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While attending Summer Scholars, the participants visited a lookout tower in Flagstaff. A lookout tower is used to spot fires and the Mt. Elden lookout tower is currently being used to spot fires in the Coconino National Forest. A forest ranger, lookout tower tour guide, and a hydrologist were in attendance on this field trip. The students also used this as an opportunity to have their questions answered. Throughout student discussions in their Problem Based Learning (PBL) groups, students came up with many questions concerning fire.
The forest ranger, Karen Clark, discussed the history of Mt. Elden. Twenty-five years ago, on June 17, the steep sides of the mountain that forms a scenic backdrop for Flagstaff burst into flame when a campfire escaped. The scars on the mountain's rocky flanks are still visible. On some slopes a great deal of soil eroded after the fire, and it will take many years for trees to come back. It will be centuries, if ever, before old-growth pine and fir trees replace the blackened snags that can still be seen from Flagstaff today. This gave the students an insight as to how long wildfire scars are visible and affect the land.
Lynna Holland served as the lookout tower tour guide. At the lookout tower, Lynna provided students with information on Flagstaff's aerial view. She also showed students how to spot a fire and the protocol she follows to report a fire. Also discussed were the down time activities used to pass time when not busy and the path Lynna took to the career she is currently in. Lynna gave great insight on the importance of being a lookout and the responsibilities of her job
Also present was Dr. Tecle, a hydrologist from NAU. In his lecture, Dr. Tecle covered the various ways in which water sources are affected by a fire.
The Mt. Elden trip proved to be a very resourceful event. The students gained useful information, which they used in their final Power Point presentation.
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Environmental Education Outreach Program (EEOP) |
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