Musings and other thoughts about Fire Ecology Institute
Because I believe good teachers are naturally “pack rats”, I knew this Institute was going to be my kind of class as soon as I saw the myriad of “stuff” that surrounded Shawna upon checking in Sunday, June 7th 2009. I believe Shawna stated in one communication, the participants would receive many “goodies” to assist will their fire education efforts. “Goodies” this teacher found priceless and would soon become the topic of many discussions with a husband who believes you downsize as you prepare for retirement, not add fuel to the fire, a basement already choke full of “stuff”!
Now that I’ve had time to go through, read, reread and begin to digest a little bit of the information I obtained during the week I spent in Durango; my brain has moved out of the hyperactive mode and my thoughts include things other than fire education.
What to do with this knowledge? I have lots of ideas, but what will I be able to implement in my classroom. Because I believe Denver Public Schools is becoming a district that prescribes curriculum and strongly suggests time frames in which to teach the curriculum, teachers’ creativity is often frowned upon. Creativity will be a must for me if I’m to include more environmental education for my fifth graders that doesn’t easily fit into the Science TRACKS program and my schedule for the 2009/10 school year that does not include teaching science.
In addition to creativity, change will also be important. A quote by Plato I read in “The Book of Fire” is apropos. “Unless one comes to an understanding concerning the nature of change, one will have many difficulties.” William H. Cottrell Jr. used the Plato quote in relationship to fire in forests, but it also applies to me, a teacher wondering how to deliver vital information to her fifth graders.
I will team teach with two other fifth grade teachers, one who will teach literacy and the other will teach the content areas: Science and Social Studies. I will teach math and my schedule is suppose to include a 45 minute per day challenge group. My principal shared what he envisioned the 45 minute challenge group would look like before the close of this school year, but my “challenge” will be not having the same group of students for more than three weeks. The first 45 minutes of each day will be used for RTI groups and my one challenge group. My recent thoughts include being the “hook” to assist the science teacher in kicking off the Heat and Changes and Weather Systems TRACKS units.
What student wouldn’t be “fired up” about any hands on, inquiry based activity? Testing FIRE!, The Matchstick Forest Experiment and the many PLT activities found in the Environmental Activity Guide. The visual learners would also be enamored by the colorful posters and books to peruse. The “goodies” are PRICELESS!
What makes a class well received and not soon forgotten? People! I especially enjoyed Kent Grant, CSFS, Ros Wu, USFS, Craig Goodell, BLM and John Eye. Thank you, Shawna, Gabi, Lu, Amanda, Kelsey and anyone else who worked tirelessly to present the Fire Ecology Institute to an eclectic group from Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. Perhaps I’ll be blessed to meet Gabi one day and thank her personally.
Some of the connections I made during Fire Ecology Institute week are budding into friendships. Friendships I’ll cherish!
Many, many thanks for a meaningful class.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
The week spent in Durango, Co was instrumental in the continued development of the Unit on Wildfire that Rhonda Spidell and I teach at Albuquerque Academy. The current curriculum was heavy in the science of combustion and the physical effects of fire. This workshop has given us several new activities to address important questions on wildfire. After attending the Fire Ecology Institute we have made exciting adjustments to our curriculum to address in depth the function and importance of wildfire in many different ecosystems. They are as follows:
How do ecosystems influence fire regimes?
Dendrochronology lab (evidence for fire patterns)
Fire Management Plans
Reading: Fuel treatments
Lab: Kindling Point
Demo: Dust Explosion
How are watersheds affected by wildland fire?
Reading
Topographic Mapping
How do Ecosystems change over time?
Succession (PLT Environmental Ed #80 – Nothing Succeeds Like Succession
Every Tree for Itself (PLT Environmental Ed #27 p117)
Story of Succession(PLT forest ecology p61)
We also added the following activities to teach the fire triangle with an ecosystem emphasis:
What are the necessary components of fire?
Fire triangle (Fuel, Oxygen, Heat)
PTL Forest Ecology Understanding Fire #7 p82
3D Fire Triangle “cootie catcher”
Environmental Fire triangle(fuels, weather, topography)
Lab: Matchstick Forest PLC
3D Fire Triangle “cootie catcher”
The week spent with Project Learning Tree will continue to enhance our curriculum and classrooms for many years to come. I appreciated the opportunity to participate in the Fire Ecology Institute this year and the enrichment my students will receive.
How do ecosystems influence fire regimes?
Dendrochronology lab (evidence for fire patterns)
Fire Management Plans
Reading: Fuel treatments
Lab: Kindling Point
Demo: Dust Explosion
How are watersheds affected by wildland fire?
Reading
Topographic Mapping
How do Ecosystems change over time?
Succession (PLT Environmental Ed #80 – Nothing Succeeds Like Succession
Every Tree for Itself (PLT Environmental Ed #27 p117)
Story of Succession(PLT forest ecology p61)
We also added the following activities to teach the fire triangle with an ecosystem emphasis:
What are the necessary components of fire?
Fire triangle (Fuel, Oxygen, Heat)
PTL Forest Ecology Understanding Fire #7 p82
3D Fire Triangle “cootie catcher”
Environmental Fire triangle(fuels, weather, topography)
Lab: Matchstick Forest PLC
3D Fire Triangle “cootie catcher”
The week spent with Project Learning Tree will continue to enhance our curriculum and classrooms for many years to come. I appreciated the opportunity to participate in the Fire Ecology Institute this year and the enrichment my students will receive.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
I would first like to thank the many people who made this opportunity possible. There was obviously a lot of planning and forethought that was put into this class. In addition, I would like to thank those agencies who made this class fiscally possible: The CSFS-National Fire Plan grant and support from the BLM, USFS, CSU, USGS.
The Fire Ecology Institute opened my eyes in many ways. First, I was touched by the many people who spoke who had experienced wild fires first hand. For the first time, I became aware of the chaos that communities are thrown into literally overnight. Families and friends are forced into fighting the unknown which is not only the fires, but the aftermath of the fires (erosion, financial burdens, replanting, etc.) Second, I was unaware of the impact of the policy of suppressing wild fires played over the past hundred years. Visiting various sites demonstrated how overgrown wooded areas can build up an abundance of fuel which encourages wild fires to rage. Also, how the forest have a natural ecology which includes fire. Finally, I would like to own some land in the mountains someday. Class discussions on defensive space and community mitigation were areas I had not thought about. I now understand the importance of this when owning or purchasing land. Areas that had been thinned or cleared not only appeared natural and healthy they also would protect homes. Taking this class challenged me to look at my beliefs and definitely created a paradigm shift for me.
Some other thoughts worth noting:
I appreciated the hands on activities and videos that I can use in my classroom. I was amazed at the abundance of resources that are available for teachers to use.
Actually visiting a fire cache and making a fire line provided me with an appreciation of what firefighters do and what a difficult job it is.
Visiting Lemon Reservoir and meeting John Eye demonstrated that significance of erosion after a fire. His presentation made me think about the bureaucracy that people are involved in during and after a wildfire. I admired how he relied on his common sense and was willing to take action.
What a treat to visit Mesa Verde! What impressed me were the hours that the teams spend clearing the parks to reduce the fuel load. I was also unaware of the many hoops that have to be jumped through to actually follow through with a prescribed burn. I found it interesting how the fire danger was determined and the fuel moisture was calculated. This would be a simple activity for my students to complete.
The Fire Ecology Institute opened my eyes in many ways. First, I was touched by the many people who spoke who had experienced wild fires first hand. For the first time, I became aware of the chaos that communities are thrown into literally overnight. Families and friends are forced into fighting the unknown which is not only the fires, but the aftermath of the fires (erosion, financial burdens, replanting, etc.) Second, I was unaware of the impact of the policy of suppressing wild fires played over the past hundred years. Visiting various sites demonstrated how overgrown wooded areas can build up an abundance of fuel which encourages wild fires to rage. Also, how the forest have a natural ecology which includes fire. Finally, I would like to own some land in the mountains someday. Class discussions on defensive space and community mitigation were areas I had not thought about. I now understand the importance of this when owning or purchasing land. Areas that had been thinned or cleared not only appeared natural and healthy they also would protect homes. Taking this class challenged me to look at my beliefs and definitely created a paradigm shift for me.
Some other thoughts worth noting:
I appreciated the hands on activities and videos that I can use in my classroom. I was amazed at the abundance of resources that are available for teachers to use.
Actually visiting a fire cache and making a fire line provided me with an appreciation of what firefighters do and what a difficult job it is.
Visiting Lemon Reservoir and meeting John Eye demonstrated that significance of erosion after a fire. His presentation made me think about the bureaucracy that people are involved in during and after a wildfire. I admired how he relied on his common sense and was willing to take action.
What a treat to visit Mesa Verde! What impressed me were the hours that the teams spend clearing the parks to reduce the fuel load. I was also unaware of the many hoops that have to be jumped through to actually follow through with a prescribed burn. I found it interesting how the fire danger was determined and the fuel moisture was calculated. This would be a simple activity for my students to complete.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Fire Ecology Institute 2009
Attending the 2009 Fire Ecology Institute in Durango, CO, was not only a great opportunity to learn about fire ecology, but it was an opportunity to network with educators and professionals in a neighboring state. One of the most beneficial parts about the institute was learning about how resources are managed in Colorado. It is important to compare how resources are managed here in New Mexico to our neighboring states; what is effective, what is not, etc. It was impressive to see how the BLM and Forest Service have partnered in Durango. It will be interesting to see how the partnership between the two federal agencies plays out.
Another highlight of the institute was the many opportunities to be in the field with experts. Coming from California, I have not been formally educated about the local flora of New Mexico and Colorado. The various presentations about tree species, non-native species and wildflowers were great. As an educator who takes students into the field, knowing the different plant species is very important.
Although I have taken multiple classes in order to become a certified wildland firefighter, I have never had the opportunity to actually visit areas that have been previously burned. Visiting the Missionary Ridge Fire and the Valley Fire was really valuable. The fire behavior during the Missionary Ridge Fire was remarkable. In addition, learning about the debris flows after the fires was really stunning.
My favorite part of the whole experience was when we visited Lemon Reservoir. John was an awesome presenter. It is amazing to see what can be done with limited knowledge and resources and a little creativity. It was also great to get a perspective from someone who is not a professional in the field, as far as fire rehabilitation goes. He should definitely be on the presenter list for the next institute.
I really enjoyed the student activities outside where we determined which fuels burn the best and how fire spread is affected by slope. I think these tools can be very useful not only in teaching students about fire but educating adults as well. Throughout the institute I found myself brainstorming ideas about how I can reach out to the communities most concerned with fire and educate them about what they can do to protect their homes. I have already being planning a local event in the East Mountains of Albuquerque that will educate the public about State Land Office thinning projects in the area and local resources to help homeowners create defensible space on their property.
Overall, I found the institute to be very informative and useful. The guest presenters, the resources given out and activities in the field were definitely the most beneficial.
Attending the 2009 Fire Ecology Institute in Durango, CO, was not only a great opportunity to learn about fire ecology, but it was an opportunity to network with educators and professionals in a neighboring state. One of the most beneficial parts about the institute was learning about how resources are managed in Colorado. It is important to compare how resources are managed here in New Mexico to our neighboring states; what is effective, what is not, etc. It was impressive to see how the BLM and Forest Service have partnered in Durango. It will be interesting to see how the partnership between the two federal agencies plays out.
Another highlight of the institute was the many opportunities to be in the field with experts. Coming from California, I have not been formally educated about the local flora of New Mexico and Colorado. The various presentations about tree species, non-native species and wildflowers were great. As an educator who takes students into the field, knowing the different plant species is very important.
Although I have taken multiple classes in order to become a certified wildland firefighter, I have never had the opportunity to actually visit areas that have been previously burned. Visiting the Missionary Ridge Fire and the Valley Fire was really valuable. The fire behavior during the Missionary Ridge Fire was remarkable. In addition, learning about the debris flows after the fires was really stunning.
My favorite part of the whole experience was when we visited Lemon Reservoir. John was an awesome presenter. It is amazing to see what can be done with limited knowledge and resources and a little creativity. It was also great to get a perspective from someone who is not a professional in the field, as far as fire rehabilitation goes. He should definitely be on the presenter list for the next institute.
I really enjoyed the student activities outside where we determined which fuels burn the best and how fire spread is affected by slope. I think these tools can be very useful not only in teaching students about fire but educating adults as well. Throughout the institute I found myself brainstorming ideas about how I can reach out to the communities most concerned with fire and educate them about what they can do to protect their homes. I have already being planning a local event in the East Mountains of Albuquerque that will educate the public about State Land Office thinning projects in the area and local resources to help homeowners create defensible space on their property.
Overall, I found the institute to be very informative and useful. The guest presenters, the resources given out and activities in the field were definitely the most beneficial.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Fire, Fact and Fascination
Ideas that enter the mind under fire remain there securely and forever. Leon Trotsky
Blame it on Prometheus. After stealing fire from Zeus, he delivered this gift to mankind unleashing a firestorm of inventiveness and productivity. Cooking, tool making and warfare soon followed. Containment of fire allowed us to advance, but as the saying goes, if you play with fire, you are likely to get burned. Fire is hypnotic. It can be destructive. What child has not been drawn to it either in fascination or fear? Education is the key to getting children and adults fired up to learn the facts, fun and fascination of fire.
I have gained knowledge, materials and information (not to mention CDs, DVDs, videos, posters, and PLT activity guides) to deliver relevant information to 5th grade students in DPS. The myriad of ideas, activities, and materials are mind boggling, so I am just going to fire away on ways that I can use this information in a classroom setting.
Don’t let your dreams go up in smoke-practice fire safety. ~Author unknown
Introduction of the fire triangle and fire safety would be first on the agenda. There is no reason for having a smoking hot unit on fire if precautions are not taken for children’s safety. Participation and engagement of students in a service learning project would enhance their retention of the firestorm of information and activities to follow. So, as a teacher, I need to have a few irons in the fire (tricks up my sleeve?) to engage and activate their curious, inquiring minds. Activities would include using the Fire’s Role in Nature notebook with pamphlets and posters, PLT activities, and the Getting to Know Wildland Fire teacher’s guide to fire ecology.
How is it that one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire? ~Author unknown
Of course, I would use the matchstick forest experiment to demonstrate fire behavior. The Fireworks experiments and information boxes would be utilized for interactive hands on learning. To finalize a unit on fire, the Charcoal Forest, can be introduced. Timelines, posters, and pamphlets can be created by the students.
Man is the only creature that dares to light a fire and live with it. The reason? Because he alone has learned to put it out. ~Henry David Thoreau
I was not familiar with the terms or ideas of fire suppression, mitigation, and defensible space. If recent newspaper articles are any indication of the knowledge of the general public, then it would be of my utmost interest to educate the public on how they can prevent wildfires. Of course, Smokey the Bear has done an excellent job of getting public service announcements out to the general public, but it is also my job to educate others. The only way this is going to happen is to get communities involved. How am I going to do that? I suppose in my own way, I can discuss it and encourage others to carefully look at their own homes in the WUI. Hopefully, we are all interested in protecting wildlife habitats, lakes and rivers. Many of us are concerned about recreational areas and are own enjoyment of Colorado’s great resources. To protect and preserve our forests, homes, and wildlife, we must all increase our awareness of fire danger, and influence and support others in their willingness to take charge of their property.
