Whitecourt Forestry Field Trip reaches 200+ students!
Katie Thompson and Jessica Briggs of Whitecourt Woodlands spent May 28 helping more than 200 Grade 4 students connect with the forest and learn about growing trees. Jess and Katie’s Silviculture 101 and Tree-planting Relay Rrace were just one station in a huge field-trip event held at the Huestis Demonstration Forest. The kids, along with their teachers and parents, also learned about forest health, wildlife, wildfire, wilderness survival, forest recreation and more. All this, through activities hosted by Alberta Environment and Parks, Inside Education, Millar Western, Blue Ridge Lumber, ANC, the Alberta Trappers Association, and Woodlands County. The sun shone, hotdogs were grilled, and a ton of kids ran, played, laughed and learned — it was a great day at a great forest education venue!* Check this blog post from teacher Tim Bowman of Whitecourt Central School.
Thanks to Katie and Jess for presenting at this spring’s big Whitecourt Forestry Field Trip, and to Max Matthews and other staff for conducting road and trail maintenance to help ensure on-site safety at this event and throughout the May-October Huestis program year.
*What’s the Huestis Demonstration Forest, you ask? Located 12 km northwest of Whitecourt within our FMA area, the Huestis is a forested site featuring a driving loop, walking trails and other amenities, where public visitors can learn about resource stewardship, and students and teachers take forest and environmental education programs. The facility is maintained by Millar Western and Alberta Environment, with support from a multi-stakeholder steering committee.