The Nature Conservancy in Utah - Naturalist Guided Tours

Arranging a Tour

If you have decided to participate in the Wings & Water Program, you'll need to start planning your naturalist-guided tour. Here are some first steps:

Review the entire contents of the Pre- and Post- Tour Activities and determine how you will incorporate them into your classroom instruction.
Review the Wings & Water Policies and Requirements.
Determine the size of your group and decide if you will need one or two tour dates (we can accomodate a maximum of 75 students per tour date).
Check availability of transportation and secure funding for buses if necessary.
Prepare as many acceptable tour date options as possible. Be flexible.
Contact Heidi Nedreberg at (801) 531-0999 to sign up for a tour.
Follow the preparation instructions in the welcome packet that you receive.

Great Salt Lake Shorelands Preserve

Who Leads the Tours?

The Wings & Water tours would not be possible without our highly-trained volunteer Naturalist Guides who are dedicated to providing students with a consistent, fun and effective wetlands education experience. All Naturalist Guides receive continuing training about wetlands ecology, 4th grade science topics, instructional methods and group management. As volunteers, they donate their time, energy and expertise because they believe in the importance of preserving this important and unique habitat

Where do the Tours Take Place?

The home of the Wings & Water Tour is the Great Salt Lake Shorelands Preserve Visitor Center on the Eastern shore of the Great Salt Lake near Layton. The 4,000 acre preserve provides critical habitat for the millions of shorebirds and waterfowl who depend on the Lake and its wetlands for nesting, feeding and mating. In 2004, the award-winning visitor center opened to the public to encourage exploration, understanding and appreciation of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem. The Wings and Water Wetlands Education Program is an important part of The Conservancy’s work to educate the community about this fragile and globally significant habitat.

When Are Tours Available?

Naturalist-Guided Wings & Water Tours are available Tuesday and Thursday mornings during the fall and spring. The Fall tour season begins in early September and runs through mid October. The Spring tour season runs from mid April to early June. All Naturalist-Guided tours are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis and are subject to availability.

The tour begins at 10 am promptly and runs approximately 2 ½ hours. In order to begin on time, teachers should plan to have their students at the Visitor Center between 9:30 – 9:45 a.m. to use the restrooms and gather in tour groups at the pavilion.

What Happens on the Tour?

After separating into 3 or 4 smaller tour “pods,” Wings & Water students begin their adventure at the Pavilion and continue on a one-mile loop of boardwalk, stopping along the way to bird watch and explore natural ponds, plant communities and colorful educational panels. The tour culminates at the 30-foot-high viewing tower which gives students a bird’s eye view of the Lake and surrounding wetlands.

Wings & Water Tours were developed to meet the requirements of the 4th grade state science core standards. The following is a summary of the ten focused activities that are covered in the tour:

Focus Activity	Topic
Welcome & Guidelines	Students receive a welcome to the Great Salt Lake Shorelands Preserve, with some guidelines for how to the get the most from the experience. KEY MESSAGES We’re glad you are here. There are some important guidelines to observe during your visit.
Institutional Orientation	An introduction to The Nature Conservancy and the Great Salt Lake Shorelands Preserve and its wetlands. KEY MESSAGES The Great Salt Lake Shorelands Preserve is protected by The Nature Conservancy as a wildlife preserve for plants and animals, especially birds. The best way for Utahns to learn about and increase their appreciation of the Great Salt Lake and its wetlands is to experience them.
Discovery Awaits	The Guide gives a personalized introduction to his or her tour group and sets expectations for group dynamics along the boardwalk. Introduces students to the excitement of “What’s Next” on their journey. KEY MESSAGES There is a lot to discover here. Birds from far away are drawn here to rest, find food and raise their young. There are few places on Earth like this.
Feathered Stars	Student use colorful bird panels and their Discovery Guides to create shared presentations about the adaptations and ecology of six bird species. Emphasis is placed on adaptations, habitat and interrelationships. KEY MESSAGES Different birds have different needs for food, water, shelter and nesting. Birds have a variety of adaptations to meet their needs. Great Salt Lake is so special because it is able to meet the various needs of so many different birds from all over the world.
Talking Plants	Using hand-lenses, students will observe various wetland soil samples and discuss comparisons between plants, soils and habitats. KEY MESSAGES Soil is “food” and varies depending on how and where it is formed. Different plants select different places to live, based on their specific needs for soil, sun and water. Plants have a variety of adaptations to help them meet their needs.
Haftahavahabitat	Students examine habitat diversity at the Great Salt Lake by “becoming” winged wetland residents and participating in a “fly-by” overview of habitat panels. KEY MESSAGES Different habitats fill the different needs of different plants & animals. A variety of habitats is what makes Great Salt Lake so special.
Wetlands Magic	A group discussion about wetlands and how every living thing has a need for food, water, shelter and space. This focus activity includes a magic trick about the importance of wetlands. KEY MESSAGES Wetlands are special and unique. All parts of a system are connected.
Points of View	Students head to the top of the 30-foot-high viewing tower to make observations about the causes and effects of lake fluctuations. They participate in a game that helps students to consider an array of human and wildlife habitats. KEY MESSAGES Wetland habitat is influenced by events over time in both positive and negative ways.
Discovery Guides	Throughout the tour, students will have opportunities to use their Field Guides to become ecologists as they locate, observe and identify wetlands plants and animals. KEY MESSAGE A healthy wetlands needs a variety of plants to meet the needs of a variety of animals.
Composite Poetry	Students culminate their experience by writing a group poem about the importance and significance of the Great Salt Lake wetlands. KEY MESSAGES My experience here meant something important to me and I can share it with others.