Jess

Header photo credit Annabella Waterbury. It’s been a while since we had a rough-skinned newt encounter, but we spotted a little one this week on the way to Plot #3. We were down two explorers this week due to illness, but there was plenty to do to keep the forest science projects moving. Bella had […]

The rain gauge had a beautiful web bejeweled with water droplets this week, and a layer of ice for the first time this season. During our morning data collection routine, we added a protocol for collecting soil temperature with our new Vernier sensor. Interestingly, we found the soil to be warmer than the air this

Congratulations to Terran- the first Bear Creek Explorer to write a grant for his forest science project and get it approved! We submitted the grant a few weeks back, heard back quickly from the Diack Ecology Education Program that they wanted to support Terran’s project, and this week, the new equipment arrived. Terran is studying

During our fire feast last week, we also fired our earthenware pottery. This is clay we harvested and processed last fall, then sculpted with in the spring. It sat to dry for many months in the lodge, waiting for a big campfire day. We layered it carefully in between the wood, trying to cushion it

We experienced an atmospheric river last weekend, and for the first time this year, the rain gauge overflowed the inner cylinder. I guessed this might be the case (I have the same rain gauge in my backyard that I check every morning), and so I came prepared with some data. Near the beginning of each

We had a lot to talk about this week, but one new science concept was soil respiration. I have a gas monitor that can measure the amount of carbon dioxide coming out of a patch of earth. Why is this interesting? Because its a way to measure soil activity and soil health- all those little

This week, back at Plot #3, it was time to start tagging and measuring trees. We discussed why this is necessary, and then how we do it. We won’t be able to come back in 5, 10, or 15 years and check the growth of a tree if we don’t have a clear way to

We accomplished a lot this week! I reintroduced sit-spots, and we all had our first sit of the season. I love starting our day in the wild with some quiet contemplation. I leave the Merlin app running so when we return we can see what birds were detected. Terran said he heard six different birds

This week was the start of year six for the Bear Creek Explorers, and I was delighted to welcome back all six kids from last year, plus one more. For documenting, my revised intention this year is to capture some highlights of our weekly adventures in the woods, without trying to document everything. Each day