Victoria – To get more students out of the classroom and into the great outdoors, BC Parks is contributing $30,000 from the sales of specialty licence plates to the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation’s (HCTF) GO Grants Program.
The GO Grants Program provides funding for school field trips to provincial parks, and other natural areas, so students can learn about B.C.’s fish and wildlife habitats, as well as biodiversity, while fostering an appreciation for the environment. The trips give youth a chance to spend time outdoors and participate in hands-on learning activities, such as beach seining, releasing salmon fry and nature scavenger hunts, as well as plant and animal identification.
Last year, licence plate funding supported outdoor learning in provincial parks for more than 700 students. Up to 2,500 students are anticipated to go on field trips this year, as demand for the program is at an all-time high.
The GO Grants Program is the second in a series of projects, funded through the licence plate program. More will be unveiled in the coming year.
In April, the BC Parks Student Ranger Program was established, with proceeds generated from speciality licence plate sales. The program offers 48 young adults hands-on work experience in a diverse range of projects related to conservation, recreation, community outreach and Indigenous relations.
For more information about GO Grants, and how to apply, visit: www.hctfeducation.ca/go-grants
For more information about BC Parks speciality licence plates, visit:
http://www.icbc.com/vehicle-registration/licence-plates/Pages?bc-parks-plates.aspx
To learn more about BC Parks: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/
For more information about the Student Ranger Program, visit: http://gov.bc.ca/bcparks-student-rangers
