Forest classrooms inspire next generation of environmental stewards
WASHINGTON, DC—Every year, middle and high school students in communities around the country use our nation’s forests and open spaces as open air, living classrooms. Students enter the forest under guidance of teachers and mentors to explore biology, ecology, technology and natural resources.
Since 2020, the National Environmental Education Foundation has partnered with the Forest Service to fund Greening STEM Demonstration Projects. This year's Greening STEM grantees are committed to student-centered, experiential learning.
Greening STEM promotes STEM learning to students across the country by providing authentic learning experiences through real-world environmental projects that support the Forest Service mission.
Each of these projects receive grant funding of up to $10,000 to deliver STEM-focused content, strategies for instruction, training and collaboration that empower educators and students. In turn, these efforts enhance learning geared toward Forest Service-related initiatives.
2023-2024 funded efforts include:
GGO's Future Foresters
Partner: Gateway to the Great Outdoors
Forest/grassland: Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie and Mark Twain National Forest
Study location: monitoring siteForest Service and Gateway to the Great Outdoors staff guide Chicago and St. Louis middle school students through a place-based environmental monitoring program to illustrate the role and importance of ecosystems.
Students using dissolved oxygen probes in the Taylor Creek outlet at Kiva beach. Part of the Greening STEM program, in partnership with South Yuba River Citizens League, the “Creating River Stewards: Monitoring Water Quality on Public Lands” program, is based in Tahoe National Forest. Students (left to right): Amaia Gallego, Alaina Corona, Xai Hendricks, John Portillo, Tyler Benscoter. On shore, Richard Kinnett. USDA Forest Service photo by Alondra Gomez. Creating River Stewards: Monitoring Water Quality on Public Lands
Partner: South Yuba River Citizens League
Forest/grassland: Tahoe National Forest
Study location: popular river crossingForest Service and citizens league staff guide Bitney Prep High School Environmental Science students and Nevada Union High School’s Climate Change Club participants in Grass Valley, California, through water quality monitoring practices and data interpretation to understand various impacts on water quality, such as increased visitation, rain events and drought, and create meaningful and effective public service announcements to educate the public to be stewards of the watershed.
Monitoring Remediation Efforts for Invasive Eurasian Milfoil Control in Lake Tahoe
Partner: South Yuba River Citizens League
Forest/grassland: Lake Tahoe Management Unit (Tahoe National Forest)
Study location: Taylor Creek at Taylor Creek Visitor CenterSouth Tahoe high school students help collect invasive species data focused on improving Eurasian watermilfoil restoration practices.
Exploring STEM in the Nantahala National Forest with Macon County Schools
Partner: Mainspring Conservation Trust, Inc.
Forest/grassland: Nantahala National ForestStudy location: Coweeta Hydrological Laboratory and Tessentee Bottomlands Preserve
Mainspring Conservation Trust and Forest Service staff guide Macon County sixth graders in North Carolina through two field trips that provide hands-on STEM learning to integrate concepts of stewardship and Indigenous peoples’ culture. Educational techniques like focused exploration, discussion based on evidence and data analysis are used, as well as allowing students’ natural wonder and curiosity to drive activities.
We look forward to learning what these dedicated students, educators and practitioners can accomplish together as they work to create a more sustainable future.
