7th Graders Visit Leonard's Mills in the Penobscot Experimental Forest

On October 16, students in Grade 7 spent the day at Leonard’s Mills in the Penobscot Experimental Forest.  Students are currently studying forest ecology and the trip allowed them the opportunity to gain some first hand experience.  Students were able to meet with foresters from the US Forest Service. The foresters worked with the students showing them the basics of forest measurement, forest navigation, and species identification.  

Students were also able to tour Leonard’s Mills to see what the forest products industry in Maine looked like at the turn of the 19th century.  While there students volunteered their labor to help reopen vistas of Blackmon Stream. A surprising highlight of the trip was how much the students enjoyed and excelled at vegetation removal.  They worked hard and the museum director and volunteers were extremely pleased.  Students were complimented for their efforts as the director informed them that they “did more work than the groups of college freshman we used to get."   By all accounts the day was a tremendous success.