Thinking about Trees, Water, and Climate

From an early age, children learn that water is essential to trees. That trees provide benefits to water quality is not quite so obvious.

To help students think about this, take a walk after a large rainstorm. Look for evidence of how trees prevent erosion by holding soil in place. Have students compare ponds in forested settings and non-forested settings. Which has clearer water after a rainstorm?

Trees diminish the impact of raindrops so that runoff to lakes and streams carries less silt and fewer nutrients, which can cause algal blooms or disrupt fish reproduction. Have students reflect on where they often see summer flooding — heavy stormwater events are less likely to cause flooding when more trees are present. 

Whether in urban or rural forests, trees soak up rainwater and slow and store water in the soil. On a larger scale, forested watersheds are likely to have higher quality groundwater.

To help protect water quality, loggers and land managers follow Forestry Best Management Practices (BMPs) before, during, and after harvesting trees. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources developed Wisconsin’s Forestry Best Management Practices for Water Quality, a field manual designed to minimize soil disturbance and erosion, slow movement of water across the land, and protect habitat for aquatic organisms. In today’s modern era of large mechanized harvesting equipment, following BMPs can be challenging, and a little bit of planning goes a long way. For instance, locating logging roads to avoid steep slopes and properly engineering stream crossings can allow natural water flow while minimizing erosion of the streambank.

Is your school forest preparing for a timber harvest? Do you have wetlands or surface water on the property? High school students could be guided to assess the property for what BMPs might need to be exercised before and during a potential harvest. Use the BMP manual as a guide to create a BMP scavenger hunt! If a harvest does occur, students could simulate the post-harvest assessment (p 33 - 46) that foresters complete to determine how effective BMPs were.

Professional Development

Great Lakes School Forest Webinar

Join this webinar to learn about:

- State School Forest Programs in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota

- Engaging activities using Project Learning Tree

- Other School Forest advocates from your state

Date: Tuesday, February 27

Time: 3 p.m.

Location: Online

Fee: $0

Forestry and Energy for the Elementary Classroom

Join LEAF for the morning session in Green Bay or Ashland this April to explore our newly revised 4th Grade Forestry Lesson Guide that more accurately represents the full history of the forests in our state.

Dates: Thursday, April 4 or April 11

Time: 9:30 a.m. - 12;30 p.m.

Locations: Green Bay or Ashland, WI

Fee: $25

Step Outside Into Learning

Curious about teaching outdoors, but unsure what you need for success with learning outside the four walls of a classroom? This workshop will provide you with lesson plans, classroom management strategies and firsthand experience teaching and modeling outdoor lessons for your students.

Date: Wednesday, May 1

Time: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Location: Wausau, WI

Fee: $25

WFC offering teacher trainings on forestry equipment

The Wisconsin Forestry Center (WFC) is offering three free teacher trainings this April through its Wisconsin Forestry Careers Coalition.

• Timber Harvester Simulators: April 6-7
• Chainsaw Safety and Tree Felling: April 13
• Portable Sawmill and Kiln Operation: April 20-21

The trainings will be held at the UW-Stevens Point Treehaven field station near Tomahawk. Sessions will start at 8 a.m. and run to 4 p.m. Training fees and room and board are covered by the Wisconsin Workforce Innovation Grant awarded to the WFC.

Contact Us! 

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

Published for February 2024