The Friends of Ecological and Environmental Learning (FEEL) is a newly formed registered charity stemming from the origins of the Friends of the Frost group. Their mission is to advance the public’s awareness, understanding and appreciation of ecosystems through education.
With their new website being launched in summer 2013, FEEL is prepared to move forward in support of local environmental education and community stewardship through various community projects and the 2013 Muskoka-Haliburton-Kawartha Children’s Water Festival.
The Haliburton-Muskoka-Kawartha Children’s Water Festival brings together the expertise of educators, water quality and quantity specialists, community volunteers, conservation groups, industry and government to provide elementary students from Haliburton, Muskoka and the City of Kawartha Lakes with the opportunity to discover the importance and diversity of water.
The purpose of hosting a Children’s Water Festival is to educate students on the importance of water quality, how the water (hydrology) cycle works, what each person can do to maintain and/or improve water quality so that future generations will have the water resources required to maintain human and animal populations. It is also important to educate students that what happens in the Muskoka and Haliburton Watersheds will impact upon communities, habitats and wildlife populations anywhere downstream. Given the reliance of the regional economy on our natural resource base, the wise use and protection of our resources particularly water, which grows out of knowledge is essential to our continued well being.
Two of the primary objectives of this holistic-focused event are to develop personal awareness of the importance of water, and to foster respect for the natural environment. It is hoped that by increasing awareness and respect, as individuals we will make a commitment to use natural resources wisely.
The Friends of Ecological and Environmental Learning are holding a rain barrel fundraiser to help raise funds for their initiatives including this fabulous water festival and orders can be made by visiting: https://rainbarrel.ca/feel/