Even in a time of elephantine vanity and greed, one never has to look far to see the campfires of gentle people. ~Garrison Keillor
Thank you Shawna and to all of the firefighters, foresters, biologists, ecologists, hydrologists, and educators that made Fire Ecology Institute possible. I hope that I will continue to get on like a house on fire with all of the wonderful people that were included in this institute.
Ideas that enter the mind under fire remain there securely and forever. Leon Trotsky
Blame it on Prometheus. After stealing fire from Zeus, he delivered this gift to mankind unleashing a firestorm of inventiveness and productivity. Cooking, tool making and warfare soon followed. Containment of fire allowed us to advance, but as the saying goes, if you play with fire, you are likely to get burned. Fire is hypnotic. It can be destructive. What child has not been drawn to it either in fascination or fear? Education is the key to getting children and adults fired up to learn the facts, fun and fascination of fire.
I have gained knowledge, materials and information (not to mention CDs, DVDs, videos, posters, and PLT activity guides) to deliver relevant information to 5th grade students in DPS. The myriad of ideas, activities, and materials are mind boggling, so I am just going to fire away on ways that I can use this information in a classroom setting.
Don’t let your dreams go up in smoke-practice fire safety. ~Author unknown
Introduction of the fire triangle and fire safety would be first on the agenda. There is no reason for having a smoking hot unit on fire if precautions are not taken for children’s safety. Participation and engagement of students in a service learning project would enhance their retention of the firestorm of information and activities to follow. So, as a teacher, I need to have a few irons in the fire (tricks up my sleeve?) to engage and activate their curious, inquiring minds. Activities would include using the Fire’s Role in Nature notebook with pamphlets and posters, PLT activities, and the Getting to Know Wildland Fire teacher’s guide to fire ecology.
How is it that one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire? ~Author unknown
Of course, I would use the matchstick forest experiment to demonstrate fire behavior. The Fireworks experiments and information boxes would be utilized for interactive hands on learning. To finalize a unit on fire, the Charcoal Forest, can be introduced. Timelines, posters, and pamphlets can be created by the students.
Man is the only creature that dares to light a fire and live with it. The reason? Because he alone has learned to put it out. ~Henry David Thoreau
I was not familiar with the terms or ideas of fire suppression, mitigation, and defensible space. If recent newspaper articles are any indication of the knowledge of the general public, then it would be of my utmost interest to educate the public on how they can prevent wildfires. Of course, Smokey the Bear has done an excellent job of getting public service announcements out to the general public, but it is also my job to educate others. The only way this is going to happen is to get communities involved. How am I going to do that? I suppose in my own way, I can discuss it and encourage others to carefully look at their own homes in the WUI. Hopefully, we are all interested in protecting wildlife habitats, lakes and rivers. Many of us are concerned about recreational areas and are own enjoyment of Colorado’s great resources. To protect and preserve our forests, homes, and wildlife, we must all increase our awareness of fire danger, and influence and support others in their willingness to take charge of their property.
Even in a time of elephantine vanity and greed, one never has to look far to see the campfires of gentle people. ~Garrison Keillor
Thank you Shawna and to all of the firefighters, foresters, biologists, ecologists, hydrologists, and educators that made Fire Ecology Institute possible. I hope that I will continue to get on like a house on fire with all of the wonderful people that were included in this institute.
June 7, 2009
There are several impressions I have with regard to this class and how I will utilize the information. First, I just picked up all the materials for the class. Will I ever be able to use all of it? What the heck is this piece of wood? Next, I looked at the posters. I think some of the posters will be wonderful for my classroom. The reason I am taking this class is to see if I can incorporate some of the ELL curriculum I use into getting ELL kids background knowledge of our forests and parks. Last, I already feel overwhelmed and inept at taking on this course! Most of the teachers here are Science teachers. They actually use this information in their curriculum.
June 8, 2009
WOW!!! I am REALLY overwhelmed with all the information. I really had no idea about all the agencies and departments involved in forests….and fires…and parks!!! There is so much vocabulary I DO NOT know regarding this topic. I am trying to use my journal in the Cornell Note writing technique. It is good practice for me. I guess of all the things I heard today, is the health of our forests. For example, there are more than one type of beetles killing our forests. A few examples are the Mountain beetle and the West Pine Beetle. I was shocked to know that sometimes, different beetles will attack the same tree!
I am learning how to identify a tree! I got this really cool brochure that will help me identify different types of Conifer trees! For example: Sinlgeleaf Pinon trees only have one needle coming out of each borne area. Pinon Pines and Lodgepole pine have two little needles per “hole”. I can tell the difference between these two trees because Lodgepole are really tall and skinny. I know what a Ponderosa Pine looks like. I didn’t know that they typically have three needles per hole. I never thought about the fact that Ponderosa Pines didn’t have branches down low. Fact is, they sorta “self prune” themselves. This is a good thing because without those branches low to the ground, they are not as easy to catch fire in a forest fire event. I am still not so sure about Limber Pine. They have five needles per hole. I know what a Juniper Tree is….sorta. I know the berries are used for making gin. MMMMMmmmmmmmm!!! Lol
I know a Cedar tree has that gorgeous “shredded” bark. Is a Cedar tree a Juniper?
This class just goes so fast, I don’t have time to reflect on what I’ve learned! I haven’t even looked through the MOUNTAIN of material I have received. I wish we had less time in class and some lab time or homework time to write in our journals to reflect what we have learned….what we are still not sure of…..and how we will connect further learning!
TOOOOO MUCH information without time to reflect and absorb it!
The “Ahhhh-Haaaa” moment! I know why we have a “TREE COOKIE” in our materials! Dendro means tree. Chrono means time and ology means study. We had a Dendrochronologist teach us about tree rings and how we use them to date many things in nature!
June 9,2009
I am starting to form some ideas about how I will use this information with my ELL students.
June 10, 2009
I now know HOW I will format this information. I am going to use a version of the SCIENCE JOURNAL!!!
I will have kids set up the front with the Table of Content. I will have them label the back with one letter per page on the last 26 pages. This will be their glossary. They can input all the vocabulary we use while reading the story in the ELL curriculum, My Side of the Mountain.
June 11, 2009
Mesa Verde was REALLY interesting. I am so glad the speaker talked about the fire in BATTLEMENT MESA. My former husband was a fire fighter on that fire. He SAW the Slurry Bomber crash into the mountain. He was head of his crew and had a radio. He said the radio went crazy when the plane crashed and the wind/fire shifted. Several young guys were caught and killed in that fire and the pilot died in the crash! They thought it was his crew. He got his crew to safety. The scar is still on the mountain where the plane crashed and the boys were killed. Tragic!
June 12,2009
It was fun to go to see how a prescriptive burn can really be effective. I am exhausted! I have some great ideas on how I will use this class info.! I want my students AND my grandkids to get in touch with nature.
In conclusion, when I walked into this class, I had no idea how interesting this class would be. I know I will use this information in my class AND WITH MY GRAND KIDS so they can learn the importance of nature.
There are several impressions I have with regard to this class and how I will utilize the information. First, I just picked up all the materials for the class. Will I ever be able to use all of it? What the heck is this piece of wood? Next, I looked at the posters. I think some of the posters will be wonderful for my classroom. The reason I am taking this class is to see if I can incorporate some of the ELL curriculum I use into getting ELL kids background knowledge of our forests and parks. Last, I already feel overwhelmed and inept at taking on this course! Most of the teachers here are Science teachers. They actually use this information in their curriculum.
June 8, 2009
WOW!!! I am REALLY overwhelmed with all the information. I really had no idea about all the agencies and departments involved in forests….and fires…and parks!!! There is so much vocabulary I DO NOT know regarding this topic. I am trying to use my journal in the Cornell Note writing technique. It is good practice for me. I guess of all the things I heard today, is the health of our forests. For example, there are more than one type of beetles killing our forests. A few examples are the Mountain beetle and the West Pine Beetle. I was shocked to know that sometimes, different beetles will attack the same tree!
I am learning how to identify a tree! I got this really cool brochure that will help me identify different types of Conifer trees! For example: Sinlgeleaf Pinon trees only have one needle coming out of each borne area. Pinon Pines and Lodgepole pine have two little needles per “hole”. I can tell the difference between these two trees because Lodgepole are really tall and skinny. I know what a Ponderosa Pine looks like. I didn’t know that they typically have three needles per hole. I never thought about the fact that Ponderosa Pines didn’t have branches down low. Fact is, they sorta “self prune” themselves. This is a good thing because without those branches low to the ground, they are not as easy to catch fire in a forest fire event. I am still not so sure about Limber Pine. They have five needles per hole. I know what a Juniper Tree is….sorta. I know the berries are used for making gin. MMMMMmmmmmmmm!!! Lol
I know a Cedar tree has that gorgeous “shredded” bark. Is a Cedar tree a Juniper?
This class just goes so fast, I don’t have time to reflect on what I’ve learned! I haven’t even looked through the MOUNTAIN of material I have received. I wish we had less time in class and some lab time or homework time to write in our journals to reflect what we have learned….what we are still not sure of…..and how we will connect further learning!
TOOOOO MUCH information without time to reflect and absorb it!
The “Ahhhh-Haaaa” moment! I know why we have a “TREE COOKIE” in our materials! Dendro means tree. Chrono means time and ology means study. We had a Dendrochronologist teach us about tree rings and how we use them to date many things in nature!
June 9,2009
I am starting to form some ideas about how I will use this information with my ELL students.
June 10, 2009
I now know HOW I will format this information. I am going to use a version of the SCIENCE JOURNAL!!!
I will have kids set up the front with the Table of Content. I will have them label the back with one letter per page on the last 26 pages. This will be their glossary. They can input all the vocabulary we use while reading the story in the ELL curriculum, My Side of the Mountain.
June 11, 2009
Mesa Verde was REALLY interesting. I am so glad the speaker talked about the fire in BATTLEMENT MESA. My former husband was a fire fighter on that fire. He SAW the Slurry Bomber crash into the mountain. He was head of his crew and had a radio. He said the radio went crazy when the plane crashed and the wind/fire shifted. Several young guys were caught and killed in that fire and the pilot died in the crash! They thought it was his crew. He got his crew to safety. The scar is still on the mountain where the plane crashed and the boys were killed. Tragic!
June 12,2009
It was fun to go to see how a prescriptive burn can really be effective. I am exhausted! I have some great ideas on how I will use this class info.! I want my students AND my grandkids to get in touch with nature.
In conclusion, when I walked into this class, I had no idea how interesting this class would be. I know I will use this information in my class AND WITH MY GRAND KIDS so they can learn the importance of nature.
This was a fantastic course. What a great opportunity to spend a full week in Durango and really get out in the field for some hands on education. The accommodations at the college were great even if the food was something to be desired. The price was also right at just $50 for the whole week. Thank you for a great experience. The following reflection will cover some of the highlights from the course for me.
First off I really enjoyed the guest speakers who came into present information from all angles of forest management and the impacts of fire on the health of forests. They all really knew their stuff and together painted a very intricate picture of the surrounding forest ecology and the role that fire plays. It was amazing to see how many different agencies are involved in managing our public lands. It was also very clear that there is a huge conflict building in the west between public and private interests as more and more people move into the wildland urban interface.
Secondly I thought the best parts of the class were the field experiences. It was amazing to really see the size and scope of the Missionary Ridge fire and to connect many of the topics that had been discussed in the classroom the day before. It was really interesting to see all the work that John had done to mitigate the post fire impacts just above Lemon reservoir. This also really brought home the connection between water quality and forest health. It was interesting to see the succession process taking place 7 years after the fact and to think about all the ongoing management that must continue, like weed control and erosion issues. I thought the trip to Mesa Verde was also very interesting. I don’t think that I realized how many fires had impacted the park in the last 10 years. It was interesting to see the problems and issues that the land management teams in the park had to deal with and how different they were compared to the Forest Service or the BLM. To me these were the most useful parts of the class.
Finally I think the resources that were provided to us will be extremely useful in the classroom next year. The projects and activities in the Project Learning Tree book will be a great help in putting together field activities for my students. I will be attempting to do some Dendrochronolgy with samples taken from the field. I will also be doing some tree identification as well a few activities involving the pine beetle, which is a huge issue in Summit County. I’m sure there are many other useful tools that were provided to us that I have not had time to really explore. It is nice to have more activities and resources than I know what to do with.
Once again I think that this class was extremely valuable. The topic of fire and public land management is a very important one for people who live in the west to understand. I think the view of fire and the role it plays in nature are changing and it is important that the next generation truly understand all different aspects of this complicated issue. Hopefully I can take some of this new knowledge and pass in on to my class.
First off I really enjoyed the guest speakers who came into present information from all angles of forest management and the impacts of fire on the health of forests. They all really knew their stuff and together painted a very intricate picture of the surrounding forest ecology and the role that fire plays. It was amazing to see how many different agencies are involved in managing our public lands. It was also very clear that there is a huge conflict building in the west between public and private interests as more and more people move into the wildland urban interface.
Secondly I thought the best parts of the class were the field experiences. It was amazing to really see the size and scope of the Missionary Ridge fire and to connect many of the topics that had been discussed in the classroom the day before. It was really interesting to see all the work that John had done to mitigate the post fire impacts just above Lemon reservoir. This also really brought home the connection between water quality and forest health. It was interesting to see the succession process taking place 7 years after the fact and to think about all the ongoing management that must continue, like weed control and erosion issues. I thought the trip to Mesa Verde was also very interesting. I don’t think that I realized how many fires had impacted the park in the last 10 years. It was interesting to see the problems and issues that the land management teams in the park had to deal with and how different they were compared to the Forest Service or the BLM. To me these were the most useful parts of the class.
Finally I think the resources that were provided to us will be extremely useful in the classroom next year. The projects and activities in the Project Learning Tree book will be a great help in putting together field activities for my students. I will be attempting to do some Dendrochronolgy with samples taken from the field. I will also be doing some tree identification as well a few activities involving the pine beetle, which is a huge issue in Summit County. I’m sure there are many other useful tools that were provided to us that I have not had time to really explore. It is nice to have more activities and resources than I know what to do with.
Once again I think that this class was extremely valuable. The topic of fire and public land management is a very important one for people who live in the west to understand. I think the view of fire and the role it plays in nature are changing and it is important that the next generation truly understand all different aspects of this complicated issue. Hopefully I can take some of this new knowledge and pass in on to my class.
How can I make my third grade classroom a more interesting place for kids?
After three years of “teaching to the test”, I am ready to delve into some PLT activities to enhance the mandated curriculum in my school. The week I spent in Durango at FEI proved to be a jumpstart to get the creative juices flowing. The informative talks were incredibly awesome but somewhat overwhelming to a second grade teacher. I certainly appreciated the many handouts and posters available from Shawna. These items will be used and shared with my co-teachers in Mesa Elementary in Cortez.
....Next on the plan is to incorporate projects related to the themes of our reading curriculum. The first theme is Friendship. One of the great ideas discussed this week was using the tree rings to draw and describe circles of your life. Students will be writing an autobiography this fall and use the tree ring visual to guide their writing. One of the stories in this unit is The Tree House by Lois Lowry. Extensions of this story will include reading about the different types of trees in our area and how animals utilize them.
