MORGANTOWN, W.Va. A pilot program from the Visit Mountaineer Country Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (CVB) will teach fifth grade students about the value of our natural resources and the impact of tourism on the state economy.
Destination Development Coordinators Kathryn Carter and Stella Hehnly are working with the boards of education in Monongalia, Preston, and Taylor Counties to include “leave no Trace” instruction for students, according to Visit Mountaineer Country CVB President and CEO Susan Riddle.
Riddle said while the students are learning environmental responsibility, they also get an understanding of the economic impact of state recreation areas. The program will also include some of the College and Career Readiness Standards endorsed by the West Virginia Department of Education.
“In order to be good stewards of our public lands, not only in our daily lives but also for our visitors,” Riddle said, “The more we all take care of our natural resources, the more they will be here for generations to come.”
Carter said the instruction will take about 45 minutes at each school and is centered around the seven principals of good stewardship. The class will vary in length based on the activities included.
“Plan ahead and prepare before going; the second is to travel and camp on strong, durable surfaces; the third is to throw away all your trash while you’re outside; leave what you find, minimize campfire impact; respect wildlife; and be considerate of other visitors.”
In addition to being encouraged to share the lesson with others, the students are recognized with a certificate, a tag with the seven principals, and a lanyard.
“Award them as “Good Stewards” of the land in Mountaineer Country, and they’ll each get a tag with the seven principals,” Carter said.
Riddle said the West Virginia Department of Tourism will evaluate the plan and could possibly expand the program to other counties.
“Depending on our success with this program, they plan to launch it statewide for other CVBs and school systems,” Riddle said.