Education & Community Outreach
Students and teachers from One Stone High School visit the Snake River Canyon overlook at Dedication Point during a field trip to the NCA.
Overview
The Education & Community Outreach Program connects people to the raptors and landscapes of the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area. Through field trips, guided programs, and volunteer events, BOPP helps build understanding of raptor ecology, habitat conservation, and the role people play in protecting these systems.
This program supports both youth and adult learning while strengthening community involvement in BOPP’s conservation mission.
Why It Matters
Long-term conservation depends on public understanding and stewardship. By creating opportunities for people to experience the NCA and learn about raptors and their habitat, BOPP helps foster a conservation ethic rooted in knowledge, connection, and shared responsibility.
Program Projects
Outdoor classroom Program:
Thanks to our Lands to Love grant through the Foundation for America’s Public Lands, we are expandind our outdoor learning activities and engaging students from 5th through 12th grade in STEM learning, conservation technigues, and public land stewardship. We’re also supporting research internship opportunities for undergraduate students and post-baccalaureates.
School field trips:
Educational visits to Dedication Point, Swan Falls Dam, Celebtration Park, and other NCA locations introduce students to raptors, native plants, and the unique ecology of the Snake River Canyon.
Public Programs & Talk:
Guided hikes, presentations, and community events that bring conservation topics to the public.
Volunteer Training & Stewardship:
Training opportunities that prepare volunteers to support restoration, monitoring, and education efforts.
Get Involved
We depend on volunteers like you to host events, lead and chaperone field trips, and, honestly to accomplish just about everything we do. BOPP’s success is due to the hard work and dedication of our amazing volunteers! Click on the links below to learn more about how to get envoloved.
Explore the Work
See where education and outreach activities take place.
Here are some of our amazing voluteers hard at work! From event coordination, to trash clean ups, to restoration events, to event parking, to trash & recycling managemnt, we have an opportunity for folks of all skill levels to plug into programs and events.
Other projects
Native Youth for Habitat Restoration
This project provides habitat restoration training and education for native youth from the Duck Valley Reservation.
Youth will participate and learn about all components of habitat restoration from seed collection, seed cleaning, propagation, and installation, while helping to enhance existing BLM restoration site in the Morley Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area.
Ferruginous Hawk Nest Monitoring
We are conducting long-term ferruginous hawk nest monitoring in and around the NCA. These efforts are facilitated by internships provided through the MILES Undergraduate Research and Internships program.
By identifying and regularly motioning nest sites, this project is contributing to USFWS and USGS research on ferruginous hawk ecology, as well as facilitating BLM educational field trips and banding activities.
National Public Lands Day
In late September 2021, our incredible BLM NCA staff, led by Ecologist Ann Marie Raymondi, hosted a native plant installation project at Dedication Point, not only to celebrate National Public Lands Day (NPLD - 24th of September, 2021), but also the 75th Anniversary of the BLM. Over 700 native shrubs and forbs were planted by over 25 volunteers as part of a multi-year restoration project at the NCA’s most visited site. The large amount of rainfall the area received in the days following the NPLD planting gave an important head start to all the new plants.
Native Perspectives
This project introduced students from the Duck Valley Reservation to the NCA. The BOPP coordinated a field trip to Dedication Point and Celebration Park, where students, tribal elders, and BLM and BOPP staff discussed the wildlife and landscape features that make the NCA unique.
During the field trip, tribal elders and students had the opportunity to discuss native perspectives on concepts like conservation and sustainability.