HOME WHO IS HUNTING FOR TOMORROW BECOME INVOLVED Women Youth Working Groups Mentorship CALENDAR OF EVENTS WHAT'S NEW FACT SHEETS NEWSLETTERS ARTICLES & ISSUES REPORTS PHOTOS HUNTING STORIES FUNDING ASSISTANCE LINKS	2011 ALBERTA HUNTER EDUCATION INSTRUCTORS' ASSOCIATION TEACHER'S WORKSHOP JULY 22 - 24 As of April 1, 2010 it is a legal requirement for all first-time hunters in the province of Alberta to complete the Alberta Conservation and Hunter Education program or an equivalent hunter education course.  In 1964, the Alberta Government, together with Alberta Outdoorsmen, created a Hunter Safety program. This program later became the Alberta Conservation and Hunter Education program. In 2009, 15,000 students completed the Conservation Education course and 6,500 students completed the Fishing Education course. On October 15, 2006, the millionth student graduated from Alberta Hunter Education Instructors’ Association’s (AHEIA’s) Conservation and Hunter Education course.  Along with the Fishing Education course, the Conservation and Hunter Education course is also offered in Alberta schools through the Alberta Education curriculum, within the Careers and Technologies Studies option called the “Wildlife Strand.”  AHEIA has developed a workshop for teachers related to the Wildlife Strand. Part of the AHEIA Teacher’s Workshop will offer the certification that teachers require in order to teach Conservation and Hunter Education and Fishing Education courses. An additional session of the workshop will familiarize teachers with outdoor activities as related to Outdoor Experience I and II, including hands-on participation in the Survival and Camping Program, the Shooting Program (shotgun, small bore and large bore rifle), the Compass Program, the Fishing Program, and the Archery Program.  AHEIA is hosting the Teacher’s Workshop from July 22-24, 2011. The workshop takes place at the Alford Lake Conservation Education Centre for Excellence, which is located 24 kilometres west of Caroline, Alberta. The workshop registration fee is $150.00 per person, plus GST. This fee includes all accommodation, meals, resources materials, instructor certificates, and a one-year membership to AHEIA.  Teachers interested in the workshop should contact AHEIA for more information; contact the Edmonton Conservation Education Centre for Excellence at edmontoninfo@aheia.com, 780-466-6682 or 1-866-282-4342, or Dave Paplawski at dave@aheia.com, 403-319-2277 or 1-866-852-4342. See www.aheia.com for the registration form. Registration is limited and must be submitted by July 9, 2011.   INFORMATION & REGISTRATION PACKAGE                 "Learning How to Live on the Land" WILDLIFE COURSE COMBINES HANDS-ON & CLASSROOM COMPONENTS   NORTHERN NEWS SERVICE - APRIL 14, 2011 By Roxanna Thompson, Northern News Services http://nnsl.com/northern-news-services/stories/papers/apr14_11cofd.html LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON - Setting marten traps, skinning beavers, driving and maintaining snowmobiles and hunting for moose has all been part of the required class work for students in a unique course.  At Thomas Simpson School in Fort Simpson, nine students are taking a course pairing both practical and book learning about wildlife. The wildlife course was a joint initiative between the school and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR). Normally a handful of students every year spend three days with ENR staff doing the Take a Kid Trapping or Take a Kid Harvesting Programs. This year when principal Freda Blyth was approached, she worked with Kelly Pennycook, a renewable resource officer, to develop a semester long accredited course that combined both programs. Pennycook instructed the first portion of the course, which has been running since Jan. 21. Every second day for half the day, Pennycook taught the students about setting marten traps and snares and helped them establish a 15 km long trap line. "They always showed up eager to work," he said. The students also went on three hunting trips and learned about the best practices for harvesting fur as well as skinning and fur handling techniques. "They did learn a lot. They didn't realize how hard it was," said Pennycook about running a trap line. Students also continued their studies indoors, where they learned about the history of the fur industry, the Genuine Mackenzie Valley Fur Program and firearms awareness. For both Brandon Deneyoua and Jared Kotchea the best part of the course so far has been learning to trap. Deneyoua said he took the course specifically to learn that skill set. His knowledge now includes how to use bait and lure and where to put traps for the best results. Kotchea, who'd never set a trap before, said he's learned how to set traps and position them on trees. Although Pennycook's portion of the course, which was funded with a $16,000 grant from the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment and also approximately $30,000 in kind from ENR in equipment usage and staff, ended on March 31, the learning hasn't stopped. Under the direction of teacher John Forbes, the students are now rounding out their course work with more scientific information about wildlife and their ecosystems. When the course ends in June, the nine students will have earned six wildlife credits. While none of the students are likely to become full-time trappers as a result of the course, it may spark an in interest in careers related to renewable resources, said Blyth. "The kids who've participated have really enjoyed it," Blyth said.
Hunting For Tomorrow Foundation Kelly Semple, Executive Director #87, 4003 - 98th Street Edmonton, Alberta T6E 6M8 Phone: 780-462-2444 Email: ksemple@huntingfortomorrow.com If you encounter any problems with this site, please contact Kelly Semple. © 2002 HUNTING FOR TOMORROW FOUNDATION   This page was last updated  April 15, 2011