Springfield, MA

Cops and Bobbers, Hooks and Ladders event at Barney Pond in Forest Park

Several hundred children gathered Saturday at the Barney Pond in Forest Park to participate in the Cops and Bobbers, Hooks and Ladders program to teach kids to fish and enjoy the outdoors.

Members of the Springfield police and fire departments, Springfield Lodge of Elks Lodge #61, MassWildlife Angler Education, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Silvio O. Conte National Wildlife Refuge, and Springfield Police C3 Unit, worked in partnership with the Springfield police and fire departments for the Saturday morning event.

Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zSICOdVIJE

Science brought to life!

The Sustainable Springfield Partnership brought science to life for nearly 100 9th grade students at the Renaissance School in Springfield, Massachusetts. Working with the school's science teacher and science director, the refuge developed a hands-on, real-world experience for students in the Abbey Brook Conservation Area, demonstrating the concepts they are currently studying in the classroom. The refuge is thankful to members from the Service's Division of Migratory Birds, Randy Dettmers and Caleb Spiegel, UMass Postdoctoral Researcher Desiree Narango, Volunteer Denise Fiedler, Hispanic Access Foundation intern Guillermo Alvarez, and refuge staff for providing students with opportunities to learn about bird and insect research, water quality monitoring, and animal adaptions.