Length of program: 2 hours
Maximum class size: 30 students
Program fee: $105
NEW! Through a combination of woodland walks, hands-on exploration, work projects and ecological data collection, middle and high school students develop an understanding of the pressing, time-sensitive issues facing urban woodlands today. We also offer a limited number of ongoing afterschool environmental programs for middle and high school students. For more information on these and other programs for teens, please call 718.549.3200 x223.
How can we help protect our green spaces? Students receive a basic introduction to urban woodlands, their importance and the nature of the disturbances that threaten their wellbeing—including invasive plants, erosion and pollution. Getting down and dirty, students participate in ongoing restoration projects such as helping to clear invasive species, planting desirable species and mulching pathways.
Learn about woodland ecology and the dynamic forces that keep an ecosystem healthy, such as succession, decomposition and regeneration. Learn how ecologists, biologists, naturalists and other stewards of the land collect and analyze data in order to understand the changes occurring over time. Students conduct field studies and then analyze and interpret their findings back in the classroom.
A healthy ecosystem starts with healthy soil. What makes soil healthy? What processes contribute to soil formation? Students learn about the essential role that soil plays in forest ecology, paying special attention to the chemical processes at work. They take a range of soil samples to analyze, and bring the samples back to the classroom for further testing.