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

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

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

School Forest History School & Community Forest Law – st 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 Forests 195 different public school districts (45%) 67 of 72 counties Range 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 surveyed Students involved in most of the surveys All 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 program Management of school forest lands Local 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