MONTHLY UPDATE

March/April 2014 - Spring is now here and, with that, major updates to the Forestry Challenge website. An "Events" page has been created for the new San Bernardino Forestry Challenge. Additionally, all links to the forms on the Events pages are up to date, ready for 2014. I encourage all of you visiting this website to use the links on the left to preregister, volunteer, or apply for a staff position. Having this information now, especially pre-registration information from the schools, makes the planning process much easier.

This year so far has been a whirlwind of meetings, conferences, and events. The Forestry Challenge program continues to add new sponsors and volunteers, and I am working on ways to contact new schools, particularly schools in the South end of the state, which can now get to an event without traveling too far.

I am putting the finishing touches on the 2013 Annual Report, and will have it available on the website soon. Past sponsors can look for a printed copy to arrive in the mail, along with a request for their financial support for this year. In addition to the direct event sponsors, I am compiling a list of companies by geographical region that may be available to help schools defray their registration fees.

I will continue to update the Events pages as I narrow down and identify the Focus Topics for each event.

Until next month,

Diane

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Welcome to the California Forestry Challenge website. Information on the 2014 events is now posted on the "Events" pages. New this year is the San Bernardino Forestry Challenge, now making the trip to a Forestry Challenge event convenient from anywhere in the state.

TEACHERS: PRE-REGISTER NOW

VOLUNTEER NOW

APPLY FOR A STAFF POSITION

If you are unable to open any of these forms, please notify us and we will send you a blank form.

What is the Forestry Challenge?

The California Forestry Challenge is a competitive event for high school students in technical forestry and current forestry issues. Using the forest as the classroom, the California Forestry Challenge is project-based learning at its best.

Highlights include:

Field Training: Forestry professionals spend time with the students familiarizing them with common tree species, forestry tools, and the use of identification keys. This training serves as a review of information and equipment already sent to teachers during the summer.
Field Test: Working as a 2 to 5 person team, students complete a comprehensive field test, which includes identifying and measuring trees, analyzing stand data, and making forest management decisions. The scores from the testing stations are combined, and become 60% of the team's final score.
Current Topic Fieldtrip: Students are presented with a real life topic or situation. They then visit the field to ask questions and collect data. Students also do a service project such as tree planting or invasive weed removal, to give them a "hands-on" forest experience. At the 2012 events, teams created a "recipe" for Giant Sequoia regeneration, helped clarify a management plan for a family forest, and weighed in on a not-yet-approved Timber Harvest Plan.
Presentation: Guided by two consultation sessions with a Registered Professional Forester, students use all available information to put together a 15-minute presentation. A panel of three judges scores the presentation, which is worth 40% of the final event score. Top teams have presented to the CA Board of Forestry, the CA Licensed Foresters Association, and the Forest Landowners of CA.

If you would like to donate to help offset student and program expenses, use the PayPal button below.