Getting students involved!

Get your students involved in forestry events!

Do your students participate in a competition that emphasizes forestry skills and knowledge, such as Science Olympiad, Envirothon, or Future Farmers of America Career Development Events (FFA CDE)?

LEAF has high-quality forestry education materials that can help teams prepare for these! LEAF staff help facilitate these competitions, including serving as superintendents to the FFA Forestry CDE, and are proud to support Wisconsin educators with their preparations for these events.

Perhaps you compete in one of these events and are curious about how the other events could serve as a warmup or team-builder. Or, if your students have not participated in any of these contests, the information below may inspire you to pull together a team. Each of these events can offer exciting competition, with winners of the state contests moving onto national championships.

Not the competitive type? These events are about more than simply taking a test — they are educational in and of themselves! You may want to consider participation for the experience itself.

Student Forestry Events

Wisconsin Science Olympiad includes a Forestry event that tests students’ general forestry knowledge and tree identification. Tree biology and tree ID are presented alongside problem-solving scenarios for managing healthy forests. Students compete as part of a larger team, and tests in other subjects are added together for a total team score. The state competition, held in April at UW-Stevens Point, is an exciting and fun experience for students.

Envirothon is a natural resources team event with field skills and written tests in Forestry, Soils & Land Use, Wildlife, and Aquatic Ecology. Students also prepare a Current Issue team presentation based on a new environmental scenario each year. Typically held the 3rd Friday in April at the Wisconsin Lions’ Camp in Rosholt, the event also features opportunities for students to interact with Natural Resources Professionals.

The FFA Forestry CDE includes field skills practicum, tree ID, forestry equipment ID, tree disease ID, as well as general forestry knowledge. Students take the written tests individually and the field skills are completed as a team. For the first time in 2024, teams will be required to qualify for state at a regional competition. Regionals are held in late March or early April at UW-River Falls, Fox Valley Technical College, and Mid-State Technical College. The state event is held at the UW-Madison Arboretum in April. (Participation in this event could also be bonus practice for ag students who are involved in the Wisconsin 4H Forestry Competition!)

Prepare for Success!

One big way that LEAF can assist your team is with our tree identification tools. Our online tree key, printable dichotomous keys, and tree ID cards can help students learn their trees in the months leading up to their event. You could also consider checking out our new Tree ID Kit or the Digital Herbarium Kit which are both available to borrow for free.

If you’re looking for hands-on practice with more career focused forestry skills, our Forestry Education Kit can help, and our Forest Health Kit will help students learn about tree diseases and managing healthy forests.

Groups involved in the Forestry CDE might find our Wildland Fire Kit and Forest Products Kit useful as well.

Clicking on each of those links will give you details about what’s included in each kit, as well as information about the reservation process. Be aware that many of our kits are quite popular — you might want to get your dates on the calendar soon!

No Leaves, No Problem: Winter Tree ID

Tree identification is a fun and useful skill that helps add a layer of enjoyment to our experiences in the forest. But how do you learn to identify trees in the middle of a Wisconsin winter, when most of the leaves are on the ground?

LEAF’s Winter Tree Key was designed to help you do just that. Created by request from Ag teachers who wanted tree ID practice for their FFA CDE teams, our Winter Tree Key follows the dichotomous process of our regular tree key, but uses detailed illustrations of buds, twigs, and other features for identification instead of leaves.

Our key also includes an illustrated glossary to help students learn the specific vocabulary involved in this process—another reason why tree ID is a valuable practice to include in your classroom! Winter tree identification can be a bit more demanding, and for that reason LEAF staff recommend this skill be introduced to high school students, or middle school students looking for a challenge. You can find LEAF’s printable Winter Tree key, along with instructions for correct printing, on our tree ID tools page. You can also find fifteen print copies of LEAF's Winter Tree Key in the Tree ID Kit.

View the Winter Tree ID

New Journeys Guide Kit! Black Faces in Green Spaces

Wisconsin Project Learning Tree is excited to announce a new lendable kit that is now being offered alongside LEAF’s rich menu of educational kits.

Our new Journeys Guide Kit contains a classroom set of 20 Project Learning Tree’s Black Faces in Green Spaces: The Journeys of Black Professionals in Green Careers books, along with two careers-focused LEAF and PLT lessons, a link to the Educator Toolkit, and other useful resources.

Black Faces in Green Spaces introduces youth to the many jobs in the forest and conservation sector through the lens of Black professionals currently working in the sector. Filled with inspiring stories and profiles, this guide provides insight on the diverse career paths taken by individuals who found their way into a green career through their love of nature and the outdoors.

PLT produced the book in conjunction with the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS).

Visit the Kit page

WAEE names Marshall Non-Formal Educator of the Year

The Wisconsin Association for Environmental Education (WAEE) named LEAF Forestry and Outdoor Education Specialist Gretchen Marshall, as it 2023 Non-Formal Educator of the Year.

As her nominator noted: “For the past fifteen years, Gretchen has shaped school forest programming within Wisconsin — environmental education in Wisconsin would not be what it is today without her efforts.”

WAEE presented the award, which recognizes innovative and exemplary effort in providing environmental education opportunities for general audiences, during its virtual Celebration of Excellence event Wednesday, Nov. 8.

Gretchen has been a member of the LEAF team since 2008. She coordinates Wisconsin’s School Forest Program and works with educators to enhance outdoor learning opportunities for students.

Congratulations Gretchen! Well deserved!

School Forest Awards nominations open Dec. 1

We will be opening nominations for the 2023 School Forest Awards on Dec. 1, 2023.

These awards recognize individuals and organizations that have provided leadership for local school forests. LEAF will recognize individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to school forest programs.

Awards will be presented in the spring of 2024 at a time arranged within the honoree’s local school district or community.

Last year's School Forest Award recipients clockwise from top left: Jenna Mccann, Jerry Manny, Joe Kinscher, Jeff Nyquist, Henry Schienebeck, and Adam Gould.

Have questions or need additional resources? Contact us at leaf@uwsp.edu. We are here to support educators and students with forestry opportunities.

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Published for November 2023