Unit 2 is about City Wildlife. We can expand this unit to include the city trees. We could invite the city planner in for a special speaker to tell us about the plan for tree planting in Cortez. This could expand into Math by asking for the costs of planting trees and uptake. Graphing is an important skill that we can use real figures about our cost and compare to what other towns spend our size on planting trees.
Unit 3 includes stories using imagination. This unit includes several pieces of poetry about apples, fog and sun. I will plan to include poetry writing that includes nature. This unit also includes a story entitled Two Days in May. This story tells of a family of deer finds their way into a garden patch in a backyard. The whole neighborhood gathers around to watch the deer in wonder. This story would be a great introduction to discuss developments that encroach on areas that used to be their habitats to survive. The other story in this unit is entitled Secret Place that includes animal habitats. This will be an excellent place to include information and activities that describe how fire affects animal homes.
The following lesson plans are broad but just having the time to look over the stories and think about PLT lessons that can compliment the reading units is helpful and meaningful to me. Once school starts I don’t have a spare minute. My approach this year will be to incorporate differentiated instruction into daily lessons. I have a very diverse classroom whose needs will be best met in small group lessons. I will set up whole group, small group and independent study times. The addition of the PLT lessons will enhance my classroom.
After three years of “teaching to the test”, I am ready to delve into some PLT activities to enhance the mandated curriculum in my school. The week I spent in Durango at FEI proved to be a jumpstart to get the creative juices flowing. The informative talks were incredibly awesome but somewhat overwhelming to a second grade teacher. I certainly appreciated the many handouts and posters available from Shawna. These items will be used and shared with my co-teachers in Mesa Elementary in Cortez.
....Next on the plan is to incorporate projects related to the themes of our reading curriculum. The first theme is Friendship. One of the great ideas discussed this week was using the tree rings to draw and describe circles of your life. Students will be writing an autobiography this fall and use the tree ring visual to guide their writing. One of the stories in this unit is The Tree House by Lois Lowry. Extensions of this story will include reading about the different types of trees in our area and how animals utilize them.
Unit 2 is about City Wildlife. We can expand this unit to include the city trees. We could invite the city planner in for a special speaker to tell us about the plan for tree planting in Cortez. This could expand into Math by asking for the costs of planting trees and uptake. Graphing is an important skill that we can use real figures about our cost and compare to what other towns spend our size on planting trees.
Unit 3 includes stories using imagination. This unit includes several pieces of poetry about apples, fog and sun. I will plan to include poetry writing that includes nature. This unit also includes a story entitled Two Days in May. This story tells of a family of deer finds their way into a garden patch in a backyard. The whole neighborhood gathers around to watch the deer in wonder. This story would be a great introduction to discuss developments that encroach on areas that used to be their habitats to survive. The other story in this unit is entitled Secret Place that includes animal habitats. This will be an excellent place to include information and activities that describe how fire affects animal homes.
The following lesson plans are broad but just having the time to look over the stories and think about PLT lessons that can compliment the reading units is helpful and meaningful to me. Once school starts I don’t have a spare minute. My approach this year will be to incorporate differentiated instruction into daily lessons. I have a very diverse classroom whose needs will be best met in small group lessons. I will set up whole group, small group and independent study times. The addition of the PLT lessons will enhance my classroom.
The goal of the Fire Ecology Institute is to increase the awareness of the role of wildfire in the ecology of our natural environments and our not so natural environments, where people have developed and moved into forested areas.
Personally, I found the class to be very intellectually stimulating on a wide range of topics that have always interested me, but I have never really studied in much detail. These topics of interest include; forest ecology, natural resource management, fire ecology, fire and fuel management, fire suppression, the mitigation of the effects of fire, public relations and education about wildfire, land use and development policy, and emergency procedures. Recently, due to natural events, many of my high school students have questions regarding forest health. The fire ecology class has better prepared me to answer these questions, and fortify my biology classes with meaningful activities that relate to forest and fire ecology.
I found Ros Wu’s presentation on Dendrochronology fascinating. It’s amazing what you can learn from a stump! I was unaware that trees record fire history that well. This is critical data because the forest managers want to know how fire affected forests before White settlement and the philosophy of fire suppression. Most of our discussions centered on what I refer to as “Montane” forest (Ponderosa, Douglas fir, White fir, Aspen) and the data shows that in the Southwest these forests may have burned on average every 7 years during the period of 1815-1907. Tree rings can be used to produce a “Drought Index”. This data shows that drought is a regular occurrence in the Southwest, therefore resource managers should plan accordingly. Also, I was particularly interested in the data on species composition changes that occur along with fire suppression. Fir wins out when fire is suppressed, Ponderosa loses.
Lou Boren’s students presented some of their experiments with fire and I particularly liked the study of how slope (topography) affects fire. I am planning on repeating that experiment with my physical science class in the fall.
WUI is one new acronym firmly implanted in my brain. It stands for the Wildland-Urban Interface zone. Natural resource managers are focusing their fuel mitigation efforts on protecting this area from wildfire. Many new homes are being built in forested areas near public land. The US Forest Service and BLM must contain fires that start on public land, but then threaten developments. Public relations and education are critical, the prevailing attitude seems to be to try to save every tree instead of establishing a defensible perimeter around their homes. Glen Sears is the perfect example of a man who saved his home from wildfire by reducing fuel loads around his home. The Valley fire was the experimental test of his efforts. As I indicated on our field trip, I am not in favor of governmental agencies spending large amounts of money on protecting subdivisions from wildfire. I believe the burden to protect these areas should be on the developer and the homeowners. Furthermore, firefighters should not be put in harms way to protect private homes that don’t have a defensible perimeter. I’d rather see public funds go to projects such as the one Craig Goodell showed us around the campground by Vallecito Resevoir.
Fuel reduction has become more problematic in Colorado because of the decline of the Timber industry in the state. The state foresters (i.e. Amanda) are working hard on providing markets for forest products. It seems to me, the main problem is that many Colorado forests are on rather inaccessible, steep terrain, which would make it very expensive to extract the trees (as compared to imported lumber).
I had no idea just how “bad” the Missionary Ridge fire was. One of the highlights of the course was Butch Knowlton’s home video of the fire on the west side of Vallecito reservoir. The fire creating tornados is truly an unbelievable spectacle. The costs of fire mitigation are high, it cost the county $43million. Erosion control is critical as John Eye and Butch explained. Several years after the fire the scarred hillsides are recovering and look green and healthy. In many places aspen is already 15-20’ tall.
Allen Farnsworth at Mesa Verde seemed to be incredibly dedicated to his job (as was Craig Goodell). It was interesting to see the land use philosophies of different agencies play out in practical applications. Obviously Allen is under exponentially more regulatory restraint working for the National Park Service, as it probably should be considering the archeological significance of the area. The high tech fire data (lighting strikes, weather, fire danger, etc.) sharing among agencies is a great example of the benefits of technology.
Finally, I have come away from the course with a renewed appreciation for firefighters. The dedication and professionalism of each firefighter we met was very impressive. Their willingness to endure physical exhaustion and put their lives on the line to manage and fight fire is simply incredible. Watching the NOVA film, “Fire Wars” was a moving experience for me. An acquaintance of mine, Rich Tyler, died in the Storm King fire. His young family suffered, but everyone understood that Rich had loved his job.
Personally, I found the class to be very intellectually stimulating on a wide range of topics that have always interested me, but I have never really studied in much detail. These topics of interest include; forest ecology, natural resource management, fire ecology, fire and fuel management, fire suppression, the mitigation of the effects of fire, public relations and education about wildfire, land use and development policy, and emergency procedures. Recently, due to natural events, many of my high school students have questions regarding forest health. The fire ecology class has better prepared me to answer these questions, and fortify my biology classes with meaningful activities that relate to forest and fire ecology.
I found Ros Wu’s presentation on Dendrochronology fascinating. It’s amazing what you can learn from a stump! I was unaware that trees record fire history that well. This is critical data because the forest managers want to know how fire affected forests before White settlement and the philosophy of fire suppression. Most of our discussions centered on what I refer to as “Montane” forest (Ponderosa, Douglas fir, White fir, Aspen) and the data shows that in the Southwest these forests may have burned on average every 7 years during the period of 1815-1907. Tree rings can be used to produce a “Drought Index”. This data shows that drought is a regular occurrence in the Southwest, therefore resource managers should plan accordingly. Also, I was particularly interested in the data on species composition changes that occur along with fire suppression. Fir wins out when fire is suppressed, Ponderosa loses.
Lou Boren’s students presented some of their experiments with fire and I particularly liked the study of how slope (topography) affects fire. I am planning on repeating that experiment with my physical science class in the fall.
WUI is one new acronym firmly implanted in my brain. It stands for the Wildland-Urban Interface zone. Natural resource managers are focusing their fuel mitigation efforts on protecting this area from wildfire. Many new homes are being built in forested areas near public land. The US Forest Service and BLM must contain fires that start on public land, but then threaten developments. Public relations and education are critical, the prevailing attitude seems to be to try to save every tree instead of establishing a defensible perimeter around their homes. Glen Sears is the perfect example of a man who saved his home from wildfire by reducing fuel loads around his home. The Valley fire was the experimental test of his efforts. As I indicated on our field trip, I am not in favor of governmental agencies spending large amounts of money on protecting subdivisions from wildfire. I believe the burden to protect these areas should be on the developer and the homeowners. Furthermore, firefighters should not be put in harms way to protect private homes that don’t have a defensible perimeter. I’d rather see public funds go to projects such as the one Craig Goodell showed us around the campground by Vallecito Resevoir.
Fuel reduction has become more problematic in Colorado because of the decline of the Timber industry in the state. The state foresters (i.e. Amanda) are working hard on providing markets for forest products. It seems to me, the main problem is that many Colorado forests are on rather inaccessible, steep terrain, which would make it very expensive to extract the trees (as compared to imported lumber).
I had no idea just how “bad” the Missionary Ridge fire was. One of the highlights of the course was Butch Knowlton’s home video of the fire on the west side of Vallecito reservoir. The fire creating tornados is truly an unbelievable spectacle. The costs of fire mitigation are high, it cost the county $43million. Erosion control is critical as John Eye and Butch explained. Several years after the fire the scarred hillsides are recovering and look green and healthy. In many places aspen is already 15-20’ tall.
Allen Farnsworth at Mesa Verde seemed to be incredibly dedicated to his job (as was Craig Goodell). It was interesting to see the land use philosophies of different agencies play out in practical applications. Obviously Allen is under exponentially more regulatory restraint working for the National Park Service, as it probably should be considering the archeological significance of the area. The high tech fire data (lighting strikes, weather, fire danger, etc.) sharing among agencies is a great example of the benefits of technology.
Finally, I have come away from the course with a renewed appreciation for firefighters. The dedication and professionalism of each firefighter we met was very impressive. Their willingness to endure physical exhaustion and put their lives on the line to manage and fight fire is simply incredible. Watching the NOVA film, “Fire Wars” was a moving experience for me. An acquaintance of mine, Rich Tyler, died in the Storm King fire. His young family suffered, but everyone understood that Rich had loved his job.
I was very excited to visit Durango for a week and learn about fire and the forests, but I wasn’t very clear on how or what exactly we were going to experience. I enjoy the outdoors and thought this would be a great excuse to get credit for being outside and learning about nature. As a computer teacher, I am fairly stuck in a classroom and unable to get out and take-in the beautiful Colorado spring weather. This was going to be the perfect class for me.
Let’s start with the information overload. As we arrived and started getting settled in, we needed to collect all of the information that we could use in class or we could take home to use back in out teachings. This turned out to be more than some of us had bargained for. I looked around the room with a sense of awe. There were more stacks of papers and books and posters than I could process. I felt overwhelmed by the mass of materials that I knew I couldn’t read through by the time the class ended, but being a teacher, I couldn’t leave it sitting there. After all, it was free, and we teachers like free things. So I collected my prizes and trudged back to the room to sort through my “booty” and see what I needed and what I could stow away for later.
The next day I took my tote sack with the selected information to the classroom. I knew the first day wouldn’t be the most exciting because we needed to get to know everyone and be introduced to the basic concepts of our week together. It was interesting to hear where everyone came from and why there were drawn to this class. Some were very interested in the environmental biology parts, and others, like myself, were more interested in some time away where we could unwind but still learn some very important facts about our wild lands.
The group immediately started using official sounding words like: defensible space, fuels, and fire regime to name only a few. Most of these I had never heard of and most of the others I hadn’t ever tried to apply to forest fires. We were introduced to several professionals who talked to us about how the fires act, the types of trees, and how the fire fighters respond and try to contain a wild fire. By the end of the first day, I felt two things. First was a sense of pride after learning so much about fire ecology. The second thing I felt, was the urge to get out and move around…. I’m not a big fan of sitting around, I like movement. We ended that evening by watching the film “Fire Wars.” I’m very happy that we watched this movie the first night so we gained more pertinent background to use the next four days. I’m also glad we watched it as a group because I don’t believe I would have taken the time to watch it on my own when I returned home.
Tuesday was the day I was looking forward to, because I knew we were getting out of the classroom and experiencing our subject first-hand. We began by seeing a couple wild fire response vehicles and talking directly to some firefighters who manage that kind of equipment. We then went to a burn area of the Missionary Ridge fire to see the devastation as well as the recovery process since the fire. We also had the opportunity to perform a little manual labor while we learned how to cut a fire line. This was just up my alley. We were outside, moving around, and using tools; what could be better? We then heard another professional speak about the reclamation processes in a lightly burned area and the steps they are taking to prevent a disaster. After lunch, we were privileged with a grizzled man I like to call “ZZ Top.” He spoke to us about the reclamation process in a severely burned area and all of the work that it entailed.
Wednesday was not a good day for me. Again, I like being outside and “playing” but the rain had been coming down most of the night and it hadn’t stopped after breakfast, so we were back in the classroom. On a side note, I also found out that I didn’t get my elk hunting license for this fall, thus making me even more frustrated. I had a bad attitude, but the day wasn’t nearly as awful as I pictured in my mind. We had some activities designed to learn about dendrochronology, tree dating. When I’m unable to be up and moving, I like to have something with which to apply myself and this was perfect. I loved the challenge and found the process very intriguing. We were also exposed to the issue and problem of noxious weeds, which I would have never attributed to wild fires. I had worked with my uncle many years ago digging thistle on his farm and had worked for a lawn maintenance company spraying other weeds around Grand Junction, so some of this information was very familiar.
After familiarizing myself with the mattress and finally getting a good night’s sleep, Thursday brought the nice weather and, with it, a trip to Mesa Verde National Monument. The trip again reinforced the severity of some of the wild fires that southern Colorado has experienced in the past 15 years. Here we learned about layover or hangover fires. I can’t remember what the exact word was, but it is a phenomenon in which lightning strikes but the fire stays inside a tree for several days up to a couple weeks before manifesting into a visible and real fire. We also had exposure to some of the tracking process to which the fire agencies are subject and privy. For example, there is a database that tracks all lightning strikes. This is particularly useful at Mesa Verde where approximately 95% of the fires are caused by lightning.
After hiking and studying very hard all week, our last night together was a time to unwind and relax, a little. We were treated to a very delicious BBQ. Of course this couldn’t be all play, we needed to learn at least a little bit more, so we were introduced to handheld GPS locators and the concept of geocaching. I had taken a class that included this before, so I felt very confident in helping some of the other participants, but unfortunately for our group, we grabbed the wrong sheet and “veered” off-course a little. It wasn’t an issue of reading the GPS wrong, it was the wrong goal paper, I swear…..
