Forest Ecology

Class Description:

Based in the unique Forest Ecology Building, students will travel through the woods gaining a balanced appreciation of both the living forest and wood as a harvested resource. Field work may involve planting, brushing around seedlings, and bud capping to discourage deer predation. Students will be challenged to make a simple forest management plan, and choose ways to manage personal consumption to maintain forest sustainability.

This is an all-day class (with lunch served at the Building) paired with either Stream Study, Fisheries Management, Beavers, Animal Signs, or Cross-country Skiing. Please send one adult to accompany this class.

Total time: 3 hours (two hours outdoors)
Audience: 6-20 students, 4th grade through adult
Activity level: strenuous
Travel: 2 miles
Total uphill travel: 400 feet

Outcomes

Upon completion of the Forestry class students will be able to:

Identify the major tree species at Wolf Ridge.

Define the following forestry terms: cord, acre, plantation, succession, ecosystem, pioneer species, climax species, snag, diversity (age and species), clearcut, selective cut, erosion, habitat, pollution, sustainable.

Recognize and evaluate the multiple uses of a forest (timber, wildlife, water, recreation).

Demonstrate silvicultural practices such as releasing, bud capping, crosscut sawing.

Design a simple forest management plan.

Choose ways to manage personal consumption in order to maintain forest sustainability.

Minnesota Graduation Standards

The Forest Ecology class will provide students with guided practice, in an authentic setting, to support the following Graduations Standards. We have chosen one to three “major focus” standards per grade level. Due to the holistic nature of environmental education, several other standards, not listed here, are addressed as well.

Task Management Skills: Teamwork, Resource Management, Safety.

H.S Sciences: Environmental Systems (A, E,G)
H.S. Inquiry 4.6: Issue Analysis (A-F)
H.S. Sciences: Biological Concepts (A, D)

6-8th People and Culture: Current Issue Analysis (1-5)
6-8th Sciences: Living Systems (2)

4-5th Sciences: Living and Non-Living Systems (A1,3,4, B1,2,4)
4-5th People and Cultures: Geography and Citizenship (4a)

Wolf Ridge Curriculum Concepts

• A complex natural system is more stable than a simple one, and more able to absorb disturbances.
• A growing human population is making increasing demands on natural resources.
• Unless interrupted, ecosystems change in a predictable manner called succession.
• Humans have a great ability to alter natural systems, and a responsibility to consider the effects of our actions.

Classroom Connections*

• Journal page download
• Pre-visit activities
• Post-visit activities
• Links to Forest Ecology information and activities on the web

*requires Wolf Ridge password