-Back from COVID-
Like many educational programs, the COVID pandemic had put a damper on many events and programs since 2020. This included one of our biggest educational events, the Urban Forestry & Conservation Fair. The Fair brings 5th graders from across Jefferson County to participate in hands-on activities that emphasize forestry related classroom lessons. Activities like Tree Cookies, Tree ID, Goods from the Woods, and others expand forestry topics about tree anatomy and biology, different tree species, how to plant and care for trees, animals and insects that live in our forests, as well as the forest industry and products we get from trees. Activities are taught by volunteers from many different agencies like Jefferson County Extension and 4H, McWane Science Center, City of Birmingham's Stormwater Department, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Alabama Forestry Commission, and several others. These volunteers take time from their schedules to share their knowledge and experience with the students. Students also get to chat about the various jobs and duties these professionals see in their daily lives, exposing them to future opportunities and aspirations.
Students participate in both indoor and outdoor activities. Indoor activities are held in the Boutwell Auditorium while the outdoor activities like Birds and Worms, Oh Deer!, and Know Where it Goes is held outside at Linn Park just across the street. The park setting adds to the experience of being in an urban forest as students continue to learn.
Typically, the District also host a public tree give away in conjunction with the Forestry Fair to commemorate Alabama's annual Arbor Week Celebration; however, due to ongoing COVID complications and the Fair being postponed, the tree give-away was hosted earlier in the year. The public giveaway event was hosted at The Shops at Grand River in Leeds. An estimate of at least 120 citizens attended this 2 ½ hour event. Tree species available included: White Oak, Sourwood, Yellow Tulip Poplar, Red Maple, Loblolly Pine, Witch Hazel, Kousa Dogwood, White Dogwood, Redbud, Persimmon, Red Mulberry, River Birch, and Bald Cypress. All trees except some remaining loblolly pines were given away to homes. In lieu of trees that each student and teacher would receive at the Fair, (April is not an ideal time to plant trees in Alabama), the Conservation District, with the assistance of the Jefferson County Farmers Federation who taught the activity, provided students and teachers with native wildflower seeds through the “Garden in a Glove activity.” The District also gave each attending teacher a small bag of mixed wildflower seeds as a gift. Planting native wildflowers helps to promote and support our local pollinators like the honey bee.
The Urban Forestry & Conservation Fair has been held in Jefferson County by the Conservation District for nearly 25 years. It was started back in the 1990s to better engage and tailor forestry education to our growing urban environment. Generally the Forestry Fair host around 500 students for this exciting educational event. This year was more of a "mini-fair," hosting about 151 students. The District aims to continue a regular event schedule and load for the next year in 2023. If you are a 5th grade teacher in Jefferson County and would like your class to attend next year's Fair in February, contact our office for more details and to be placed on a waiting list until registration opens.
Find photos from the event at our Facebook link:
Featured Tik Tok video at this link:
article and photography by Holly Lynne Killian, District Administrative Coordinator
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