As our class came to an end on Friday, we traveled to one last burn area to see how a neighborhood had followed the suggestions of defensible space and saved a great deal of property and natural resources by their actions: proof positive that the preparations work. We then gathered back in the classroom to discuss what we had learned and how we planned to apply it back in our lessons. This helped immensely, because I had not seen a couple sections of a book that helped me realize which activities would be easily applied to my curriculum.
Let’s start with the information overload. As we arrived and started getting settled in, we needed to collect all of the information that we could use in class or we could take home to use back in out teachings. This turned out to be more than some of us had bargained for. I looked around the room with a sense of awe. There were more stacks of papers and books and posters than I could process. I felt overwhelmed by the mass of materials that I knew I couldn’t read through by the time the class ended, but being a teacher, I couldn’t leave it sitting there. After all, it was free, and we teachers like free things. So I collected my prizes and trudged back to the room to sort through my “booty” and see what I needed and what I could stow away for later.
The next day I took my tote sack with the selected information to the classroom. I knew the first day wouldn’t be the most exciting because we needed to get to know everyone and be introduced to the basic concepts of our week together. It was interesting to hear where everyone came from and why there were drawn to this class. Some were very interested in the environmental biology parts, and others, like myself, were more interested in some time away where we could unwind but still learn some very important facts about our wild lands.
The group immediately started using official sounding words like: defensible space, fuels, and fire regime to name only a few. Most of these I had never heard of and most of the others I hadn’t ever tried to apply to forest fires. We were introduced to several professionals who talked to us about how the fires act, the types of trees, and how the fire fighters respond and try to contain a wild fire. By the end of the first day, I felt two things. First was a sense of pride after learning so much about fire ecology. The second thing I felt, was the urge to get out and move around…. I’m not a big fan of sitting around, I like movement. We ended that evening by watching the film “Fire Wars.” I’m very happy that we watched this movie the first night so we gained more pertinent background to use the next four days. I’m also glad we watched it as a group because I don’t believe I would have taken the time to watch it on my own when I returned home.
Tuesday was the day I was looking forward to, because I knew we were getting out of the classroom and experiencing our subject first-hand. We began by seeing a couple wild fire response vehicles and talking directly to some firefighters who manage that kind of equipment. We then went to a burn area of the Missionary Ridge fire to see the devastation as well as the recovery process since the fire. We also had the opportunity to perform a little manual labor while we learned how to cut a fire line. This was just up my alley. We were outside, moving around, and using tools; what could be better? We then heard another professional speak about the reclamation processes in a lightly burned area and the steps they are taking to prevent a disaster. After lunch, we were privileged with a grizzled man I like to call “ZZ Top.” He spoke to us about the reclamation process in a severely burned area and all of the work that it entailed.
Wednesday was not a good day for me. Again, I like being outside and “playing” but the rain had been coming down most of the night and it hadn’t stopped after breakfast, so we were back in the classroom. On a side note, I also found out that I didn’t get my elk hunting license for this fall, thus making me even more frustrated. I had a bad attitude, but the day wasn’t nearly as awful as I pictured in my mind. We had some activities designed to learn about dendrochronology, tree dating. When I’m unable to be up and moving, I like to have something with which to apply myself and this was perfect. I loved the challenge and found the process very intriguing. We were also exposed to the issue and problem of noxious weeds, which I would have never attributed to wild fires. I had worked with my uncle many years ago digging thistle on his farm and had worked for a lawn maintenance company spraying other weeds around Grand Junction, so some of this information was very familiar.
After familiarizing myself with the mattress and finally getting a good night’s sleep, Thursday brought the nice weather and, with it, a trip to Mesa Verde National Monument. The trip again reinforced the severity of some of the wild fires that southern Colorado has experienced in the past 15 years. Here we learned about layover or hangover fires. I can’t remember what the exact word was, but it is a phenomenon in which lightning strikes but the fire stays inside a tree for several days up to a couple weeks before manifesting into a visible and real fire. We also had exposure to some of the tracking process to which the fire agencies are subject and privy. For example, there is a database that tracks all lightning strikes. This is particularly useful at Mesa Verde where approximately 95% of the fires are caused by lightning.
After hiking and studying very hard all week, our last night together was a time to unwind and relax, a little. We were treated to a very delicious BBQ. Of course this couldn’t be all play, we needed to learn at least a little bit more, so we were introduced to handheld GPS locators and the concept of geocaching. I had taken a class that included this before, so I felt very confident in helping some of the other participants, but unfortunately for our group, we grabbed the wrong sheet and “veered” off-course a little. It wasn’t an issue of reading the GPS wrong, it was the wrong goal paper, I swear…..
As our class came to an end on Friday, we traveled to one last burn area to see how a neighborhood had followed the suggestions of defensible space and saved a great deal of property and natural resources by their actions: proof positive that the preparations work. We then gathered back in the classroom to discuss what we had learned and how we planned to apply it back in our lessons. This helped immensely, because I had not seen a couple sections of a book that helped me realize which activities would be easily applied to my curriculum.
Well, now that I am back and in the comfort of my own home I have begun to take a second to sit back and reflect on my recent experience with the Fire Ecology Institute. I cannot even begin to describe what a wonderful experience it was. We spent all week engaged in wonderful classroom activities, listened to many talented and knowledgeable speakers, and visited many cool sites that had been affected by fire or had been altered by fire mitigation. I just wish I hadn’t had to deal with Lyme Disease all week.
I have spent the last four years teaching Earth and Physical Science to 9th graders at Summit High School. Our units include everything from Inquiry and the Scientific Method, Colorado Water and Watersheds, The Atmosphere, Weather, Space, Matter and Energy, and Motion and Forces. In the past I have typically taught a little bit about fire as part of the weather unit. However, after taking this class, there is so much more I want to do.
As I sit here and unpack the many great materials I received from the class I cannot believe the wealth of knowledge that was presented to me last week. As a wildland firefighter, I have always tried to find ways to incorporate that experience with my teaching to educate my students about fire ecology. As a resident of Summit County it is impossible to look around without noticing the effects of drought and the mountain pine beetle. The residents know we have a massive problem on our hands, but they have little idea of how we got here.
Because of this I will be spending the next few weeks looking through the curriculum I teach in my 9th grade Earth and Physical Science class to retrofit the themes and activities I was able to experience as part of the class. Next year I want to fit forest ecology and fire behavior as a large part of my Colorado Water and Watersheds unit. This is a work in progress, and it will get better with time.
Right now, the questions I want to address are:
What roles do our forests play in preserving our watersheds and ski areas? How has the mining history of the area affected the natural history of our forests? What is the current status of our forests? How did we get here? What affect has the mountain pine beetle had in the health of our forests? How are our forests currently managed? Is it working? Do we live in a red zone? How can we manage our forests and the mountain pine beetle epidemic so that they are healthy and able support our watersheds and ski areas? What will the forests of the future look like up here?
I have spent the last four years teaching Earth and Physical Science to 9th graders at Summit High School. Our units include everything from Inquiry and the Scientific Method, Colorado Water and Watersheds, The Atmosphere, Weather, Space, Matter and Energy, and Motion and Forces. In the past I have typically taught a little bit about fire as part of the weather unit. However, after taking this class, there is so much more I want to do.
As I sit here and unpack the many great materials I received from the class I cannot believe the wealth of knowledge that was presented to me last week. As a wildland firefighter, I have always tried to find ways to incorporate that experience with my teaching to educate my students about fire ecology. As a resident of Summit County it is impossible to look around without noticing the effects of drought and the mountain pine beetle. The residents know we have a massive problem on our hands, but they have little idea of how we got here.
Because of this I will be spending the next few weeks looking through the curriculum I teach in my 9th grade Earth and Physical Science class to retrofit the themes and activities I was able to experience as part of the class. Next year I want to fit forest ecology and fire behavior as a large part of my Colorado Water and Watersheds unit. This is a work in progress, and it will get better with time.
Right now, the questions I want to address are:
What roles do our forests play in preserving our watersheds and ski areas? How has the mining history of the area affected the natural history of our forests? What is the current status of our forests? How did we get here? What affect has the mountain pine beetle had in the health of our forests? How are our forests currently managed? Is it working? Do we live in a red zone? How can we manage our forests and the mountain pine beetle epidemic so that they are healthy and able support our watersheds and ski areas? What will the forests of the future look like up here?
My brain is full of the information that was presented at the institute. Every piece has some value in my current classes. I currently teach a fire unit within my Succession Unit and again in land management, specifically when we talk about forests. I have been looking for ways to enhance student understanding of fire’s natural role. I finally came away with the motherlode. There is so much material available, and I appreciate being exposed to a vast majority of the best out there. Educators go crazy with the amount of resources on the internet and it becomes overwhelming to sort through and choose what would be best for your classes. The FEI Week allowed me to narrow the search and walk away with activities and knowledge ready to use. The best part is that the labs and activities are “tried and true”, proven to work by educators in the field of environmental science.
Having access to the Fireworks and Firebox materials is invaluable. I can confidently enhance and improve the way that I teach “Fire”. The students win in this situation, because the interactive nature and interest level is so high. I am already putting together my new syllabus to reflect the new resources. My plan is to incorporate fire topics throughout my Environmental science course. For example in , nutrient cycling, succession, energy unit, Public lands, and ecosystems and biodiversity. I am discovering that it fits in throughout my current curriculum. As I expected, it will be relatively easy to insert into my syllabus.
Each speaker provided me with more knowledge and understanding and more importantly gave me real world and local examples to use in my classroom. The content could not be any more relevant. Of particular interest was the tree ring dating/dendrochronology presented by Ros Wu. This was my fourth go- round with tree ring data. Finally, a light switch was turned on and I “get” how I can use it more effectively with high school students. I have already been on the websites suggested by Ros and I have a lesson ready for my students. The recurring theme of mitigation and fire behavior was very interesting and will be discussed in my classes. I already do the activity “400 acre woods” with my students. I plan to add on a fire mitigation section in which they will have to plan for the use/role of fire on the land that they must manage. The possibilities are endless. I am glad I attended and had the opportunity to increase my knowledge so that my students will benefit, ultimately affecting public knowledge and awareness.
Having access to the Fireworks and Firebox materials is invaluable. I can confidently enhance and improve the way that I teach “Fire”. The students win in this situation, because the interactive nature and interest level is so high. I am already putting together my new syllabus to reflect the new resources. My plan is to incorporate fire topics throughout my Environmental science course. For example in , nutrient cycling, succession, energy unit, Public lands, and ecosystems and biodiversity. I am discovering that it fits in throughout my current curriculum. As I expected, it will be relatively easy to insert into my syllabus.
Each speaker provided me with more knowledge and understanding and more importantly gave me real world and local examples to use in my classroom. The content could not be any more relevant. Of particular interest was the tree ring dating/dendrochronology presented by Ros Wu. This was my fourth go- round with tree ring data. Finally, a light switch was turned on and I “get” how I can use it more effectively with high school students. I have already been on the websites suggested by Ros and I have a lesson ready for my students. The recurring theme of mitigation and fire behavior was very interesting and will be discussed in my classes. I already do the activity “400 acre woods” with my students. I plan to add on a fire mitigation section in which they will have to plan for the use/role of fire on the land that they must manage. The possibilities are endless. I am glad I attended and had the opportunity to increase my knowledge so that my students will benefit, ultimately affecting public knowledge and awareness.
Forest Fire Ecology has always been something I have been interested in. I was surprised by the amount of information that has been collected in this area. There are so many subjects and topics that interact in understanding this topic.
I have had the opportunity to spend LOTS of time in the woods. I have worked as backcountry ranger, instructor, guide, counselor, teacher, etc. It is amazing to me that we have let our forest get so unhealthy! As I look around Summit County I see a very unhealthy beetle infested forest that is going to burn to the ground sometime soon!
So, wherre are we with this situation. I was really blown away by the erosion problem that occurred after the Missionary Ridge fire. The damage was unbelievable. I have never seen anything like it in my life. When I think about Summit, we have a huge reservoir which Denver depends on for its drinking water. What will happen when the forest burns down? Lake Dillon will be totally polluted. This is one of the big things I learned in the course.
I was also reminded about all the behind the scenes work that takes place on national Forest lands and Park Lands. So many people put there life’s work into these precious natural resources. I think they are greatly underappreciated! I also was reminded about how cool an area the 4 corners are. It has everything. I have family there so I get a chance to visit quite a bit, but I have forgotten a little bit about the Mesa Verde area and all of the archaeological sites that are literally EVERYWHERE.
I know we have talked a lot about beetles, but I did not realize there were so many types of beetles that infect so many types of trees. I am now wondering about our Spruce trees high up in the sub-alpine. I think they are being killed as well, and I want to investigate this situation further.
There is another area locally called windy ridge that has lots of Bristlecone pines. I think a few are almost 2, 000 years old. I am now interested to go check it out and maybe take some kids out there as well. It is really amazing to have this resource located 30 minutes from where I live.
It was nice to find a workshop that I was really interested in. I appreciated all of the information but I was frequently overwhelmed by the amount of stuff we tried to do and cover every day. As a suggestion, you might what to do more with a little less. I was feeling somewhat saturated with material. Having said that, I think you guys did a great job putting the class together. Ft. Lewis and Durango where a great place for the class. The guest Speakers where outstanding and there level of expertise was unbelievable.
I could certainly appreciate the passion and commitment from them. Looking at the Missionary Ridge fire was really a wake up call for me. I think I was distracted that summer with the Haymen and everything else going on, because I don’t fully remember that much devastation.
In closing, I would say I learned a tremendous amount this week. I had a great time spending time with other teachers and even folks from own dept. I would certainly consider taking another workshop soon. Thanks,
I have had the opportunity to spend LOTS of time in the woods. I have worked as backcountry ranger, instructor, guide, counselor, teacher, etc. It is amazing to me that we have let our forest get so unhealthy! As I look around Summit County I see a very unhealthy beetle infested forest that is going to burn to the ground sometime soon!
So, wherre are we with this situation. I was really blown away by the erosion problem that occurred after the Missionary Ridge fire. The damage was unbelievable. I have never seen anything like it in my life. When I think about Summit, we have a huge reservoir which Denver depends on for its drinking water. What will happen when the forest burns down? Lake Dillon will be totally polluted. This is one of the big things I learned in the course.
I was also reminded about all the behind the scenes work that takes place on national Forest lands and Park Lands. So many people put there life’s work into these precious natural resources. I think they are greatly underappreciated! I also was reminded about how cool an area the 4 corners are. It has everything. I have family there so I get a chance to visit quite a bit, but I have forgotten a little bit about the Mesa Verde area and all of the archaeological sites that are literally EVERYWHERE.
I know we have talked a lot about beetles, but I did not realize there were so many types of beetles that infect so many types of trees. I am now wondering about our Spruce trees high up in the sub-alpine. I think they are being killed as well, and I want to investigate this situation further.
There is another area locally called windy ridge that has lots of Bristlecone pines. I think a few are almost 2, 000 years old. I am now interested to go check it out and maybe take some kids out there as well. It is really amazing to have this resource located 30 minutes from where I live.
