Thursday, May 2, 2013

Silviculture Fieldtrip Combines Service, History and Old Growth

This Spring's Silviculture Fieldtrip made its annual pilgrimage to The Cradle of Forestry in America and Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, two important landmarks in the history of regional forestry. "The Cradle", is the site of the original Biltmore Forestry School, the first Forestry School in the United States. While at The Cradle, students worked on rehabilitating several interpretive installations, including a demonstration nursery for eastern hardwood species. Students had the opportunity to visit The Forest Festival Trail and learn about the historical collaboration between the logging and railroad industries - a partnership that facilitated the era of industrial logging in the region. The group also pitched in on a trail restoration project along the nearby Davidson River, working with a fisheries biologist from the Nantahala National Forest.
(Alex Boyd, Rhys Brydon-Williams and Frank Secret measure and document a sapling at the hardwood nursery)
After a night camping at Pink Beds, the class drove west for Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, a small section of The Slickrock Wilderness just outside Robbinsville, NC. and one of the most famous old growth stands in the region. At Joyce Kilmer, students had a chance to study and experience old growth structure, function and composition and were treated to perfect timing for spring ephemeral wildflowers.
(Under the big trees at Joyce Kilmer)

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