Rivers to Oceans Week

The 2019 Rivers to Oceans Week ran from June 9 - 12 this year, and was celebrated in Yellowknife on June 11. Rivers to Oceans week is an annual campaign that follows World Oceans Day on June 8, to raise awareness about the importance of clean water, protecting marine life, as well as advocating for fish, wildlife, and their habitat. Rivers to Oceans Day is an annual event hosted by the Government of the Northwest Territories department of Environment and Natural Resources (GNWT-ENR), Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and Ecology North. The WRRB participated in the all-day event held in Somba K'e park along with many other local organizations. Students from grades one to five participated by moving from station to station learning about rivers, oceans, marine life, and the effects of pollution on habitat and wildlife. The WRRB’s station this year was run by Shalyn Norrish, Communications Officer, Aimee Guile, Conservation Biologist, and Randi Jennings, Wildlife Management Biologist. The youth had the opportunity to play a pollution-themed game based on the popular gameshow Jeopardy. The event was a great learning opportunity for the students, as well as an opportunity for the WRRB to share some of the work we do in protecting wildlife and their habitat, particularly from disturbance and pollution. The students also learned about the work the Wek'èezhìı Land and Water Board (WLWB) does regarding water licensing and water quality sampling.

A group of students and their teacher going through the questions with Aimee Guile and Randi Jennings (WRRB). Photo credit: Shalyn Norrish, WRRB & WLWB.

The game is set and ready to go! How much do you know about pollution? Photo credit: Shalyn Norrish, WRRB & WLWB.