Forestry
- Prepare a field notebook, make a collection, and
identify 15 species of trees and wild shrubs in a local
forested area. Include a written description of:
- Identifying characteristics of leaf, twig, and
fruit samples.
- The habitat in which these trees or shrubs
are found.
- Chief ways each tree or shrub is used by human and
wildlife.
- The forest's successional stage, what its history
has been, and what its future is.
- Do ONE of the following:
- Collect and identify wood samples of 10 species of
trees. List several ways each species of wood can
be used.
- Find and examine several stumps or logs that show
variations in growth rate in their ring patterns.
Prepare a field notebook describing their location
and discuss possible reasons for the variations.
- Be able to do the following:
- Describe contributions forests make to:
- Our economy in the form of products.
- Soil protection and increased fertility.
- Clean water.
- Clean air.
- Wildlife
- Recreation
- Tell which watershed or other source your community
relies on for its water supply.
- Be able to describe what forest management means,
including:
- Multiple-use management
- Even-aged and uneven-aged management and
silvicultural systems associated with each type.
- Intermediate cuttings.
- How prescribed burning and related forest
management practices are used.
- Do ONE of the following:
- Visit a managed public or private forest area with
its manager or someone familiar with it. Write a
brief report describing:
- The type of forest.
- The management objectives.
- The forestry techniques used to achieve the objectives.
- Take a trip to a logging operation or wood-using
industrial plant and write a brief report
describing:
- The species and size of trees being harvested or used.
- Where the trees are going to or coming from.
- What products are made from the trees or at
the plant.
- How the products are made.
- How the products are used.
- How waste materials from the logging operation or
plant are disposed of or utilized.
- Be able to do the following:
- Describe the damages to forests that result from:
- Wildfire.
- Insects.
- Tree disease.
- Overgrazing.
- Improper harvest
- Tell what can be done to reduce these damages.
- Tell what you should do if you discover a forest
fire and how to control it.
- Do ONE of the following:
- Assist in carrying out a project that meets one or
more of these objectives: timber stand improvement,
watershed improvement, wildlife habitat
improvement, recreation are improvement or range
improvement.
- Take a part in a forest fire prevention campaign in
cooperation with your local fire warden, forester,
or counselor.
- Visit with one of more local foresters and write a
brief report including education, qualifications,
career opportunities, and objectives relating to
forestry.