student knowledge

Students put their environmental science skills to the test by taking in-field exams that are written by resource professionals and educators to combine classroom learning with outdoor hands-on activities. Teams of 4-5 students rotate through four stations and work collaboratively to complete their exams in one hour.

At the Aquatic Ecology station, students work with water resources professionals to learn about aquatic ecosystems, identify aquatic organisms, discuss watershed management, and determine nonpoint source pollution.

For the Forestry station, professionals identify practices for the maintenance of healthy forests and test students on the basics of species identification, forest structure, and sustainable management approaches. The teams are tasked with identifying several tagged trees and using instruments to determine their diameters and heights.

Wildlife experts provide students with a hands-on approach to testing students’ knowledge of animal populations, their dynamics, and the importance of habitat conservation. Teams work to examine species using pelts, photos, and prints.

For Soils and Landuse, soil scientists help students learn about soil structure, interpret maps, evaluate land forms, and discover soil characteristics that impact agriculture and development. Teams work in a freshly excavated soil pit to answer questions about land use and soil taxonomy.

We want to thank the professionals who take their time to mentor our state’s future conservation leaders!