Union Ridge students learn about pikas

RIDGEFIELD — Students at Union Ridge Elementary School recently learned about pikas from Amanda Greenvoss of Cascades Pika Watch a group of “citizen scientist” volunteers through the Oregon Zoo who help locate and map pika populations. Pikas, small mammals that are related to rabbits, are considered to be a “sensitive indicator of climate change due to their inability to survive long periods of warm summer weather,” according to the Oregon Zoo’s website. Typically living in cold and rocky terrain, a large group of pikas is living and thriving in the Columbia River Gorge, Greenvoss told the students. Students spent time researching the pikas and created drawings and posters about the pika’s environment, characteristics and behavior. Teacher Kim Stenbak started the pika research project after being inspired by a teaching outline by Educational Service District 112, realizing “this was a great way to get students involved in learning, not just about the pika, but also about the environment and how humans have affected their survival,” according to the release.