Wyatt Wollam, Fenton, IL, 4th grader, submitted this report.
Jr. Stewards is a program at the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge, in Savanna, IL. At the Jr. Stewards July session, our planned canoe trip had to be canceled due to inclement weather. Our program’s Director, Pam Steinhaus, had a backup plan: geocaching!
Geocaching is like a treasure or scavenger hunt, which uses a GPS device to receive coordinates or “waypoints” to locate caches. Biologists use GPS to track, study, and monitor wildlife, where and how they live, their habits and land usage…[This] better aids in conservation decisions.
Jr. Steward members used GPS remotes and a list of clues to locate caches hidden around the grounds of Ingersoll Wetland’s Learning Center and the prairie…[O]nce found, [they] were a series of activities or questions to be answered. Despite the rainy weather, we had a great time!