Wisconsin School Forest Monitoring: Engaging Teachers and Students

Jeremy SolinWisconsin School Forest Coordinator

October 5, 2006Citizen-based Monitoring Conference

Wisconsin School Forest Monitoring

Wisconsin School Forest ProgramGarlic Mustard Monitoring ProjectWisconsin Worm WatchFuture SF Monitoring Projects

Wisconsin School Forest Program

Wisconsin School Forest Ed. SpecialistLEAF - The Wisconsin K-12 Forestry Education

ProgramWisconsin Center for Environmental Education and

the WDNR - Forestry

School Forest History

School & Community Forest Law – 1927

1st School Forests at Laona, Wabeno and Crandon

Goals– Reforestation– Income

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

School Forests Today

348 School Forests195 different public school districts (45%)67 of 72 countiesRange of sizes (>24,000 acres in total)Range of utilization (daily – never)

School Forest Monitoring Projects

Garlic Mustard Monitoring– Wisconsin NatureMapping “Special Project”– Training– Teacher and Student Use– Data

Wisconsin Worm Watch– Project goals– Project activities

Wisconsin NatureMapping Special Project

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

Teacher and Student Use

16 sites surveyedStudents involved in most

of the surveysAll survey respondents

expected to use the project in their classroom

Garlic Mustard Data

Area Surveyed ~20 sites 9 sites with garlic

mustard average area = 3

acres Pulling was

implemented at 7 sites

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

Wisconsin Worm Watch

Project on Wisconsin NatureMapping website

Training for teachers and citizens Collect and submit data

School Forest Data

How is the information used?Component of EE programManagement of school forest landsLocal and state land management

organizations and agencies

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

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