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WAKULLA SPRINGS-The Florida Department of
Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Learning in Florida’s
Environment (LIFE) program today welcomed more than 30
seventh grade students to Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State
Park. The Riversprings Middle School students stepped
into a classroom without walls to learn about
environmental science through interactive lessons and
hands-on activities.
“Since the launch of the Wakulla Springs LIFE site,
we have introduced hundreds of students to Florida’s
natural resources,” said DEP Secretary Colleen M.
Castille. “By participating in an interactive program,
students are gaining first-hand knowledge and
experiences that encourage future environmental
stewardship.”
Continuing through Friday, the Wakulla County
students are participating in three field labs about
water quality including an examination of water
chemistry, physical properties of water and common
algae. In each lab, students made observations and
measurements in the field, and then examined their data
to draw conclusions. All three labs support the school’s
science curriculum by providing real world opportunities
for students to practice the methods of science.
One of the largest springs in the world, Wakulla
Springs flows from an underground river at approximately
175 million gallons a day. Attracting more than 175,000
visitors annually, the first magnitude spring pumped
almost $10 million into the local economy last year
alone. Florida has conserved more than 4,000 acres
around Wakulla Springs to safeguard the spring recharge
area.
The LIFE initiative seeks to establish a series of
field-based, environmental-science education programs
around the state. Each of the four existing programs is
a partnership between the DEP and a local school
district. The goal of each LIFE program is increased
student achievement and teacher professional development
in science, with the content and delivery varying from
site to site.
For more information about the LIFE program, visit
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/ed/default.htm.
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