There could hardly be a better place to teach kids about water and its value than the Doris Morrison Learning Center in Washington’s Spokane County.
It’s the site of the county’s Wetland Explorers program where fifth graders learn about water conservation, the water cycle, where their drinking water comes from and more.
The county purchased land for the center from the son of Doris Morrison, who was an educator in the area. The property at Saltese Flats contains 600 acres of natural wetlands and is a migration point for birds. Residents hike the property’s trails, walk their dogs and bird-watch year-round. The site also includes a water educational resource building.
Spokane County government serves 556,000 residents and 13 municipal jurisdictions. Funding for the education programs come from sewer service fees and an Aquifer Protection Area fund.
Dedicated team
The county has worked with the school districts for more than 20 years through field trips in the Spokane River Watershed, tours of the Spokane County Water Resource Center and Reclamation Facility, and lessons about the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer.
The county Water Resources Education Team consists of Laura Goff, water resource specialist, Elisabeth Murphy, environmental educator and outreach specialist, and RaeAnn Nolander, water resource education specialist and learning center volunteer coordinator.
The team reaches K-12 students through classroom visits, fairs and field trips to the urban Water Resource Center and the Doris Morrison Learning Center at Saltese Flats Wetlands. Teachers are trained in the Wetland Explorers curriculum, which includes pre-lessons, field trip activities and post-lessons. The county provides training materials and supplies so teachers can easily implement the pre-field trip lessons and labs to prepare students for adventure.
Central Valley and East Valley school district hired substitutes so that its full-time teachers could attend the Wetland Explorer teacher training during the school week instead of training on their own time; 110 teachers took part.
Exploring wetlands
The Wetland Explorers program for fifth graders is in its second year. It hosts about 1,550 students each year. The kids put on waders and set out. Goff observes, “They go into the water, jump around and explore, using binoculars to see the creatures in the water and surroundings. We truly hope we’re helping make memories for them and that they remember the experience and pursue careers in water when they’re older.”
The education team heard many positive comments from the kids:
- I didn’t know this was a job
- I wish this was my job
- I would love to be a water scientist
- The Water Resource Center was my favorite field trip
Awarding experience
The education team was nominated by the Central Valley School District for Community Partner of the Year. In 2025 the NorthEast Washington Educational Service District, representing more than 20 schools, chose the Spokane County Water Resources Team as Community Partner for its work and its commitment to Wetland Explorers.
A luncheon was held for the award winners, and the education team received a certificate. Goff says the team gets more requests than it can handle because of the program’s popularity. In the first two years of Wetland Explorers, 3,096 fifth graders took part in 12,384 hours of outdoor learning. All told for 2025, the education team held 147 events attended by 7,583 youth and 1,537 adults.