Presenter: Laura Buckmaster
Co-Presenters: Samantha Bates, Micaela Hyams, Forrest Hirsh, Nicole Hendrix, Elie Lewis, Amelia Remington, Nick Sloss
Mentor: Kathryn Lynch, Environmental Studies
Oral Presentation
Majors: Environmental Studies and Psychology
Children today are often lacking direct contact with the natural world. The Canopy Connections team of the Environmental Leadership Program seeks to address symptoms of what is colloquially called “nature deficit disorder.” Working in collaboration with H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest (HJA) and the Pacific Tree Climbing Institute, our team took 300 middle school students into the canopy of an old-growth forest to learn firsthand the importance of these fragile ecosystems. The project includes an in-class lesson and an all-day field trip where students engage in scientific investigation – setting up biodiversity plots, learning how to use compasses and maps, honing field observation skills through the use of field notebooks, and ascending 90 feet into a Douglas-fir to learn about microhabitats. This unparalleled experience creates an opportunity for them to form personal connections with the awe-inspiring ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest. Our goal is to provide a space where students and facilitators can investigate, learn, and create in partnership. Canopy Connections fosters environmental awareness, and provides the necessary knowledge and skills to create active stewards of Oregon’s forests.