Georgia have declined. The brook trout thrives in cold, clean water, and is an aquatic version of the proverbial “canary in the coal mine.” They are native to New Jersey, but most of New Jersey’s rivers and streams no longer support reproducing populations.

“Trout in the Classroom” gives K-12 students a chance to help. Kids raise trout from eggs, monitor water quality and study stream habitats. During the year, teachers can tailor the program to fit their own school plans. The program has interdisciplinary applications in science, social studies, mathematics, language arts, fine arts, and physical education. Students learn to appreciate water, understand ecosystems and develop a conservation ethic.

“Trout in the Classroom programs have been operating for across the United States for over 20 years. The first one in New Jersey started in 1991, at Hopatcong Middle School in Morris County. Students from that first class successfully lobbied to make the brook trout our official state fish! Even though the brook trout (salvelinus fontinalis) is really a member of the salmon family, it’s the only “trout” native to this state we’re in.

This year, about 80 schools are participating in the program, including kids from rural counties to urban centers. The current New Jersey curriculum is aimed at 6th to 9th grade science classes, though there are some older and younger classes participating. Interested teachers can contact the N.J. Division of Fish & Wildlife for an activity guide, set-up instructions and lists of supplies and sources. Members of Trout Unlimited, the nonprofit conservation group, will work with them to set up the aquaria in their classrooms. On a case-by-case basis, Trout Unlimited will also provide financial support.

In October, the Division of Fish & Wildlife will provide free brook trout eggs from its Pequest Fish Hatchery in Warren County. Over the course of the school year, students can watch eggs hatch and fish grow into fingerlings. They observe the trout rearing process, wrestle with real-life water quality issues, and use their knowledge and creativity to seek solutions. The brook trout “graduate” in the spring when students release them into approved streams.

Currently, New Jersey has 123 streams where brook trout naturally reproduce. With the help of “Trout in the Classroom,” young conservationists are learning the value of protecting these habitats!

Learn more about the “Trout in the Classroom program” from the Division of Fish & Wildlife website at www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/tic.htm. You can even read some of the kids’ firsthand observations at the New Jersey Trout in the Classroom Journal at www.njtroutintheclassroom.org.

And I hope you will consult New Jersey Conservation Foundation’s website at www.njconservation.org or contact me at info@njconservation.org, if you would like more information about conserving New Jersey’s precious land and natural resources.

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