2012 Ponoka, Alberta, Canada
Building on their success in the 2011 CFW contest, Katie, Vickie and Melissa from St. Augustine School in Ponoka AB created a second book in the ‘Otis and Friends Environmental Adventures’ book series. The book teaches young children in grades 2-4 about how their positive or negative actions can affect the watershed and what they can do to help it.
This book, which was hand drawn with professional quality, tells the story of Bernie, a rare black-footed ferret. In the story Bernie’s den entrance gets blocked by a pop can which had been thrown out a passing car window. Bernie gets the help of his animal friends and one special little girl to remove the pop can and save his family trapped inside. The little girl realizes how much litter is in the field and works with her family and community to organize a clean-up and to create signage to prevent future littering.
The Black-Footed Ferret fact sheet at the end of the book provides details of this grassland endangered species which is now rare across North America. The book also provides helpful suggestion and facts about protecting ecosystems and preventing litter.
The book printing has been sponsored by Nutrien, Keyera and Grey Wooded Forage Association. 200 copies have been printed to date (July 2012) and will be distributed to all of the Parkland Regional Libraries, as well as through school visits by the Battle River Watershed Alliance.