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Crayfish in Arizona: A Successful Collaboration
Did you know that Arizona
is the only state in
which it is illegal to transport
live crayfish of any kind?
That tidbit of information
becomes pretty important if
you’re a teacher in Scottsdale,
Arizona, who is using the FOSS
Structures of Life Module.
But when Janey Kaufmann,
K–12 Science Coordinator in the
Scottsdale Unified School District,
and resource managers
from the Arizona Game
and Fish Department
(AGFD) put their heads
together, a solution to
the crayfish problem was
soon in the works.
Crayfish are not
found naturally in
Arizona, so they are
deemed invasive.
Invasive species are
loosely defined as
nonnative plants and animals
that cause or may cause harm to
a state’s economy, human health,
or environment. Some animals
and plants that were introduced
from beyond Arizona’s borders
are not considered invasive as
they provide economic benefits
or cause no harm to human
health or the environment.
But crayfish fit the definition
because they eat just about
anything and everything in
typical freshwater environments.
Many native species can fall
prey to crayfish voraciousness.
Over time crayfish can transform
a diverse aquatic environment
into an environment that is home to only crayfish. Hence, the ban on importing
live crayfish into most areas of Arizona was
put into place.
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This ban took effect in 2001, just about
the time many Arizona school districts
had invested in science programs, such
as FOSS, that use crayfish in their life
science investigations. According to Janey,
in an article in Arizona Wildlife Views,
“We felt like our hands were tied. Without
the crayfish, this part of our curriculum
meant nothing.”
The crayfish problem needed to be
resolved. Janey and Richard Pacheco
(FOSS Sales Manager for Arizona) met
with Eric Proctor and Jeff Sorensen from
the Arizona Game and Fish Department
(AGFD) to discuss the issue. After Janey
presented the education case, the group
worked out a compromise. Scottsdale
Unified School District developed a
responsible-use plan, and AGFD agreed
to issue a Wildlife Holding Permit that
allowed the district to buy, import,
receive, hold, and transport live crayfish
in Arizona. The responsible-use plan
outlined protocols for handling live
crayfish and specific procedures for
crayfish care. It included a list of the
people responsible for transporting,
caring for, and feeding the crayfish and
details about crayfish disposal to ensure
that they would not be released into
Arizona’s lakes and rivers. The district
could get the crayfish from various
sources, including biological supply
companies, persons with scientific
collecting permits, individuals identified
by the school district who had valid
Arizona fishing licenses, or AGFD staff.
The plan was approved by AGFD, and the
school district was issued the permit to
use live crayfish in their classrooms. The
Scottsdale plan is now used as a template
for other districts. You can view the
template at http://www.azgfd.gov/eservices/special_licenses/wildlife_holding.shtml.
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| It's hard to imagine the FOSS
Structures of Life Module without students interacting with crayfish. |
Part of the responsible-use plan
included education for both teachers and
students about invasive organisms. Cathy
Janssen and Kelly Plowman, Scottsdale
USD teachers, were enlisted by AGFD to
provide the training. They developed a
lesson called The Trouble with Crayfish to introduce students to crayfish
issues through a simulation of what
can happen when crayfish are
introduced into a local Arizona
stream. The lesson includes
modeling crayfish behavior
and analyzing data and
graphs to determine the
impact of nonnative
according crayfish on native fish populations
and aquatic ecosystems. Students are
challenged to brainstorm solutions and
develop a management plan to address
the problem. The Trouble with Crayfish complements the FOSS Structures of Life
Module and is used at grade 4. You can
find the lesson as part of the Focus: Wild
Arizona program at http://www.azgfd.gov/i_e/ee/lessons/crayfish/crayfish.shtml.
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The most interesting part of the
teacher training on this new lesson
was a field trip to an ecosystem where
crayfish had been introduced. The first
field experience occurred in late August
2006. Six teachers from the Phoenix
area, including Janey Kaufmann, joined
AGFD staff at the Seven Springs area
near Cave Creek in southern Arizona.
Their goal was to experience firsthand
the destruction that crayfish can cause to
an ecosystem. They captured, counted,
measured, and sexed the crayfish and
recorded data about the condition of
the stream habitat. At the end of the
experience, they enjoyed a crayfish boil.
The remaining crayfish were transferred
to the Arcadia Critter Farm, an animal
care facility for the Scottsdale district.
Here the crayfish would be managed according to the responsible-use plan
implemented by the district.
But the fun wasn’t over. In October
2006, nearly 20 teachers and AGFD staff
returned to Cave Creek for another round
of crayfish field study. But the crayfish
study was interrupted. Only minutes
after they arrived at Seven Springs, a
downpour began. Many experienced
their first flash flood. Everyone was safe,
except for the crayfish and other flora and
fauna that washed down the creek bed
to who-knows-where. But the crayfish
investigation was not a total loss. Some
of the staff and other volunteers had
arrived the day before and had trapped
six crayfish. These six crayfish were the
focus of discussion for the participants
huddled together under improvised
canopies stretched between vehicles.
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For many, the flash flood was a
chance-of-a-lifetime experience. They
safely watched as the flood tore apart
riverbanks and road crossings and swept
away vegetation. Fire had recently
devastated the Cave Creek Complex, so
the effects of fire on soil erosion and
flooding was glaringly apparent. The
group may not have captured crayfish
that day, but they did experience other wonders of nature—the flash flood,
a great blue heron soaring overhead,
caterpillars, raccoon tracks, and a redspotted
toad. No one left disappointed.
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Janey received this award this past
spring
from the Arizona Game and Fish Department
for her colaboration on the crayfish project. |
The FOSS crayfish investigations
in the Structures of Life Module in
Scottsdale have become even richer with
the addition of The Trouble with Crayfish
lesson and the teachers’ experiences
in the field. For her efforts, Janey
Kaufmann was awarded a certificate of
achievement by the Arizona Game and
Fish Department for her “leadership
and dedication for making the ‘crayfish
problem’ a successful collaboration
between school districts and the
department.” Our congratulations
to Janey!
Reference
“Educating with Mudbugs—A Successful
Collaboration,” by Eric Proctor. Arizona Wildlife
Views, v. 50 no. 1, January–February 2007,
pp. 11–15.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Janey Kaufmann
K-12 Science Coordinator
Scottsdale Unified School District
Mohave District Annex
8505 E Valley View Rd
Scottsdale, AZ 85250
Phone: 480.484.5052
E-mail: JKaufmann@susd.org
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