Canopy Connections 2015 is a student led environmental education program through the University of Oregon Environmental Leadership Program in the Environmental Studies Department. Through place-based, experiential education Canopy aims to address the disconnect between children and nature. Working in collaboration with H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest (HJA) and the Pacific Tree Climbing Institute, our team works with 300 middle school students in the canopy of an old-growth forest to learn firsthand the importance of these fragile ecosystems.
The program 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 a compass and maps, honing field observation skills through the use of field notebooks, and ascending 90 feet into a Douglas-fir to learn about micro-habitats. This unparalleled experience creates an opportunity for students 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 tools to create active stewards of Oregon’s forests.
The program 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 a compass and maps, honing field observation skills through the use of field notebooks, and ascending 90 feet into a Douglas-fir to learn about micro-habitats. This unparalleled experience creates an opportunity for students 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 tools to create active stewards of Oregon’s forests.