Waterford

‘Trees’ workshop offers a study in natural resources for Fox River students

Chaperoned by their teachers, eighth-grade students from Fox River Middle School recently traveled to Trees For Tomorrow Natural Resources Specialty School in Eagle River, attending a workshop and enjoying a rustic stay in Civilian Conservation Corps built dorms dating back to 1937.

Their classroom and field studies centered on understanding the characteristics of the Great Lakes ecosystem. Students’ up close and personal interaction with a great horned owl and red-tailed hawk, brought their learning experience into the tangible realm.

With a focus upon sustainability, resource awareness and outdoor recreation, students learned the forestry history of the region, trekked wilderness areas and examined managed forests and local lakes.

Outdoor survival techniques, tree identification, tracking skills, lectures about wolves and skulls, skins and bones, complemented by an escape to the Sylvania Wilderness Area rounded out their natural resources curriculum.

Students received scholarship support for their natural resources workshop from the Thomas S. Kemp Foundation and the Wisconsin Energy Foundation.

A Wisconsin education tradition, Trees For Tomorrow encourages students to spend time outdoors and gain an appreciation for nature, which can influence them for life. They have the opportunity to understand the application of concepts, and their relevance in the practical world, visiting onsite locations.

The fully accredited program educates about the natural environment and the sustainable resources humans rely on. Classroom time,  combined with adventures in the outdoors, keep the students engaged while in an atmosphere that encourages critical thinking, team building, increasing self esteem, learning new skills, and enjoying the outdoors.

For more information on any of the programs offered or to provide financial assistance for a school’s visit by contributing at the corporate or individual level to the tax deductible scholarship fund, call (715) 479-6456 or visit www.TreesForTomorrow.com. Scholarship donations can range from $10 per student to $1,000 per school group.

Fox River Middle School students pose outside the historic dining hall at the Trees for Tomorrow workshop, where they were encouraged to make wise food choices and compost their food items to achieve zero waste.

 

 

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