Thanks to Amanda Rollins of Georgia Forestry Foundation for inviting WWALS to talk about forestry and water to elementary school students from Moultrie, Colquitt County, and Albany, Georgia.

Gaskins Forest Education Center, Alapaha, GA, 2024-06-28, 2024-07-10, Forestry and Water, Boys & Girls Club, Georgia Forestry Foundation

At each of two sessions, there were seven groups of students, who cycled by us for 20 minutes each, as one of seven stations.

Thanks to Heather Brasell for hosting this event twice at the Gaskins Forest Education Center.

Thanks to WWALS President Sara Squires Jones and Board member Scotti Jay Jones for staffing the WWALS booth on July 10. Gretchen Quarterman and John S. Quarterman did the same on June 28.

Sara Squires Jones, Scotti Jay Jones, Olivia Parrott of Georgia Forestry Foundation 2024-07-10

Fortunately, our aerial map of the Suwannee River Basin shows at its top left the Flint River from Lake Blackshear down through Albany. The posters of lizards, frogs, and snakes were popular. The EnviroScape, showing what happens when rain falls on fertilized fields, sewage treatment plants, or trash, opened some eyes. Hint: it all washes downhill into waterways.

The Berrien Press, July 17, 2024, Boys and Girls Clubs visit Gaskins Forest Education Center

Berrien Press, 2024-07-17

Amanda Rollins, Georgia Forestry Foundation’s Outreach Coordinator, recently organized two educational field days at the Gaskins Forest Education Center in Alapaha for the children at the Moultrie and Albany Boys and Girls Clubs.

On June 28, 80 children from the Moultrie Boys and Girls Club spent the day at the Ed Center learning about some of the different job opportunities available in forestry and natural resources management. The children rotated through seven activity stations, including demonstrations on firefighting equipment (Berrien Georgia Forestry Commission), prescribed burning (Tony Kroeger Department of Natural Resources), wildlife habitats (Dallas Ingram DNR), wood products (Louise Parrott GFF), paper-making (Heather Brasell and Grace Hartley), tree measurement (Shawn Collins Department of Education), and water resources (Gretchen and John Quarterman WWALS).

These stations provided hands-on, interactive learning experiences to keep the kids engaged in learning.

About 30 children from the Albany Boys and Girls Club attended the same event on July 10. Unfortunately, it began raining soon after lunch, and the field day had to. be cut short. Even with the day not going as planned, the children seemed to have had a good time and were inspired to get outdoors more.

Georgia is the #1 state in forestry. Field days like this are important for youth to experience possible future careers in forestry and natural resources. Developing their interest in these fields is critical to ensure effective protection, management, and utilization of these resources.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

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