Pauline Schafer, Education Manager at the REACH Museum in Richland, shares how students are gaining an understanding of the river ecosystem and contributing data to a survey of the Columbia's crayfish populations. These easy-to-find creatures are a hit with community scientists of all ages and can help us understand water quality and invasive species interactions. Learn about crayfish and how the study is getting elementary through high school students involved with science and conservation at the REACH. 

About the REACH Museum: Our mission is to inspire learning by sharing the stories of the mid-Columbia River region, its people, and its impact and contributions to the world. The museum's place-based educational programs connect students to their community's history and the Hanford Reach's ecosystems. The REACH Museum is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year.

About the speaker: Pauline Schafer has been an Educator at the REACH since January 2016. When she moved to the Tri-Cities she was happy to find the REACH as a place to learn all about the history, wildlife, and geology of the region. She has worked in education for over 20 years in various outdoor programs and nature centers, including the forest of southern Indiana, the tallgrass prairie of Iowa, the coastal mountains of California, and wetlands in Texas. She enjoys helping learners of all ages connect with the land and its human history.