It was nice to find a workshop that I was really interested in. I appreciated all of the information but I was frequently overwhelmed by the amount of stuff we tried to do and cover every day. As a suggestion, you might what to do more with a little less. I was feeling somewhat saturated with material. Having said that, I think you guys did a great job putting the class together. Ft. Lewis and Durango where a great place for the class. The guest Speakers where outstanding and there level of expertise was unbelievable.
I could certainly appreciate the passion and commitment from them. Looking at the Missionary Ridge fire was really a wake up call for me. I think I was distracted that summer with the Haymen and everything else going on, because I don’t fully remember that much devastation.
In closing, I would say I learned a tremendous amount this week. I had a great time spending time with other teachers and even folks from own dept. I would certainly consider taking another workshop soon. Thanks,
I was very pleased with the Fire Ecology Class. I learned so much in just 5 days. The quality of the speakers and the field trips was impressive.
Because I am not a “science” teacher, I was a little intimidated by some of the speakers initially, but I found them to be receptive to questions and I soon felt at ease.
The first day of the class was a little too long. Sitting in a classroom for that many hours is difficult, even if the material and the speaker are engaging. However, I absolutely loved the experiments that we did that afternoon. It was great to see young people who were so knowledgeable and who were so excited by their work. I can’t wait to get back to school and replicate some of those experiments with my own students.
The movie, Fire Wars, was great. I had read a lot about the Mann Gulch fire and about the Storm King fire, so it was very exciting to see it in the movie. One of my goals this summer is to get to Glenwood Springs and to hike the Storm King Memorial Trail. The men and women who lost their lives that day were extremely brave and I look forward to paying tribute to them.
Traveling to Vallecito Reservoir and to Lemon Reservoir was great learning experience. I was amazed at the “brain-power” of the people who were involved in fighting the Missionary Ridge fire and the people who were involved in the clean-up post fire.
Cutting a fire line was much more difficult than I had anticipated. I think of myself as a person who is in shape due to regular exercise. Wow, was I wrong. I was exhausted after about 10 minutes. Swinging the Pulaski again and again completely drained me of energy. I can’t imagine how the fire fighters can keep up that work for 16 hours at a time.
The field trip to Mesa Verde was also great. When I was a fourth grade teacher, I spent a lot of time in my classroom learning about the Anaszai Indians. So, I love Mesa Verde. It was exciting to go there and look at the park through different eyes. I was looking at it from the perspective of forest management and fire mitigation as opposed to an archaeologist. I was shocked to see how much of the park had actually burned.
Overall, I found this class very beneficial and I came away with a ton of new knowledge. I look forward to incorporating some of my new learning into my 5th grade classroom. My love of nature and the outdoors was renewed on this trip and I hope to pass some of that passion on to my students.
Thanks for a great experience.
P.S. I learned so many new acronyms that it is amazing. I will be able to talk about the BLM, USGS, USFS, LEBs, and about a dozen more.
Because I am not a “science” teacher, I was a little intimidated by some of the speakers initially, but I found them to be receptive to questions and I soon felt at ease.
The first day of the class was a little too long. Sitting in a classroom for that many hours is difficult, even if the material and the speaker are engaging. However, I absolutely loved the experiments that we did that afternoon. It was great to see young people who were so knowledgeable and who were so excited by their work. I can’t wait to get back to school and replicate some of those experiments with my own students.
The movie, Fire Wars, was great. I had read a lot about the Mann Gulch fire and about the Storm King fire, so it was very exciting to see it in the movie. One of my goals this summer is to get to Glenwood Springs and to hike the Storm King Memorial Trail. The men and women who lost their lives that day were extremely brave and I look forward to paying tribute to them.
Traveling to Vallecito Reservoir and to Lemon Reservoir was great learning experience. I was amazed at the “brain-power” of the people who were involved in fighting the Missionary Ridge fire and the people who were involved in the clean-up post fire.
Cutting a fire line was much more difficult than I had anticipated. I think of myself as a person who is in shape due to regular exercise. Wow, was I wrong. I was exhausted after about 10 minutes. Swinging the Pulaski again and again completely drained me of energy. I can’t imagine how the fire fighters can keep up that work for 16 hours at a time.
The field trip to Mesa Verde was also great. When I was a fourth grade teacher, I spent a lot of time in my classroom learning about the Anaszai Indians. So, I love Mesa Verde. It was exciting to go there and look at the park through different eyes. I was looking at it from the perspective of forest management and fire mitigation as opposed to an archaeologist. I was shocked to see how much of the park had actually burned.
Overall, I found this class very beneficial and I came away with a ton of new knowledge. I look forward to incorporating some of my new learning into my 5th grade classroom. My love of nature and the outdoors was renewed on this trip and I hope to pass some of that passion on to my students.
Thanks for a great experience.
P.S. I learned so many new acronyms that it is amazing. I will be able to talk about the BLM, USGS, USFS, LEBs, and about a dozen more.
What the heck was I thinking?!
I am not sure what exactly I was expecting the Fire Ecology Institute to be about. My friend Debbie recommended the experience to me. So I enlisted a few other colleagues to go as a group and we had a plan. When I told people where I was going, they often replied “Why are you doing that?” To be honest, I didn’t have a convincing response. I wasn’t sure what I would get out of it.
After five amazing days, I couldn’t be happier that I listened to my friend. My head was filled with ideas, acronyms, lesson plans, and a newfound appreciation of the vast array of organizations and individuals committed to protecting and maintaining the health of our forests.
Our 7 hour drive home was nothing like our drive to Fort Lewis. On the drive to Fort Lewis, we would point out wildlife or interesting rock formations. The ride home was filled with observations of forest areas that had been mitigated as well as those that needed it, tree identification, homes with no defensible space, weather station spotting, and more. We all were seeing the same landscape with new eyes and information. While the landscape had not changed…we all had.
I now have a much better response to anyone who would ask why I would attend such a course. I learned a wealth of information on tree identification, dendrochronology, and the cycle of forest life. This will be indispensible in our outdoor education program in Snow Mountain Ranch. With the information that I took away, I have valuable resources and lesson plans that will help pre-educate our students about the habitat and the challenges being faced in the mountain area. I love that I have a sample of the mountain pine beetle to show the students. Seeing the devastation that the beetles have caused is easy. But comprehending how small they are and how many it takes to cause such devastation makes the learning even deeper.
Suggestions for the future
I realize that our class was the first of its kind in Durango. I am sure that it was as much of a learning experience for the coordinators as it was for the participants.
In general, I was so impressed with the quality and diversity of the speakers. The first day however was a bit long. It would have been nice to have some activities that could have gotten us moving around a bit more
I would also have appreciated having a bigger picture understanding of what was going to be happening. While I understand the need for flexibility to a schedule, it would have been helpful to me to have some sort of written plan of what we were going to be doing during a day and what supplies we needed. Often times it seemed information was only given verbally and that is not my strong suit.
Logistically, the internet access was more than a little frustrating. Having taken time to pack up and carry my computer to Durango and the classrooms, I was quite disappointed that I was unable to get access. If Ft. Lewis has a problem allowing easy access for personal computers, then other computers should be provided as well as temporary access codes.
Finally, while it was a diverse group of people, it seemed at times that there was also a wide and diverse spectrum of learning agendas. As someone who came knowing nothing, it was intimidating to have more knowledgeable participants elevate discussions above and beyond my understanding and I believe the intended scope of the course. I remember that a comment was made that the course should be broken up into beginner and advanced. I think that would be a great idea for all involved.
Looking forward
I usually walk away from new learnings with an over aggressive plan for classroom implementation. This time, I would like to start out smaller. The first step is to do some preparatory teaching for our outdoor education experience. I plan on focusing on tree identification, the stages of forest growth, and the pine beetle.
The next step will be to incorporate a number of lessons into my writing program. I especially liked the tree rings –autobiographical life ring project. I also loved the ways to write about a tree. I can see that the writing projects in there would be easy to work into my poetry unit as well.
My favorite lesson was the dendrochronology lesson. I loved the puzzle of figuring out the life of a tree by its rings. I would very much like to incorporate those thinking skills in a lesson. The challenge is to round up more tree cookies so that there can be more than the one I brought back. If you have a source for tree cookies or tricks for getting them, I would appreciate hearing back from you.
On a bigger scale, I would like to shake up our current student council. We are not very outward looking. Or when we are it is very passive—we give money and items but are not intimately involved. I would like to make the student council more of a voluntary service organization. And one of the first things that we can get involved with is the Hayman area. We can grow trees and volunteer replanting of the area. We could even consider getting a weather station going. This is big stuff and I will need more than just myself. But my passion and ideas are big. And I have Project Learning Tree and the Fire Ecology Institute to thank for that. Thanks to Shawna and to the rest of the staff who made my personal and professional transformation possible.
p.s. Lesson plans devised by our group were sent under separate cover
I am not sure what exactly I was expecting the Fire Ecology Institute to be about. My friend Debbie recommended the experience to me. So I enlisted a few other colleagues to go as a group and we had a plan. When I told people where I was going, they often replied “Why are you doing that?” To be honest, I didn’t have a convincing response. I wasn’t sure what I would get out of it.
After five amazing days, I couldn’t be happier that I listened to my friend. My head was filled with ideas, acronyms, lesson plans, and a newfound appreciation of the vast array of organizations and individuals committed to protecting and maintaining the health of our forests.
Our 7 hour drive home was nothing like our drive to Fort Lewis. On the drive to Fort Lewis, we would point out wildlife or interesting rock formations. The ride home was filled with observations of forest areas that had been mitigated as well as those that needed it, tree identification, homes with no defensible space, weather station spotting, and more. We all were seeing the same landscape with new eyes and information. While the landscape had not changed…we all had.
I now have a much better response to anyone who would ask why I would attend such a course. I learned a wealth of information on tree identification, dendrochronology, and the cycle of forest life. This will be indispensible in our outdoor education program in Snow Mountain Ranch. With the information that I took away, I have valuable resources and lesson plans that will help pre-educate our students about the habitat and the challenges being faced in the mountain area. I love that I have a sample of the mountain pine beetle to show the students. Seeing the devastation that the beetles have caused is easy. But comprehending how small they are and how many it takes to cause such devastation makes the learning even deeper.
Suggestions for the future
I realize that our class was the first of its kind in Durango. I am sure that it was as much of a learning experience for the coordinators as it was for the participants.
In general, I was so impressed with the quality and diversity of the speakers. The first day however was a bit long. It would have been nice to have some activities that could have gotten us moving around a bit more
I would also have appreciated having a bigger picture understanding of what was going to be happening. While I understand the need for flexibility to a schedule, it would have been helpful to me to have some sort of written plan of what we were going to be doing during a day and what supplies we needed. Often times it seemed information was only given verbally and that is not my strong suit.
Logistically, the internet access was more than a little frustrating. Having taken time to pack up and carry my computer to Durango and the classrooms, I was quite disappointed that I was unable to get access. If Ft. Lewis has a problem allowing easy access for personal computers, then other computers should be provided as well as temporary access codes.
Finally, while it was a diverse group of people, it seemed at times that there was also a wide and diverse spectrum of learning agendas. As someone who came knowing nothing, it was intimidating to have more knowledgeable participants elevate discussions above and beyond my understanding and I believe the intended scope of the course. I remember that a comment was made that the course should be broken up into beginner and advanced. I think that would be a great idea for all involved.
Looking forward
I usually walk away from new learnings with an over aggressive plan for classroom implementation. This time, I would like to start out smaller. The first step is to do some preparatory teaching for our outdoor education experience. I plan on focusing on tree identification, the stages of forest growth, and the pine beetle.
The next step will be to incorporate a number of lessons into my writing program. I especially liked the tree rings –autobiographical life ring project. I also loved the ways to write about a tree. I can see that the writing projects in there would be easy to work into my poetry unit as well.
My favorite lesson was the dendrochronology lesson. I loved the puzzle of figuring out the life of a tree by its rings. I would very much like to incorporate those thinking skills in a lesson. The challenge is to round up more tree cookies so that there can be more than the one I brought back. If you have a source for tree cookies or tricks for getting them, I would appreciate hearing back from you.
On a bigger scale, I would like to shake up our current student council. We are not very outward looking. Or when we are it is very passive—we give money and items but are not intimately involved. I would like to make the student council more of a voluntary service organization. And one of the first things that we can get involved with is the Hayman area. We can grow trees and volunteer replanting of the area. We could even consider getting a weather station going. This is big stuff and I will need more than just myself. But my passion and ideas are big. And I have Project Learning Tree and the Fire Ecology Institute to thank for that. Thanks to Shawna and to the rest of the staff who made my personal and professional transformation possible.
p.s. Lesson plans devised by our group were sent under separate cover
I am not sure where to begin. My head is swimming with thoughts and frustrations. Thinking about the trip from Denver to Durango, I was simply enjoying the beauty of the mountains as I always do when we take a trip to the mountains. We always admire the lush land and how beautiful the land is covered in trees. The return trip back home was more of a concern for the land and its safety. We discussed the dense forests and how dangerous that was for the area and how nature needs to be allowed to take its course. This whole class was such a wonderful experience. The field trips were fabulous and the guest speakers were phenomenal. My favorite field trip was to Mesa Verde. I hadn’t been there since I took my fourth graders about ten years ago. John, “ZZ Top” was definitely my top guest speaker. I was impressed with his dedication to the area and that he did not get caught up in bureaucracy.
Monday: What a way to get off to a running start! My first impression of the opening day speakers were that everyone loved their job and were truly dedicated to doing the best job! I thoroughly enjoyed Ros Wu’s presentation on dendrochronology. Amanda’s tree identification proved that I don’t really know my trees as well as I should. She did a great job of clarifying identification points for me. Lu provided us with hands-on experiments that proved everything we were hearing and what an eye-opening experience.
Tuesday: All of the day’s field trips were impressive. The dedicated fire fighters were so knowledgeable and enthusiastic. I went home after meeting them and listening to their dedication and love of their job, and asked my son if he would consider a profession as a firefighter. Vallecito Lake with Craig was amazing when you think of the fire fighters putting their lives on the line to protect others and our valuable land. I realized what hard work it is to carry out such a job as cutting a fireline. Lemon Reservoir was a very enlightening experience listening to John talk about the area as if it were his. I loved learning about all of the creative ideas he came up with almost off the top of his head.
Wednesday: This class day helped to provide some time to digest the knowledge that we had been given at a very full capacity. The knowledge of others was very apparent during class discussions. Very valuable conversations went around the room. I valued this opportunity to see where everyone else in the class was in terms of understanding and background knowledge.
Thursday: The trip to Mesa Verde was a bonus. It brought back memories of the trip we used to take with our fourth graders many years ago. The area is well preserved and allows you to think about what it must have been like to live during that time. I also enjoyed socializing with the other talented teachers in the class at Lu’s farm. It was a great group of teachers and experts collectively sharing ideas.
Friday: What a perfect ending to a perfect class. Visiting Mr. Sears property and hearing the story of the mitigation that saved his home was unbelievable. Seeing with our own eyes the area and the closeness of the threatening fire took my breath away but it also proves the point that was so existent during our entire week of class. I walked away from the visit, pensive and full of understanding as to the true importance of this class. We are another avenue to getting the word out about the health of our forests. We grew up being taught about Smoky the Bear and saving trees. I guess it does show that with repetitiveness and dedication we can individually make a difference. We did save trees very well, so well that the forests became full. So now we need to reeducate and shift to the idea of mitigation and why it is important and how that can help all of us. I am so glad that I was able to take the Fire Ecology class. Living in Colorado is such a gift and with this plethora of education to share with my class, Colorado will continue to be understood and appreciated.
