Kid in the Woods

Cece Dibrito, a sixth-grader at Keno Elementary School, sprays water from a fire hose with the help of wildland firefighter Brittany Lindsey after a presentation by the Klamath Unit of the Oregon Department of Forestry during the 55th annual Klamath…

Cece Dibrito, a sixth-grader at Keno Elementary School, sprays water from a fire hose with the help of wildland firefighter Brittany Lindsey after a presentation by the Klamath Unit of the Oregon Department of Forestry during the 55th annual Klamath County Forestry Tour.

Klamath County sixth-graders participate in 55th annual Klamath County Forestry Tour

Paige Guthrie, a sixth-grader at Malin Elementary School, looks up at a nearby tree as she examines a pine cone during the 55th annual Klamath County Forestry Tour.

Paige Guthrie, a sixth-grader at Malin Elementary School, looks up at a nearby tree as she examines a pine cone during the 55th annual Klamath County Forestry Tour.

Sixth-graders from Merrill Elementary School gathered around BLM park ranger Oliva Veal as she stood under a Douglas fir. “Would you say the needles are clustered or not clustered?” she asked the group. Students leaned forward; some touched the needles. “Not clustered,” they answered. “Very good,” Veal replied as she continued with the lesson.

Tree identification was just one of eight hands-on lessons about the forest that Klamath County School District sixth-graders learned Sept. 26 and 27 at the 55th annual Klamath County Forestry Tour.

Over the two days, students from Malin, Bonanza, Merrill, Keno, Chiloquin, Gilchrist, Henley, Great Basin Homeschool, Triad, Peterson, Shasta, Ferguson and Stearns attended the sessions at BLM’s Spencer Creek Camp about 12 miles northwest of Keno.

Stations were manned by volunteers from the BLM, Oregon Department of Forestry, Fremont-Winema U.S. Forest Service, Winema Hoo- Hoo Club, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Green Diamond Resource Co., and Talk About Trees.

Dave Danforth, who works at Collins Products and is a member of the Winema Hoo-Hoo Club, partnered with fellow club member Ron Loveness to teach students about forest products.

Jesus Flores, a sixth-grader at Malin Elementary School, compares the length of a tree needle to the length of his fingernail during a tree iden- tifcation lesson at the Klamath County Forestry Tour.

Jesus Flores, a sixth-grader at Malin Elementary School, compares the length of a tree needle to the length of his fingernail during a tree iden- tifcation lesson at the Klamath County Forestry Tour.

“It’s our contribution to educate kids. They don’t know the value of the forests,” he said. “We grow more than we use. Forests are sustainable. The whole idea is to try to get kids who live close to the forests in Klamath County to know what’s out here.”

Teachers prepare the students ahead of time, often teaching lessons about wildlife, fire safety and wood products in the weeks before the event.

Jana Dunlea, a sixth-grader teacher at Malin Elementary, said the event helps her students under- stand what the forest has to offer.

“They usually get a lot of exposure camping, but actual knowledge of the forest? They don’t otherwise get that. This is a unique opportunity,” she said. “And it’s right in our backyard.”

Adam Tapia, far right, asks a question during a fire control session, while Keno Elementary School classmates Randi and Ahllona Benson listen

Adam Tapia, far right, asks a question during a fire control session, while Keno Elementary School classmates Randi and Ahllona Benson listen

Students learned about wood products – and got their own wooden pencils – from Loveness and Danforth. Other stations included fire control, recreation, reforestation, soil and water, forest management and tree identification.

Presenter Tom Collum with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife attended the forestry tour as a sixth-grader from Bonanza years ago.

“We’re pretty blessed here,” he told the students. “All our different habitats provide homes for vari- ous species.” Students at his station not only heard about wildlife, but had a chance to see animal pelts, antlers and horns.

Daniel Leavell is an assistant forestry professor with the Oregon State University Klamath Basin Research and Extension Center, which organized the event.

He said the event provides students with knowledge about the forests they use for camping, hunting and fishing. “We use products from the forest all the time,” he said. Danforth concurred. “If we get through to just a few of them that the forest is something good, then we’ve helped.”

Sxith-grader Jamie Danforth of Sage Community School, examines pine cones as she listens to a tree identifica- tion presentation.

Sxith-grader Jamie Danforth of Sage Community School, examines pine cones as she listens to a tree identifica- tion presentation.

Bonanza Elementary School sixth-graders sit on a log to listen to a presentation on forest management.

Bonanza Elementary School sixth-graders sit on a log to listen to a presentation on forest management.

Press release provided from the Klamath County School District.