Wisconsin School Forest Monitoring: Engaging Teachers and Students

1. Wisconsin School Forest Monitoring: Engaging Teachers and Students Jeremy Solin Wisconsin School Forest Coordinator October 5, 2006 Citizen-based Monitoring Conference

2. Wisconsin School Forest Monitoring • Wisconsin School Forest Program • Garlic Mustard Monitoring Project • Wisconsin Worm Watch • Future SF Monitoring Projects

3. Wisconsin School Forest Program • Wisconsin School Forest Ed. Specialist • LEAF - The Wisconsin K-12 Forestry Education Program • Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education and the WDNR - Forestry

4. School Forest History • School & Community Forest Law – 1927 • 1st School Forests at Laona, Wabeno and Crandon • Goals • Reforestation • Income

5. School Forest Opportunities • Meet state education standards • Focus to integrate environmental education into curriculum • Connect students to place • Demonstrate sustainable natural resources management • Strengthen school/community relationships • Provide income

6. School Forests Today • 348 School Forests • 195 different public school districts (45%) • 67 of 72 counties • Range of sizes (>24,000 acres in total) • Range of utilization (daily – never)

7. School Forest Monitoring Projects • Garlic Mustard Monitoring • Wisconsin NatureMapping “Special Project” • Training • Teacher and Student Use • Data • Wisconsin Worm Watch • Project goals • Project activities

8. Wisconsin NatureMapping Special Project

9. Garlic Mustard Training • May 2005 • 20 teachers from 17 districts • May 2006 • 9 interested citizens • Garlic Mustard natural history and control • Wisconsin NatureMapping • GPS • Data collection and submission

10. Teacher and Student Use • 16 sites surveyed • Students involved in most of the surveys • All survey respondents expected to use the project in their classroom

11. Garlic Mustard Data Area Surveyed • ~20 sites • 9 sites with garlic mustard • average area = 3 acres • Pulling was implemented at 7 sites

12. Wisconsin Worm Watch • Build on success of the garlic mustard project • Increase awareness of earth worms as an exotic, invasive species • Engage students and citizens in monitoring projects • Partnership with Great Lakes Worm Watch, NatureMapping, CBMPP

13. Wisconsin Worm Watch • Project on Wisconsin NatureMapping website • Training for teachers and citizens • Collect and submit data

14. School Forest Data How is the information used? • Component of EE program • Management of school forest lands • Local and state land management organizations and agencies

15. Future SF Monitoring Efforts • School Forest Monitoring Network • Tree species, diameter, and height (volume, growth rates) • Tree health • Understory diversity • Invertebrates • Tree regeneration • Forest floor vertebrates • Invasive plants • Downed woody debris • Phenology • Wildlife populations • Diversity

16. School Forest Monitoring • Summary • School forests are a network of nearly 200 potential monitoring sites across the state • Garlic mustard and Worm watch projects provide examples of possibilities • Incredible potential to include students and teachers in monitoring