Monday: What a way to get off to a running start! My first impression of the opening day speakers were that everyone loved their job and were truly dedicated to doing the best job! I thoroughly enjoyed Ros Wu’s presentation on dendrochronology. Amanda’s tree identification proved that I don’t really know my trees as well as I should. She did a great job of clarifying identification points for me. Lu provided us with hands-on experiments that proved everything we were hearing and what an eye-opening experience.
Tuesday: All of the day’s field trips were impressive. The dedicated fire fighters were so knowledgeable and enthusiastic. I went home after meeting them and listening to their dedication and love of their job, and asked my son if he would consider a profession as a firefighter. Vallecito Lake with Craig was amazing when you think of the fire fighters putting their lives on the line to protect others and our valuable land. I realized what hard work it is to carry out such a job as cutting a fireline. Lemon Reservoir was a very enlightening experience listening to John talk about the area as if it were his. I loved learning about all of the creative ideas he came up with almost off the top of his head.
Wednesday: This class day helped to provide some time to digest the knowledge that we had been given at a very full capacity. The knowledge of others was very apparent during class discussions. Very valuable conversations went around the room. I valued this opportunity to see where everyone else in the class was in terms of understanding and background knowledge.
Thursday: The trip to Mesa Verde was a bonus. It brought back memories of the trip we used to take with our fourth graders many years ago. The area is well preserved and allows you to think about what it must have been like to live during that time. I also enjoyed socializing with the other talented teachers in the class at Lu’s farm. It was a great group of teachers and experts collectively sharing ideas.
Friday: What a perfect ending to a perfect class. Visiting Mr. Sears property and hearing the story of the mitigation that saved his home was unbelievable. Seeing with our own eyes the area and the closeness of the threatening fire took my breath away but it also proves the point that was so existent during our entire week of class. I walked away from the visit, pensive and full of understanding as to the true importance of this class. We are another avenue to getting the word out about the health of our forests. We grew up being taught about Smoky the Bear and saving trees. I guess it does show that with repetitiveness and dedication we can individually make a difference. We did save trees very well, so well that the forests became full. So now we need to reeducate and shift to the idea of mitigation and why it is important and how that can help all of us. I am so glad that I was able to take the Fire Ecology class. Living in Colorado is such a gift and with this plethora of education to share with my class, Colorado will continue to be understood and appreciated.
Six years ago the eighth grade class was ready to go on retreat to the Jemez Mountains and a wildland fire threatened the area and we had to postpone our trip. Two years before that, Los Alamos was on fire and 266 homes were lost. During 2001, we could see large ash clouds billowing up to twenty thousand feet and at night we could see the towering flames. Last year we moved the eighth grade retreat to the Manzano Mountains east of Albuquerque. In May, three months before we were scheduled to go, the Trego Fire broke out and the Manzano Mountain Retreat Center narrowly escaped going up in flames. Fortunately, the owners of the retreat center put a lot of effort into mitigating their property. They took out hundreds of trees and followed the Forest Service’s recommendations on preparing their property. The fire crews decided that the camp was a defensible space and used the camp as their base of operations. After the crews were gone the fire reignited and burned through the thinned trees and scorched one of the buildings. A close call, indeed! At first we wanted to cancel our reservation since the National Forest was burned to the ground and the camp was surrounded by scorched wood, but the director invited us out and gave the teachers a tearful presentation of how the camp was saved and we decided to go ahead and come in September. It became an excellent learning opportunity for our eighth grade science course as we have been starting the year out with a unit called “Fire in the Earth Systems” for the last six years.
The Fire Ecology Workshop in Durango could have been tailor made for our Earth Systems course. We already use the video Fire Wars in our course and cover many of the points made in the video. However, the workshop helped us to develop our unit with new and interesting facts as well as complementary activities. For example, I now have resources that I can use to help my students understand the fire history, fire ecology and principles of mitigation. I was impressed with the mitigation that took place at Lemon Reservoir. John Eye was resourceful and forceful in making quick decisions to avert what could have been the loss of Durango’s water supply and the decimation of the river ecology. The fire fighters of Missionary Ridge were also very impressive. I was struck by their preparedness in terms of fitness, caches and organizational strategies.
The science behind the scenes helped me to understand how interconnected our systems are and how preventing fire, a natural part of the ecosystem, has tipped the balance and left our forests vulnerable. Ros Wu’s presentation on dendrochronology was like a CSI investigation of the forest. I know I will be able to use the cookies to develop a chronology for our surrounding forest and plan to explore the possibilities of using this unit during our Manzano Mountain Retreat. Learning about the different beetles and how they are opportunistic in infesting the forest when the trees are stressed reinforced the systems connections. Learning different types of trees and their particular ecoculture helped me broaden my understanding and I know I’ll be able to use this knowledge in the classroom.
The Fire Ecology Workshop in Durango could have been tailor made for our Earth Systems course. We already use the video Fire Wars in our course and cover many of the points made in the video. However, the workshop helped us to develop our unit with new and interesting facts as well as complementary activities. For example, I now have resources that I can use to help my students understand the fire history, fire ecology and principles of mitigation. I was impressed with the mitigation that took place at Lemon Reservoir. John Eye was resourceful and forceful in making quick decisions to avert what could have been the loss of Durango’s water supply and the decimation of the river ecology. The fire fighters of Missionary Ridge were also very impressive. I was struck by their preparedness in terms of fitness, caches and organizational strategies.
The science behind the scenes helped me to understand how interconnected our systems are and how preventing fire, a natural part of the ecosystem, has tipped the balance and left our forests vulnerable. Ros Wu’s presentation on dendrochronology was like a CSI investigation of the forest. I know I will be able to use the cookies to develop a chronology for our surrounding forest and plan to explore the possibilities of using this unit during our Manzano Mountain Retreat. Learning about the different beetles and how they are opportunistic in infesting the forest when the trees are stressed reinforced the systems connections. Learning different types of trees and their particular ecoculture helped me broaden my understanding and I know I’ll be able to use this knowledge in the classroom.
A Reflection of Things Discovered and Rediscovered
Fire Ecology Institute provided its participants with many new experiences that make a lot of sense out of old knowledge. All of the participants had prior experiences in wild fires, whether actively or passively. As for me, my experiences have all been as a bystander watching the events as a distant viewer. I had taught a little about wild fires based on conversations that I had had with wild land fire fighter friends. I now can teach with a little deeper understanding and with some better examples of why and how we fight wild fires.
The natural cycle of fires for an ecological area is called its “fire regime”. The fire regime for many ecological areas, especially forests, has been suppressed for many years causing catastrophic wildfires in many regions throughout the United States within the last decade and a half. The preferred method of managing the natural regime is now mitigating the fire hazards of an area by thinning and control burns.
Control burns have been a source of control for wildfires for several centuries. The Native Americans used fire for many reasons. One of the reasons was for hunting. They would set a fir to herd the animals into a certain area where they would be waiting, increasing their likelihood of harvesting food. Another reason was for sustaining the fertility of the soil. No matter the reason, the result was the same, a healthier ecosystem for the natural life of the area.
When these fires were completely suppressed, the ecosystems became overpopulated. As with any population of animals, overpopulation causes a weakened species. We learned that many decades ago, that is why we started having wildlife management laws come into affect. By limiting and encouraging specified amounts of hunting of game animals in certain regions, we have been able to maintain a healthier population of game animals.
We learned this with aquatic ecosystems many decades ago as well, when the farmers were using too much fertilizer on their crops. The excess fertilizer would work its way into the streams, ponds, lakes and oceans. The fertilizer would cause an overgrowth of algae and other plant life, eventually choking out the sunlight from penetrating the water and causing the other organisms to die off in the pond. This process is called eutrophication.
We had two very powerful lessons that we had learned, yet we failed for many years to apply that knowledge to the forest ecosystems. Now that we are starting to see the connection, we are having trouble getting people to understand and accept the need for fire mitigation. Even with the proof that we can provide, people see fire as a damaging agent rather than a much needed ally. We can save many species, including humans, through proper mitigation and controlled burns.
I purposely put off writing this reflection until such a time that I felt was good. I knew that I would be traveling through the mountains the last weekend of June. I traveled through the Hayman Fire area and into the mountains around Leadville. We went on a fishing trip with my parents, my mother-in-law, and some close friends of the family. As usual we talked about the creeping brown areas of the forests in that area.
I told my mother-in-law that it was a natural progression. She asked, “Beetles are a natural progression of a forest?” I said yes, but not normally to this extent. Since we suppressed natural forest fires for so long, we have allowed the trees to grow to an unhealthy state, much the way that we have always limited the number of cows per acre, there is a limit to the number of trees per acre a specific type of forest can maintain healthily. Fire is a natural way of maintaining that number of species.” She looked at me with surprise and I could tell instantly that she had never looked at it in that way before. The almost identical conversation happened with tow others on that trip. My kids and their friends asked several questions later, but my 14 year old is the one that brought to my attention the comparison to aquatic ecosystems. He said that they studied a pond just west of his school for the last two months of school and how it is eutrophied. He taught me.
The Fire Ecology Institute has re-opened my eyes to an area that I had closed off due to non-exposure. During the institute, the speakers brought my attention to the history and future of fire. Once my eyes were opened, I could see the mistakes of our past and the natural progression of education. We, as a species, have a hard time adapting to change. We like to live in our own little world blind to things that do not have a direct affect on us. Once something starts encroaching on our territory we react without proper planning many times. Once we start getting comfortable, we neglect the lessons we have learned and the cycle starts over again. We need to step out of our comfort zones and into the fire, so-to-speak. We have to listen to the things, human, animal, plant and all other factors, around us and use the knowledge that we have to react in a way that is best for all in the long run.
Fire Ecology Institute provided its participants with many new experiences that make a lot of sense out of old knowledge. All of the participants had prior experiences in wild fires, whether actively or passively. As for me, my experiences have all been as a bystander watching the events as a distant viewer. I had taught a little about wild fires based on conversations that I had had with wild land fire fighter friends. I now can teach with a little deeper understanding and with some better examples of why and how we fight wild fires.
The natural cycle of fires for an ecological area is called its “fire regime”. The fire regime for many ecological areas, especially forests, has been suppressed for many years causing catastrophic wildfires in many regions throughout the United States within the last decade and a half. The preferred method of managing the natural regime is now mitigating the fire hazards of an area by thinning and control burns.
Control burns have been a source of control for wildfires for several centuries. The Native Americans used fire for many reasons. One of the reasons was for hunting. They would set a fir to herd the animals into a certain area where they would be waiting, increasing their likelihood of harvesting food. Another reason was for sustaining the fertility of the soil. No matter the reason, the result was the same, a healthier ecosystem for the natural life of the area.
When these fires were completely suppressed, the ecosystems became overpopulated. As with any population of animals, overpopulation causes a weakened species. We learned that many decades ago, that is why we started having wildlife management laws come into affect. By limiting and encouraging specified amounts of hunting of game animals in certain regions, we have been able to maintain a healthier population of game animals.
We learned this with aquatic ecosystems many decades ago as well, when the farmers were using too much fertilizer on their crops. The excess fertilizer would work its way into the streams, ponds, lakes and oceans. The fertilizer would cause an overgrowth of algae and other plant life, eventually choking out the sunlight from penetrating the water and causing the other organisms to die off in the pond. This process is called eutrophication.
We had two very powerful lessons that we had learned, yet we failed for many years to apply that knowledge to the forest ecosystems. Now that we are starting to see the connection, we are having trouble getting people to understand and accept the need for fire mitigation. Even with the proof that we can provide, people see fire as a damaging agent rather than a much needed ally. We can save many species, including humans, through proper mitigation and controlled burns.
I purposely put off writing this reflection until such a time that I felt was good. I knew that I would be traveling through the mountains the last weekend of June. I traveled through the Hayman Fire area and into the mountains around Leadville. We went on a fishing trip with my parents, my mother-in-law, and some close friends of the family. As usual we talked about the creeping brown areas of the forests in that area.
I told my mother-in-law that it was a natural progression. She asked, “Beetles are a natural progression of a forest?” I said yes, but not normally to this extent. Since we suppressed natural forest fires for so long, we have allowed the trees to grow to an unhealthy state, much the way that we have always limited the number of cows per acre, there is a limit to the number of trees per acre a specific type of forest can maintain healthily. Fire is a natural way of maintaining that number of species.” She looked at me with surprise and I could tell instantly that she had never looked at it in that way before. The almost identical conversation happened with tow others on that trip. My kids and their friends asked several questions later, but my 14 year old is the one that brought to my attention the comparison to aquatic ecosystems. He said that they studied a pond just west of his school for the last two months of school and how it is eutrophied. He taught me.
The Fire Ecology Institute has re-opened my eyes to an area that I had closed off due to non-exposure. During the institute, the speakers brought my attention to the history and future of fire. Once my eyes were opened, I could see the mistakes of our past and the natural progression of education. We, as a species, have a hard time adapting to change. We like to live in our own little world blind to things that do not have a direct affect on us. Once something starts encroaching on our territory we react without proper planning many times. Once we start getting comfortable, we neglect the lessons we have learned and the cycle starts over again. We need to step out of our comfort zones and into the fire, so-to-speak. We have to listen to the things, human, animal, plant and all other factors, around us and use the knowledge that we have to react in a way that is best for all in the long run.
I feel very fortunate to have taken the Fire Ecology Institute in Durango. I am an elementary school teacher but my educational background and interests were in wildlife biology and fisheries biology at Colorado State University. I took a forest ecology class and spent four weeks studying natural resource topics at Pingree Park, which includes some forestry. I love learning about our natural resources. I am not able to go into the depth that high school teachers are able to go into, but I hope to introduce my students to the concepts and to create an awareness, interest, curiosity, and a desire to better our natural resources. Many elementary school teachers and administers tend to focus on reading, writing, and math because these subjects are their areas of expertise and concern with state testing. I like to incorporate and integrate science into as many parts of the day as I can. I would also like to have an after school science club, which would give me an even better opportunity to incorporate everything I learned. Kids love science and are sponges. I became interested in nature because of the exposure my parents gave me as a little kid so I would like to expose kids to nature hoping that they will become interested.
I definitely realized how people have impacted the current health of the forests with fire suppression over the last one hundred years. Our forests are over-crowded. We have been going through a long drought, too. As a result, we are having insect problems.
I learned about the importance of defensible space for people that live in the wild land urban interface. There are many things that landowners and homeowners can do to protect their property. The U.S. Forest Service and other organizations help provide education to the public on how to help prevent damage with forest fires. It seems very clear to me to follow their advice, and it makes me wonder why more people don’t follow their suggestions. I think many people think that it won’t happen to them.
I think we all gained an appreciation for what fire fighters go through. They have a very physically and mentally demanding job and deserve the utmost respect appreciation.
I really appreciated the opportunity I had in taking this class. What a great deal and at a great cost. The grant to help with this class is a tremendous help to everyone that took the class. I would not have had the money to pay for a week away from home, food, the cost of the class, college credit, and all of the wonderful resources that I can use in the classroom. The best part is that it left me feeling very inspired in my own life and in my classroom. Personally, I have more background information about the health of our forests and about fire ecology. I can use the background information and all of the activities we did during the week in my classroom. Many kids learn better my seeing and doing activities and I now have a multitude of resources that I can use in my classroom. Thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity! I am truly grateful!
