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The Black Mountain Forestry Center, a nonprofit forestry
interpretative organization, headquartered in Maple Falls, WA, recently
cohosted a forestry workshop for AgriScience teachers in cooperation
with Mt. Baker High School, Deming, WA.
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Ron Dinus (SAF), a Center volunteer, and Todd Rightmire, Agriculture
Instructor, FFA Advisor, and Director of Career and Technical Education,
at the high school organized the enterprise, with assistance of volunteers
from the Center and other organizations. The workshop was designed
to fulfill a major mission of both the Center and SAF: "Promote
the science, technology, and education of forestry and enhance public
understanding of the role professional foresters play in forest management".
Twenty-six high school teachers from across
the state participated in the one and one-half day workshop. On
the first day, teachers were given the forest management tour of
Crown Pacific lands on Black Mountain routinely offered
to the public by the Center, but with more in-depth explanations
of forestryoperations from regeneration to harvesting. Special emphasis
was given to streamside zone management regulations and their financial
impacts, effects
of root rots on forest health, and regeneration and competition
surveys. At the last station, an overview of the U.S/Canadian border,
a contrast was drawn between U.S. and Canadian forest management
practices along with
explanations of trade and border problems.
Subsequently, the group visited a school forest
where volunteers aided teachers in learning various mensurational
techniques, including variable plot cruising and determination of
tree age and growth with increment borers. The next stop was a U.S.F.S
Research Natural Area, where Geral McDonald, Scientist Emeritus,
Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, explained the
history, status, and likely course of forest succession in such
areas, with an accent
on the role of fire and microorganisms.
The first day closed with viewing of mechanized
harvesting of an over-stocked natural stand. Tom Hanson (SAF), a
consulting forester, along with an operator explained the pros and
cons of various equipment types, production rates, and how the site
would be prepared and planted. Teachers asked hard questions throughout
the day, and enthusiastic volunteers much enjoyed being able to
explain what foresters do and why to a group so involved in influencing
ournation's young people.. Indeed, question and answer sessions
continued for several hours after a BBQ dinner.
On the second day, faculty members from the
University of Washington's Rural Technology Initiative conducted
interactive sessions on application of their Landscape Management
System software. Teachers entered data gathered the previous day
at the school forest, assembled and analyzed stand tables, projected
growth and yield out 30 years, played what-if games with various
thinning and other treatments, and visualized appearance of individual
stands alone and in the context of larger landscapes. In the final
hours, all teachers were given complete copies of the software and
comprehensive instruction manuals for future use in their own classrooms.
The enterprise was well-received and much enjoyed by all concerned,
and the Center is planning repeat performances with yet more teachers
and other decision-makers in future. For more information on the
Black Mountain Forestry Center, please visit its website at www.blackmountainforestry.com
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