ISES Disciplines

 

The International School for Earth Studies provides a unique environment for teenagers to build a foundation upon which to develop their vision through courage and inspiration.

“Men dream what they become”.

 

ISES Core Disciplines

Animal Husbandry

Discovery Education, Quebec

Our resident fauna play an integral role in student character building. Animal husbandry provides a controlled, interactive milieu for young adults to engage with other living creatures.


Structured and integrated sessions help young men and women develop knowledge and sensitivities towards the needs of our resident animals. Ultimately, through a process incorporating unique experiential learning students develop a greater appreciation for the world around them.
Sessions are structured into four distinct areas:

ISES Animal Groups


The ISES animal husbandry program encompasses two main animal groups; our resident working animals and wild animals in rehabilitation. Working animals include; husky sled dogs and horses. Principle wild animals in rehabilitation include; birds of prey, orphaned bear cubs and raccoons.

 

Present Working Animals:

1. Husky Kennel Program


Our kennel is home to approximately 18 sled dogs and represents some of the finest recreational sled dogs found in Quebec. The dogs coexist within a stable pack hierarchy, are very student-friendly, and love to pull. Our pack is an eclectic mix ranging from renown racing blood lines to stray and orphaned pups. The basic goals for the kennel program are to:

 

  1. Provide a safe, healthy and nurturing environment for all our resident huskies
  2. Condition and train our dogs for long distance adventure touring
  3. Provide safe, educational and exhilarating experiences for our students
  4. Educate students in dog care, kennel maintenance and dog sled mushing and carting

Type of Facility: Enclosed husky dog kennel system
Completion Date: May, 2002

Facility and Program Specifics:

2. Equine Program


The equine program presently includes one Treckener & five Canadian horses and focuses on the history of equus, horse care, conditioning, riding, carriage driving, and stable management.

Three of our six horses are under three years of age providing students with unique opportunities to engage and connect with young horses. Holistic training methods are adopted from several equine trainers including world renowned Monty Roberts, Chris Irwin, and Pat Parelli.

The basic goals for the equine program are to:

  1. Provide a safe and healthy environment for our horses
  2. Provide a safe and educational experience for our students
  3. Connect students with horses through grooming, training and conditioning
  4. Promote high safety standards by requiring all riders to wear CSA approved riding helmets and vests

Type of Facility: Temporary Stable & Tack Room
Completion Date: August, 2003

Facility Specifics:

 

Wild Animals in Rehabilitation

Regional wild animals continue to fall victim to the constant development and exploitation of rural lands. Subsequently, with private funding and through the cooperation of the Government of Quebec our licensed facilities provide a unique service for the few, fortunate orphaned creatures brought to ISES.

 

 

3. Cushing Mews:

Cushing Mews is the flagship of conservation programs funded by Cushing-Nature. Cushing Mews is a privately funded birds of prey centre and is the only provincially licensed facility of its kind in western Quebec.

The focus of the centre is to; Discovery Education, Quebec

(1) educate the public on specific indigenous birds of prey,

(2) breed endangered and threatened raptors,

(3) release offspring from our breeding program, and

(4) is a rehabilitation facility for injured raptors.

 

 

4. Bear Cub Adoption, Rehabilitation and Release Program


Our bear cub adoption, rehabilitation and release program was established during the summer of 2005. Responding out of sympathy and support for the numerous orphaned black bear cubs emerging from the indiscriminate culling of male and female black bears, ISES has privately funded a two-phase construction program.


The basic goals for the ISES bear cub adoption, rehabilitation and release program are to:

  1. Provide a resource that adopts, rehabilitates and releases regional orphaned bear cubs
  2. Provide public education pertaining to humans and their knowledge of and relationship with black bears
  3. Sustain this program through private funding

Phase 1:


Type of Facility: Containment Kennel
Completion Date: September, 2005.

Facility Specifics:

Phase 2:


Type of Facility: Transition Paddock
Completion Date: July, 2007

Facility Specifics:

5. Orphaned Raccoon Raise and Release Program

Every summer numerous orphaned baby raccoons are brought to ISES. Unlike raccoons of the southern U.S. states the raccoons of western Quebec don’t carry rabies. Subsequently, students gain unique insight into raccoon behavior while caring for these cute and intelligent creatures.


Basic goals for the ISES orphaned raccoon adoption, rehabilitation and release program are to:

  1. Adopt, rehabilitate and release regional orphaned raccoons brought to us
  2. Provide experiential education through observation, care and maintenance
  3. Sustain program through private funding

Type of Facility: Containment and Recreation Chamber
Completion Date: September, 1998

Facility Specifics:

In addition to working with birds of prey, bear cubs and raccoons, over the years we have adopted, rehabilitated, nurtured and released fox kits, coyote pups, deer fawns, red squirrels, and common crows. However the majority of our wild animal rehabilitation programming focuses on those outlined above.