Fire Ecology Environmental Issue

Standards 1, 3.1, 3.2, 4.2, 5, and 6

Our national forests are to be managed for many uses – recreational, economical, social and environmental just to name a few. This brings many interests to the table when discussing how to best manage them. The management techniques used and decisions made affect many people. When studying this environmental issue, students investigate how to best manage forests for fire in Summit County, Colorado.

Students research the topic in the field while looking at the health of the forest and estimating its response to fire and different management techniques. During the evenings, students explore the social and economical aspects of the issue. Students participate in a town meeting that brings together stakeholders from all sides of this issue. Each student takes on the values, beliefs and perspectives of a different stakeholder at this meeting. This meeting allows students to participate in a collaborative decision-making and conflict resolution process with their peers. 

Curriculum Units:
Ecological communities
Wildlife Ecology
Food chains and food webs
Animal-Plant Relationships
Plant Ecology
Use of Dichotomous keys for Plant ID
Forest Succession
Habitat investigations
Role-playing - Town Meeting
Conflict resolution and Consensus building

Available late April-early November | Environmental Issues themes are restricted to students in grade 6 or higher

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Academic Themes:

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forest ecology

fire ecology

wolf management

aquatic ecology

mining & water quality

earth science

snow science