2017 Camp
Hot Times - Fire in the Forest!
Welcome to our 2017 Summer Camp: Hot Times - Fire in the Forest!
Monday, June 26 - Saturday, July 1
We spent a week outside exploring nature, being creative, hiking, making art, making friends, experimenting, and working with scientists in a real experimental forest. Wildfire is a fact of life in interior Alaska, and its aftermath has fascinating impacts on the forest's plants, soil, animals, and water. We explored the regrowing forest at our camp in the Bonanza Creek Long Term Ecological Research Site and discovered the surprises it had in store.
Campers deepened their understanding and appreciation for the boreal forest, interacted with four leaders, four guest scientists, and a guest artist, worked with professional science tools and methods, and developed their scientific and leaderships skills. They also made new friends and had LOTS of fun!
Banner Photo: National Park Service
Read on below to find out what we did each day!
What did we do?
We tracked hares using radiotelemetry, identified animal tracks, cored trees, drilled permafrost, flew a drone, conducted a wilderness Crime Scene Investigation, learned how to use plants in emergencies, constructed soil cores out of candy... and so much more! To find out more about what we did each day and see some cool pictures, click on the day of the week.
Saturday: sharing day: on this day we shared what we learned and made with friends and family.
Many thanks to the guest scientists Justin Olnes, Teresa Hollingsworth, Jamie Hollingsworth and Elena Sparrow, and to guest artist John Smelter... from instructors Christa Mulder, Katie Spellman, Steve Decina and Theresa Villano!
Does this look like fun? Do you want to try it next year? Contact Christa at cpmulder@alaska.edu or (907)-474-7703, and she will get in touch when the materials for 2018 are available.