I definitely realized how people have impacted the current health of the forests with fire suppression over the last one hundred years. Our forests are over-crowded. We have been going through a long drought, too. As a result, we are having insect problems.
I learned about the importance of defensible space for people that live in the wild land urban interface. There are many things that landowners and homeowners can do to protect their property. The U.S. Forest Service and other organizations help provide education to the public on how to help prevent damage with forest fires. It seems very clear to me to follow their advice, and it makes me wonder why more people don’t follow their suggestions. I think many people think that it won’t happen to them.
I think we all gained an appreciation for what fire fighters go through. They have a very physically and mentally demanding job and deserve the utmost respect appreciation.
I really appreciated the opportunity I had in taking this class. What a great deal and at a great cost. The grant to help with this class is a tremendous help to everyone that took the class. I would not have had the money to pay for a week away from home, food, the cost of the class, college credit, and all of the wonderful resources that I can use in the classroom. The best part is that it left me feeling very inspired in my own life and in my classroom. Personally, I have more background information about the health of our forests and about fire ecology. I can use the background information and all of the activities we did during the week in my classroom. Many kids learn better my seeing and doing activities and I now have a multitude of resources that I can use in my classroom. Thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity! I am truly grateful!
Sunday didn’t start out all that great. I was scheduled to attend the grand opening of Soapstone Open Space near the Wyoming line with a host of politicians and media types. The weather turned ugly, I ended up getting thoroughly drenched and waited through an intense hailstorm to head south. The clouds were black and tornadoes erupted to the west of I-25. As soon as I left the interstate, the weather and my luck improved. It was smooth, sunny, and green all the way to Durango.
Kent Grant helped with background information that we built on the rest of the week. The information he provided about forest health has been useful. I have looked up Community Wildfire Protection Plans for the areas of Larimer County that I work with. Although the forests of southwest Colorado are quite different from what I usually see up north, the importance of balance in an ecosystem is what works.
The Dendrochronology presentation was the right mix of content and hands on for participants. We learned to recognize trees in forests and in cross sections that have endured fires. I have already used a few of the Fireworks Curriculum resources and accessed the istorage web fire resources.
During the workshop I intended to talk to the two participants who had previously done fire ecology topic workshops with elementary and middle level students. The first person I met with was Karen Carver. She works locally with a summer program for gifted, younger students. She recommended Discover a Watershed as a particularly good resource and activities that could be adapted for younger learners; She avoided matches with the younger group, but included them with the older students. She emphasized how to take an activity and have students physically act out each part. This turned out to be great advice that I combined with Lu’s ideas about where to start teaching students about the three types of energy transfer: convection, conduction, and radiation. My supervisor in Fort Collins said no matches in anything at Red Feather, so the personalizing of content worked great. Ex: put hand on shoulder of nearby student for conduction.
The Fire Wars video was well done. I have passed all power points and DVDs on to the teachers in Poudre Schools that I usually share curriculum with, since I don’t have a regular classroom. They are looking it over this summer for our possible use next year. I loved the Wildland Fire Truck and crew. I wanted to have the local truck visit our school—they had been there this spring, so I was too late.
The Vallacita field trip with Craig helped put a number of vocabulary terms into perspective: fire regimes, stand replacing fire, historical range variability, basal area of trees, fire return interval. Going from map to a real location was very helpful.
The Lemon Reservoir visit with John taught the most of any of the field experiences: he used common sense, tenacity, local resources, and saved the reservoir from closure by debris. He used his photos and wry wit to keep us entertained. I can only hope when we have a fire that impacts one of the reservoirs that serves Fort Collins that we have someone like John available to get the job done.
The video that Butch brought changed my perception of what a large fire is capable of doing. It was amazing. He took the events that came together the day the Missionary Ridge fire started, coordinated pictures, and helped us grasp the fire chronology and destruction that has followed.
The weed information was very interesting, too. Because I am just finishing 6 years on the Open Lands Advisory Board for our county, I have heard lots about weeds. Tying weeds and fire together made sense. It is hard to balance resources and keep ecosystems healthy.
Entomology was also excellent. The top 10 approach made sense. I could see differences between the southern forests and northern forest issues. Another piece in the unhealthy forest puzzle throughout the west.
Mesa Verde has always been a very special place. I loved the guided tour and then the “behind the fires talk”. Their unique approach to lightning caused fires in the low moisture environment showed how technology and a handful of skilled firefighters can work together. It’s not a perfect system, too many acres for too few resources.
Because I had previously done the FEI at Pingree some years back, I was conditioned to think that I knew a lot of what would be taught. The reality is I learned it again and better in another environment with new perspectives and refreshing fieldwork with different, passionate leaders. Everyone should be able to do the workshop again. It is such an intense experience.
Thanks Shawna and Lu for making it really come alive!
Kent Grant helped with background information that we built on the rest of the week. The information he provided about forest health has been useful. I have looked up Community Wildfire Protection Plans for the areas of Larimer County that I work with. Although the forests of southwest Colorado are quite different from what I usually see up north, the importance of balance in an ecosystem is what works.
The Dendrochronology presentation was the right mix of content and hands on for participants. We learned to recognize trees in forests and in cross sections that have endured fires. I have already used a few of the Fireworks Curriculum resources and accessed the istorage web fire resources.
During the workshop I intended to talk to the two participants who had previously done fire ecology topic workshops with elementary and middle level students. The first person I met with was Karen Carver. She works locally with a summer program for gifted, younger students. She recommended Discover a Watershed as a particularly good resource and activities that could be adapted for younger learners; She avoided matches with the younger group, but included them with the older students. She emphasized how to take an activity and have students physically act out each part. This turned out to be great advice that I combined with Lu’s ideas about where to start teaching students about the three types of energy transfer: convection, conduction, and radiation. My supervisor in Fort Collins said no matches in anything at Red Feather, so the personalizing of content worked great. Ex: put hand on shoulder of nearby student for conduction.
The Fire Wars video was well done. I have passed all power points and DVDs on to the teachers in Poudre Schools that I usually share curriculum with, since I don’t have a regular classroom. They are looking it over this summer for our possible use next year. I loved the Wildland Fire Truck and crew. I wanted to have the local truck visit our school—they had been there this spring, so I was too late.
The Vallacita field trip with Craig helped put a number of vocabulary terms into perspective: fire regimes, stand replacing fire, historical range variability, basal area of trees, fire return interval. Going from map to a real location was very helpful.
The Lemon Reservoir visit with John taught the most of any of the field experiences: he used common sense, tenacity, local resources, and saved the reservoir from closure by debris. He used his photos and wry wit to keep us entertained. I can only hope when we have a fire that impacts one of the reservoirs that serves Fort Collins that we have someone like John available to get the job done.
The video that Butch brought changed my perception of what a large fire is capable of doing. It was amazing. He took the events that came together the day the Missionary Ridge fire started, coordinated pictures, and helped us grasp the fire chronology and destruction that has followed.
The weed information was very interesting, too. Because I am just finishing 6 years on the Open Lands Advisory Board for our county, I have heard lots about weeds. Tying weeds and fire together made sense. It is hard to balance resources and keep ecosystems healthy.
Entomology was also excellent. The top 10 approach made sense. I could see differences between the southern forests and northern forest issues. Another piece in the unhealthy forest puzzle throughout the west.
Mesa Verde has always been a very special place. I loved the guided tour and then the “behind the fires talk”. Their unique approach to lightning caused fires in the low moisture environment showed how technology and a handful of skilled firefighters can work together. It’s not a perfect system, too many acres for too few resources.
Because I had previously done the FEI at Pingree some years back, I was conditioned to think that I knew a lot of what would be taught. The reality is I learned it again and better in another environment with new perspectives and refreshing fieldwork with different, passionate leaders. Everyone should be able to do the workshop again. It is such an intense experience.
Thanks Shawna and Lu for making it really come alive!
Reflections on the 2009 Fire Ecology Institute
Reflection of the FEI Course June 2009
I would first like to say this is the most interesting class I have taken in years and Ms. Crocker had more energy than most of us and I really enjoyed the class. This paper is to insure that the points we examined are applicable to our classes.
Our first day, the presenter was from the CSU, Colorado State Forestry Dept. He was a little nervous as he said this was one of the larger groups he had addressed. The policies that the Statae of Colorado has adopted indicate that philosophies of all the parties dealing with the forests, differ greatly. He was explaining to us that he had differences about what to do about fires, harvesting and management even within his own office. The material that was given was overwhelming and maybe it would have been easier if it had been scanned and our laptops used to do sequencing or tabbing as to what was covered and what wasn’t. He made the first day interesting and long. Remembering teachers’ attention span drifts after about an hour.
The second day was great, we went out to the lake, here we actually viewed the end results of an uncontrolled fire. The U.S. Forestry Service gentlemen was very interesting and gave us a presentation as if we were actually there. We not only learned about the fire, but the timeline and he took responsibility for the first few hours as the story developed. I do not believe it was his fault for not enough attention being paid to the first hours. Using the tools and being on a simulated fire line was fun. Mike Lands and I want to get our Red Card this fall. The amount of clearing we performed, compared to a real fire crew was a revelation. He said a crew in that type of environment could clear a mile in about an hour. Seeing the pictures of the forces at work really puts it in perspective. The high points were the pictures of the start of the fire, the helicopter pilots story, the 3 tornados, and the reclamation of the forest that is taking place right now. Wednesday was the day it rained. We really needed to be out there getting soaked and tired! An outside activity being involved in the environment would have been great. I think this class was tougher than I had thought it was going to be.
Our best day, by far, was the trip to Lemon Resevoir. The Naturalist (ZZ Top) was the most interesting to listen to. He truly loves the land and the forest he is in charge of. We all stood around listening to his stories spoken in the language of a person, who works for a living and knows how to get things done. His tales of going ahead and doing things and then begging forgiveness is really a story of the past, before bureaucracy had neutered us all to paperwork and committees. He inspired a lot of conversation that night. We had a lot of reflection that evening, not only about his methods but how we should do some things differently to see if that spirit exists at our schools and communities; or if that is just a flicker of the past and not reclaimable. I thank you for having him address this class as he was the best of our speakers.
I have now gone through our material, taken it to my room at school where it will be distributed to others in the Science and Math Departments. I am changing my first assignment Cabin Design. Now, it will include a plot designated as a forest type identified by the students as Pine, Aspen or PJ. They will now have to identify the elevations and land type and Fuel Mitigation Areas. We will also set up a clearing of the sites before we can build and for a treat it has to be certified by me as to being a viable site for control of fires. This class has opened my eyes to many possibilities for introduction into my curriculum and, into the use of foresters into my class as presenters to help my classes understand the forests. I enjoyed this class more than I have any other class in many years.
Shawna your energy, the presenters, materials and use of time was outstanding. You never let us drift, but kept us on time and made sure our energies were focused on our job. The large book you gave us that had the Teaching plans gave us web sites that can be used in all classes and I think it makes it easier for us to use these resources.
I will be faxing you my teaching plans which will be implemented as my first project in my 8th grade class. At the end of that project, I will send you a copy so that you may see the application into the classroom.
I would like to know when there will be future training classes you will be conducting as I would like to participate. You are outstanding.
Thank you so much for a great week.
I would first like to say this is the most interesting class I have taken in years and Ms. Crocker had more energy than most of us and I really enjoyed the class. This paper is to insure that the points we examined are applicable to our classes.
Our first day, the presenter was from the CSU, Colorado State Forestry Dept. He was a little nervous as he said this was one of the larger groups he had addressed. The policies that the Statae of Colorado has adopted indicate that philosophies of all the parties dealing with the forests, differ greatly. He was explaining to us that he had differences about what to do about fires, harvesting and management even within his own office. The material that was given was overwhelming and maybe it would have been easier if it had been scanned and our laptops used to do sequencing or tabbing as to what was covered and what wasn’t. He made the first day interesting and long. Remembering teachers’ attention span drifts after about an hour.
The second day was great, we went out to the lake, here we actually viewed the end results of an uncontrolled fire. The U.S. Forestry Service gentlemen was very interesting and gave us a presentation as if we were actually there. We not only learned about the fire, but the timeline and he took responsibility for the first few hours as the story developed. I do not believe it was his fault for not enough attention being paid to the first hours. Using the tools and being on a simulated fire line was fun. Mike Lands and I want to get our Red Card this fall. The amount of clearing we performed, compared to a real fire crew was a revelation. He said a crew in that type of environment could clear a mile in about an hour. Seeing the pictures of the forces at work really puts it in perspective. The high points were the pictures of the start of the fire, the helicopter pilots story, the 3 tornados, and the reclamation of the forest that is taking place right now. Wednesday was the day it rained. We really needed to be out there getting soaked and tired! An outside activity being involved in the environment would have been great. I think this class was tougher than I had thought it was going to be.
Our best day, by far, was the trip to Lemon Resevoir. The Naturalist (ZZ Top) was the most interesting to listen to. He truly loves the land and the forest he is in charge of. We all stood around listening to his stories spoken in the language of a person, who works for a living and knows how to get things done. His tales of going ahead and doing things and then begging forgiveness is really a story of the past, before bureaucracy had neutered us all to paperwork and committees. He inspired a lot of conversation that night. We had a lot of reflection that evening, not only about his methods but how we should do some things differently to see if that spirit exists at our schools and communities; or if that is just a flicker of the past and not reclaimable. I thank you for having him address this class as he was the best of our speakers.
I have now gone through our material, taken it to my room at school where it will be distributed to others in the Science and Math Departments. I am changing my first assignment Cabin Design. Now, it will include a plot designated as a forest type identified by the students as Pine, Aspen or PJ. They will now have to identify the elevations and land type and Fuel Mitigation Areas. We will also set up a clearing of the sites before we can build and for a treat it has to be certified by me as to being a viable site for control of fires. This class has opened my eyes to many possibilities for introduction into my curriculum and, into the use of foresters into my class as presenters to help my classes understand the forests. I enjoyed this class more than I have any other class in many years.
Shawna your energy, the presenters, materials and use of time was outstanding. You never let us drift, but kept us on time and made sure our energies were focused on our job. The large book you gave us that had the Teaching plans gave us web sites that can be used in all classes and I think it makes it easier for us to use these resources.
I will be faxing you my teaching plans which will be implemented as my first project in my 8th grade class. At the end of that project, I will send you a copy so that you may see the application into the classroom.
I would like to know when there will be future training classes you will be conducting as I would like to participate. You are outstanding.
