Family Forestry Expo showcases forest landscapes
Fifth-graders in teacher Taylor Hoots' class at Ruder Elementary School get a look at the eggs of a pregnant crayfish during a presentation by Montana FWP fisheries biologist Andrew Larson at the Family Forestry Expo at Trumbull Creek Educational Forest in Columbia Falls on Tuesday, May 9. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Fifth-graders in teacher Gabe Buzzell's class at Edgerton Elementary School listen to a presentation on different types of fish found in local waterways by Montana FWP fisheries biologist Leo Rosenthal at the Family Forestry Expo at Trumbull Creek Educational Forest in Columbia Falls on Tuesday, May 9. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Greta Wells, a fifth-grader in Gabe Buzzell's class at Edgerton Elementary School, inspects the bottom of Trumbull Creek with a viewing tube at the fisheries station of the Family Forestry Expo at Trumbull Creek Educational Forest in Columbia Falls on Tuesday, May 9. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
The annual Family Forestry Expo offers hands-on exposure to the role forests play in daily life.
The weeklong event includes visits by fifth-grade students and wraps up on Saturday, May 13 when families are invited to share in expo activities from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
This year’s event includes the theme of “Forests-Landscapes of Many Uses.” The expo takes place at the Trumbull Creek Educational Forest, located about 2 miles north of the junction of U.S. 2 and Montana 40, just west of Columbia Falls.
The Saturday family-oriented event features a short forest walk that offers educational stations and demonstrations along the way. Each station provides information and hands-on activities that allow participants to learn about the many uses of forests, both private and public.
A grandstand show will be presented at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and feature logging equipment demonstrations, the Forest Service Spotted Bear Ranger District mule pack string and logging sports demonstration. Various exhibits featuring local organizations, businesses and agencies that care for natural resources will be on display.
Between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., a free logging camp lunch will be provided, compliments of the Family Forestry Expo.
Over 1,200 local fifth-grade students from 25 schools stretching from Eureka to the Flathead Valley visited the expo this week to learn about natural resource topics. The students visited stations that provide educational presentations about fisheries, aquatic/riparian systems, archaeology, wildlife, fire, backcountry ethics, plant identification, and forest management. The program is curriculum based and the field stations complement classroom study.
Eight classes also toured the F. H. Stoltze Land and Lumber Co. mill. The remaining classes had the opportunity to take part in a portable sawmill demonstration and visit stations representing lumber manufacturing and forest products.
The Family Forestry Expo event takes place through the dedicated involvement of over 30 diverse organizations such as local service clubs, forest industry, government natural resource agencies, conservation groups, professional societies, local businesses, many interested individuals and numerous local donations.
For more information call 758-5218 or visit www.familyforestryexpo.org and www.facebook.com/familyforestryexpo
