Climate Change and Forests with Ms. Romney

Logging Tragedies

2008-12-04T20:10:00.004-05:00

So, today we visited the section of the SERC property that had been logged. Just before the property came under control of SERC the previous owners had decided to give logging rights to a company so they could make some extra money. Each tree cut and trucked away was paid for at $500 per tree.

This is what one of the logging places looked like 1 year after the logging event:

Logging is just like any other industry. Use of resources to produce goods for humans (this also provides jobs).
We use tables, chairs, looseleaf, pencils, etc everyday.

-We learned that plants and trees take up CO2 from the environment during their life time.
But...what happens when these trees are killed and left to rot and decay on the forest floor?

-How does logging impact the forests and the peoples in South America?

-If we were to stop logging/deforestation entirely, where would we obtain our manufactured goods? How will we employ the people that worked in the industry? What impact would that have on the environment?

2008-12-03T22:12:00.003-05:00

What changes a new day can bring!
So, after lunch today just before checking rain gauges, we went on a mini field trip. The SERC center has the longest record of climate data collection in the world! The mini field trip took us atop the SERC centers weather tower, which happens to stand 120ft tall!

Now, some of you may know that I am afraid of heights:

But, you know what? Some times you have to over come your fears, and just...deal with it appropriately. Evaluate costs and benefits. I decided that this was likely a 'once' in a lifetime opportunity, and it would be great to show you all the best horizon picture as well:

I ended that last clip with a focus on a solar panel.
I want you to be able to give me the following information:
What powers a solar panel
How are they made
What can we use solar panels for
What are the pros and cons of its use
List 5 new/possible technologies that we can use solar panel technology for
(hint, some folks are manufacturing cell phones that are charged by small solar panel packs!)

2008-12-02T17:19:00.003-05:00

Hi Students and Friends!
Today I learned some information about what happens when a tree falls in the woods!
It doesn't just leave a huge crater (as well as a huge mound) but it allows growth, a new habitat for new organisms to thrive!

So, give me this information:
List 5 organisms you may commonly find in a North American Forest
Out of this list, choose one organism and tell me at least 5 specific things it needs to thrive

Also,
If a tree falls in the woods, and no one is around to hear it fall...did it still fall?
:)

2008-12-01T20:41:00.004-05:00

Hi Students and Friends!
Thank you so much for posting your comments (Especially Armondo, and Oscar!). Yes, I am now in Maryland and I am really enjoying myself and learning a lot! I hope you are doing well back at East Side (btw, I wore my East Side shirt today!).
I was never too into forest ecology while I was in school because I thought it was boring.
Well, I am so glad I am doing this project! I am learning more in depth information about forest management and I found out that a project that I am interested in, is actually done at this SERC center through its collaboration with a sister program in Belize with Dr. Fuller! The project deals with mangroves and its uses.

Anyway, for today I have 2 blog videos for you.

This video is of forest technician Nancy as she goes over what we will specifically be doing as a part of our practice of field work. These are the 3 specific objectives.

This video is of me actually performing those objectives
(My red shirt is under the grey hoodie)

We measured the diameter of the trees using the DBH tape (diameter (of tree at) breast height). The diameter is related the biomass of each tree.
Our goal is to be able to use this data to estimate the amount of carbon that each tree stores in its tissues!
Earlier that day I learned that a good estimate is:
50% of an organisms biomass is carbon storage.

Students answer these questions for me
What is biomass
What is diameter
If 50% of an organisms biomass is carbon storage, what is an estimate of the total carbon in YOUR body??

2008-11-30T22:05:00.003-05:00

Hi Students and Friends!!

I am finally here, and after a long day I am going to go to bed!
We've made introduction, I've biked a portion of the campus, I've made a new list of goals and have begun work on refining the project we will implement when I get back to East Side!!

I don't want you to go away with out getting at least a glimpse of where I am.

Here is a video:

The essential of this video and your job is to:
Write a journal entry to explain the shift of humanity from hunter gatherer societies to agricultural societies.

In this video I explain that in Baltimore it is hunting season. During hunting season people are required to wear orange vests to protect them from being mistaken for 'game' animals (animals that are legally killed for food/sport/etc).
Hunting still exists even though we do not have to hunt to take care of our families.
So, if we do not need to hunt, why do we continue to hunt year round?

test

2008-10-30T13:23:00.004-04:00

Great!
As I am getting ready for my expedition I am going through many trials as well as positive experiences.

I will speak more about the positives :)

I can see that my students are definitely excited about the opportunity. We have been discussing ecology, forests, food webs and energy transfer within systems to act as a platform to use this expedition as a learning tool.
While I am away the students will continue their venture towards learning about the environment through readings, discussion, interpreting artwork, and doing their own research in addition to watching the videos and reading the blog posts that I create during my expedition.