Thank you so much for a great week.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Fire Ecology Institute for Educators
June 8 – 12, 2009
Ft. Lewis College
Durango, Colorado
DRAFT AGENDA
Sunday June 7 Check into rooms, pick up materials
Monday, June 8
8:00 – 8:30 am Welcome, Overview, Daily Briefing, Introductions
8:30 – 9:30 am Icebreakers
9:30 – 10:00 am State of the Forests (CO, Western, Nation, World) – guest speaker, Kent Grant
10:00 – 10:10 am Break
10:10 – 10:40 am Two Sides of Fire movie, The Smokey Bear Story (comic books)
10:40 - 11:30 am Tree Identification (Classroom & Field studies (@ Ft. Lewis) Amanda Bucknam
11:30 – 12:15 pm LUNCH
12:15 – 1:45 pm Dendrochronology presentation by Ros Wu, USFS)
1:45 – 2:30 pm Fire regimes (handout and activities), Posters of CO Ecosystems
Fire types (mosaic poster of Missionary Ridge)
2:30 –3:45
3:45- 5:00 pm Fireworks Stations & Labs (Fuels, Matchstick Forest, Defensible Space) Karen Carver, Lu’s students
5:00 – 6:00 pm Free Time
6:00 – 7:00 pm Dinner
7:00 – 9:00 pm Fire Wars movie
Tuesday, June 9
Morning briefing, safety discussion
8:00 - 8:30 am Drive to Bayfield Ranger Station
8:30 – 9:45 am Fire equipment/fire truck presentation by firefighters, see fire cache
9:45-10:15 am Drive to Vallecito - east side of lake – mitigation area
10:15 – 12:00 pm Presentation by Forester on mitigation, fire tools, firelines & digging fireline (somewhere in Vallecito area) (2 groups)
(presentation by Craig Goodell, Fire education w/BLM)
John Arnold?
12:00 – 12:30 pm Lunch
12:30 – 2:00 pm Walk through burn area (scavenger hunt), discuss current ecology
(presentation by Larry Eads, SJMA volunteer)
2:00 – 2:30 pm Drive to Lemon Reservoir
2:30 – 4:00 pm Presentation on Erosion by John Eye (other?-Lu)
4:00 – 4:30 pm Drive back to Ft. Lewis
4:30 – 5:00 Discussions about the day
5:00 – 6:00 pm Free time
6:00 – 7:00 pm Dinner
7:00 – 9:00 pm Computer lab, Burning Issues DVD including web questing
Wednesday, June 10
Morning briefing, safety discussion
8:00 – 9:30 am Presentation on insects, forests, fire – guest speaker
9:30 – 9:50 am Drive to hydroax and bug-affected area
9:50 – 11:30 am Bug exploration, collection; PLT activities
Discussion on hydroaxing, soils, wildlife impacts, PLT activities
(Kent Grant, CO State FS)
Legislator?
11:30 – 12:00 pm Lunch
12:30 – 2:00 pm Prescribed burn (Kent Grant) & weeds presentation (Mark Tucker, USFS) (walk & talk), PLT activities
1:30 – 2:00 pm Drive back to Ft. Lewis
2:00 – 3:00 pm Watershed presentation (Shauna Jensen, USFS Hydrologist, National BAER team)
3:00 – 3:45 PLT activities & Hike the Guide
3:45 – 5:00 pm Reflection, journaling, and participants prepare an activity to present to other participants on Friday morning)
5:00 – 6:00 pm FireWise presentation (defensible space – Pam Wilson) and Two Sides of Fire movie
Dinner in town
Thursday, June 11 10hrs
Morning briefing, safety discussion
8:00– 9:00 am Drive to Cortez; defensible space and forest health scavenger hunt on vans (Durango West subdivision); meet Dolores Fire person
9:00 – 9:15am Drive to site of Cache Canyon fire
9:15 – 10:00am Presentation/talk on Cache Canyon fire, mitigation, Ips beetle
10:00 – 11:00am Drive to Mesa Verde
11:00am – 1:30pm Tour of Mesa Verde –
Meet at viewing tower, talk about fire regime of gambel oak
Drive to fire station, view trucks
Discussion of fuel moisture
Working Lunch
1:45 – 2:45 pm Tour of Cliff dwelling (include info on prehistoric fires)
3:00 – 4:00pm Return to Fort Lewis; observations on Ips beetle on the way
4:00 – 5:00 pm PLT Activities
5:00 – 5:30 pm Free time
5:30 – 6:00 pm Drive to dinner
6:00 – 7:00 pm dinner
8:00 – 9:00 pm Mapping/GPS/geocaching activity with Beth Lashell (Ft. Lewis professor)
Friday, June 12 7 hrs
Morning briefing, safety discussion
8:00 – 10:00 am Presentation and activities: Defensive Space, Community Mitigation
10:00 – 11:30 am More PLT, Fire Works, Fire Box activities, presentation preparation
11:30-12:00 am PLT wrap-up (istorage.iomega.com, GreenWorks, Earth & Sky, etc)
12:00-1:00 am Working Lunch (prepare presentations)
1:00 -3:00 am Participant presentations of units, activities (“speed dating”)
3:00 Wrap up, depart
June 8 – 12, 2009
Ft. Lewis College
Durango, Colorado
DRAFT AGENDA
Sunday June 7 Check into rooms, pick up materials
Monday, June 8
8:00 – 8:30 am Welcome, Overview, Daily Briefing, Introductions
8:30 – 9:30 am Icebreakers
9:30 – 10:00 am State of the Forests (CO, Western, Nation, World) – guest speaker, Kent Grant
10:00 – 10:10 am Break
10:10 – 10:40 am Two Sides of Fire movie, The Smokey Bear Story (comic books)
10:40 - 11:30 am Tree Identification (Classroom & Field studies (@ Ft. Lewis) Amanda Bucknam
11:30 – 12:15 pm LUNCH
12:15 – 1:45 pm Dendrochronology presentation by Ros Wu, USFS)
1:45 – 2:30 pm Fire regimes (handout and activities), Posters of CO Ecosystems
Fire types (mosaic poster of Missionary Ridge)
2:30 –3:45
3:45- 5:00 pm Fireworks Stations & Labs (Fuels, Matchstick Forest, Defensible Space) Karen Carver, Lu’s students
5:00 – 6:00 pm Free Time
6:00 – 7:00 pm Dinner
7:00 – 9:00 pm Fire Wars movie
Tuesday, June 9
Morning briefing, safety discussion
8:00 - 8:30 am Drive to Bayfield Ranger Station
8:30 – 9:45 am Fire equipment/fire truck presentation by firefighters, see fire cache
9:45-10:15 am Drive to Vallecito - east side of lake – mitigation area
10:15 – 12:00 pm Presentation by Forester on mitigation, fire tools, firelines & digging fireline (somewhere in Vallecito area) (2 groups)
(presentation by Craig Goodell, Fire education w/BLM)
John Arnold?
12:00 – 12:30 pm Lunch
12:30 – 2:00 pm Walk through burn area (scavenger hunt), discuss current ecology
(presentation by Larry Eads, SJMA volunteer)
2:00 – 2:30 pm Drive to Lemon Reservoir
2:30 – 4:00 pm Presentation on Erosion by John Eye (other?-Lu)
4:00 – 4:30 pm Drive back to Ft. Lewis
4:30 – 5:00 Discussions about the day
5:00 – 6:00 pm Free time
6:00 – 7:00 pm Dinner
7:00 – 9:00 pm Computer lab, Burning Issues DVD including web questing
Wednesday, June 10
Morning briefing, safety discussion
8:00 – 9:30 am Presentation on insects, forests, fire – guest speaker
9:30 – 9:50 am Drive to hydroax and bug-affected area
9:50 – 11:30 am Bug exploration, collection; PLT activities
Discussion on hydroaxing, soils, wildlife impacts, PLT activities
(Kent Grant, CO State FS)
Legislator?
11:30 – 12:00 pm Lunch
12:30 – 2:00 pm Prescribed burn (Kent Grant) & weeds presentation (Mark Tucker, USFS) (walk & talk), PLT activities
1:30 – 2:00 pm Drive back to Ft. Lewis
2:00 – 3:00 pm Watershed presentation (Shauna Jensen, USFS Hydrologist, National BAER team)
3:00 – 3:45 PLT activities & Hike the Guide
3:45 – 5:00 pm Reflection, journaling, and participants prepare an activity to present to other participants on Friday morning)
5:00 – 6:00 pm FireWise presentation (defensible space – Pam Wilson) and Two Sides of Fire movie
Dinner in town
Thursday, June 11 10hrs
Morning briefing, safety discussion
8:00– 9:00 am Drive to Cortez; defensible space and forest health scavenger hunt on vans (Durango West subdivision); meet Dolores Fire person
9:00 – 9:15am Drive to site of Cache Canyon fire
9:15 – 10:00am Presentation/talk on Cache Canyon fire, mitigation, Ips beetle
10:00 – 11:00am Drive to Mesa Verde
11:00am – 1:30pm Tour of Mesa Verde –
Meet at viewing tower, talk about fire regime of gambel oak
Drive to fire station, view trucks
Discussion of fuel moisture
Working Lunch
1:45 – 2:45 pm Tour of Cliff dwelling (include info on prehistoric fires)
3:00 – 4:00pm Return to Fort Lewis; observations on Ips beetle on the way
4:00 – 5:00 pm PLT Activities
5:00 – 5:30 pm Free time
5:30 – 6:00 pm Drive to dinner
6:00 – 7:00 pm dinner
8:00 – 9:00 pm Mapping/GPS/geocaching activity with Beth Lashell (Ft. Lewis professor)
Friday, June 12 7 hrs
Morning briefing, safety discussion
8:00 – 10:00 am Presentation and activities: Defensive Space, Community Mitigation
10:00 – 11:30 am More PLT, Fire Works, Fire Box activities, presentation preparation
11:30-12:00 am PLT wrap-up (istorage.iomega.com, GreenWorks, Earth & Sky, etc)
12:00-1:00 am Working Lunch (prepare presentations)
1:00 -3:00 am Participant presentations of units, activities (“speed dating”)
3:00 Wrap up, depart
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Still room in this class-Deadline is May 5.
Plans are being finalized for this amazing class! The agenda is looking good. Spend a week in the beautiful mountains, valleys and mesas of the San Juans with other adventurous educators and passionate natural resources professionals. Don't wait! Register now!
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
2009 Fire Ecology Institute for Educators
After many summers in the Roaring Fork and Colorado River Valleys of the Glenwood Springs area, the annual FEI (Fire Ecology Institute For Educators), sponsored by the Colorado State Forest Service, is moving its week-long class to Durango and the San Juan Mountains in June, 2009.
4th-12th grade teachers are invited to sign up now for this popular, FREE, week long educational adventure to experience how to use fire and forest ecology as an exciting and relevant theme for interdisciplinary learning. Participants spend the week with natural resource scientists, fire-fighters, foresters, and educators to learn how fire has influenced SW Colorado ecology and culture. Exploring Hot Topics and Burning Issues, educators will receive a cache of materials, lessons, experiments, field experiences (Vallecito, Missionary Ridge, Mesa Verde) in fire, weeds, erosion, insects, hydrology, mapping and more to Spark student interest!
Who: 4th-12th grade educators
What: Week full of inquiry activities, field trips, speakers, experiments, forestry journals, hikes, Fire Wars, Burning Issues, mitigation, weeds, and beautiful scenery
When: June 8-12, 2009
Where: Ft. Lewis College, Durango, CO and surroundings
Cost: $50 (includes all meals, materials, lodging, field trips)
Credit: optional, additional $107
Sponsored by Colorado State Forest Service, Jan Juan Mountains Association, USGS, others
Contact by May 5: Shawna Crocker 303-202-4662 or scrocker@colostate.edu
Reflections from Past Participants:
"We left with a humongous load of stuff to use in a variety of different teaching contexts. "
"During the course of our week, I was able to collect information in a personal setting that I had never experienced before in the course of teacher certification and master's courses. Participants shared one common goal of learning to teach about fire ecology, but everyone brought something different to the table. It was the first time I actually experienced the socioemotional connection with learning that builds into memory. So I was able to experience what I desire to happen in my classroom, and that was powerful. Especially when I was able to work alongside some wonderful teachers at the same curriculum level, and hear stories of what they are doing or plan to do, it provided a very heightened level of motivation. In other words, because we were connected and felt comfortable, I was open and honest to the ideas and suggestions presented. It did not have the "dress to impress" feel of a national conference, instead it felt like people were they because they cared deeply about getting through to students. "
"Field trips and hand-on experiences helped us learn important lessons about the destructiveness of fire as well the interrelationships of fire and ecosystems. The Tour of the Rifle Fire Cache, equipment, and fire fighting strategies showed us how difficult the life of a firefighter can be. The hike up Storm Mountain with the Ranger who experienced the fire and its aftermath was a highlight of our learning journey."
" Many of the land managers and emergency response personnel see teachers as the key to changing how the general public views forest fires. It may be slow in coming, perhaps taking at least a generation, but people need to get over the far-too effective campaign by Smokey Bear. "
"There is so much that this class offered that I am struggling to put together a half way coherent reflection paper. Do I reflect on the various speakers, field trips, or topics of the institute? Do I use this paper for feedback or as a sounding board for possible change? Do I focus on how I will use this class in my personal life? Or do I focus on how I will use this class in my class?"
4th-12th grade teachers are invited to sign up now for this popular, FREE, week long educational adventure to experience how to use fire and forest ecology as an exciting and relevant theme for interdisciplinary learning. Participants spend the week with natural resource scientists, fire-fighters, foresters, and educators to learn how fire has influenced SW Colorado ecology and culture. Exploring Hot Topics and Burning Issues, educators will receive a cache of materials, lessons, experiments, field experiences (Vallecito, Missionary Ridge, Mesa Verde) in fire, weeds, erosion, insects, hydrology, mapping and more to Spark student interest!
Who: 4th-12th grade educators
What: Week full of inquiry activities, field trips, speakers, experiments, forestry journals, hikes, Fire Wars, Burning Issues, mitigation, weeds, and beautiful scenery
When: June 8-12, 2009
Where: Ft. Lewis College, Durango, CO and surroundings
Cost: $50 (includes all meals, materials, lodging, field trips)
Credit: optional, additional $107
Sponsored by Colorado State Forest Service, Jan Juan Mountains Association, USGS, others
Contact by May 5: Shawna Crocker 303-202-4662 or scrocker@colostate.edu
Reflections from Past Participants:
"We left with a humongous load of stuff to use in a variety of different teaching contexts. "
"During the course of our week, I was able to collect information in a personal setting that I had never experienced before in the course of teacher certification and master's courses. Participants shared one common goal of learning to teach about fire ecology, but everyone brought something different to the table. It was the first time I actually experienced the socioemotional connection with learning that builds into memory. So I was able to experience what I desire to happen in my classroom, and that was powerful. Especially when I was able to work alongside some wonderful teachers at the same curriculum level, and hear stories of what they are doing or plan to do, it provided a very heightened level of motivation. In other words, because we were connected and felt comfortable, I was open and honest to the ideas and suggestions presented. It did not have the "dress to impress" feel of a national conference, instead it felt like people were they because they cared deeply about getting through to students. "
"Field trips and hand-on experiences helped us learn important lessons about the destructiveness of fire as well the interrelationships of fire and ecosystems. The Tour of the Rifle Fire Cache, equipment, and fire fighting strategies showed us how difficult the life of a firefighter can be. The hike up Storm Mountain with the Ranger who experienced the fire and its aftermath was a highlight of our learning journey."
" Many of the land managers and emergency response personnel see teachers as the key to changing how the general public views forest fires. It may be slow in coming, perhaps taking at least a generation, but people need to get over the far-too effective campaign by Smokey Bear. "
"There is so much that this class offered that I am struggling to put together a half way coherent reflection paper. Do I reflect on the various speakers, field trips, or topics of the institute? Do I use this paper for feedback or as a sounding board for possible change? Do I focus on how I will use this class in my personal life? Or do I focus on how I will use this class in my class?"
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