WAOW - Newsline 9, Wausau News, Weather, SportsForest School

Forest School

by Chris Eckert

ELCHO (WYOW) -- Anyone who visits the Northwoods knows there's plenty of trees. And area teachers are learning how to use them as a tool in the classroom.

"Learning there's trees in the forest but how do we use them" says Sparta High School Teacher Travis Klinkner. "What's the process of getting that tree from the forest to the table that we eat on."

That's the process these 4th through 12th grade teachers are going through with the LEAF program; a K through 12 forestry education program based out of UW Stevens Point.

"Different tree types, species, how we use the forest for social and recreational use" says Elcho 3rd Grade Teacher Kathy Guckenberg.

At the Elcho School Forest, they're learning how to get their students engaged in the wood manufacturing process that goes on in many of their communities.

"This is an opportunity for students to really get involved in the process and lead the discussion and focus on something that's relevant to them right in their back yard and get to know their communities a little bit more" says LEAF Program's Jeremy Solin.

For Travis, learning how the process works makes teaching it a lot more fun for him, and more meaningful for his students.

"It's not just the tree that they can see through the window, it's drawing that connection of I could actually be doing this as a job some day" says Klinkner. "That's how I would like to look at this as."

The class goes on through Wednesday. The teachers also conduct forest research, learn how to process lumber, and learn how to model activities for their students.

Online Reporter: Chris Eckert