Thanks to the brand new North Coast Redwood Education Program, 670 students from Humboldt County got to go on an adventure to a state park. The field opportunities were coupled with new, place-based curriculum taught in the classroom before the field trip. In the field, students collected forest data on tree biomass, carbon storage, and sword fern length. While hiking, they were challenged to investigate plant biodiversity and collect phenology data. With this experience, students were both immersed in the beauty of old-growth redwoods and challenged to think like a scientist.
In a recent survey of teachers in Humboldt County, Save the Redwoods League found that less than 50% of respondents teach redwood curriculum and less than a quarter participate in a redwood field trip. The new program will bring comprehensive redwood curriculum and field trip opportunities to students on the North Coast.
North Coast Redwood Education Program was launched in Spring 2019 with a generous grant from the S. H. Cowell Foundation with additional support provided by Save the Redwoods League, the Humboldt County Office of Education, and Humboldt State University.
In the 2019-2020 school year, the program plans to expand to include elementary school students and teachers. If you are interested in participating, please contact Save the Redwoods League’s Education and Interpretation Manager at Education@SaveTheRedwoods.org or (415) 820-5860.
Photography by Max Forster
A Toddy Thomas Middle School student observes lichen at Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park.
Students from Eureka High School conduct scientific measurements on sword ferns to see how the plant is responding to changes in climate.
Sixth grade students learn about the growth of redwood trees by investigating tree cookies on their redwood field trip.
Eureka High School students visit Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park as part of a new redwoods and climate change program in Humboldt County.