Reciprocal Learning and Forest and Climate Leaders Retreat at Kemp Research Center

By Cherie Thunder

Wisconsin Fast Plants/ POSOH Intern

Sustainability Leadership Cohort 2013

Forest and Climate Leaders Retreat at Kemp Research Center

June 21-June 24

Woodruff, WI

With Memories of capture the flag, jumping from the high dive, and midnight Sun Drop raids, how can we forget the time spent at UW-Madison’s Kemp Research Center? High school students, community members, scientists, undergraduate and graduate students all gathered for the Forest and Climate Leaders Research Retreat in Woodruff, WI from June 21^st to June 24^th. The four day event was a great way to explore different careers in the STEM fields and to mutually learn from each other. Students and scientist alike were given the chance to exchange ideas and explore other cultures.  

Kemp Natural Resources Station is a research and teaching facility operated by the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences of the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Located in the heart of Wisconsin's Northwoods, Kemp Station's 235 acres support some of the last remnants of old-growth forest in the Lake States as well as research by many of the university’s scientists and students. 

Dr. Ankur Desai with the Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Department at UW-Madison brought several of his graduate and undergraduate students to teach students about climate change topics related to the forest. SDI Education Coordinator Kate Flick collaboratively designed the retreat with Ankur Desai. “Ankur and I had been talking about how to spark students’ interests in science and decided to try exposing high school students to what scientists really do and the career pathways of how they got to where they are…shift their perspective that scientists just wear lab coats to something like they are actually real people and fun to boot. What better way than to hang out and do real science in the woods?” Kate said. In fact, the retreat was the first ever of its kind to involve high school students at UW-Madison’s Kemp Research station.

The retreat gave students the opportunity to begin understanding some of the impacts of climate change locally and globally and to acquire new science skills such as, performing real scientific research and carrying out experiments in the field.  One of the experiments included setting off smoke bombs to understand how air flows (or fluxes) through a forest and eventually ends up at a flux tower. These giant towers continuously take measurements on important green house gases. Two days were spent learning from the scientists and the of team graduate students in both the classroom and in the field at research sites in the area.  The students were able to do some soil and water testing, tree coring, and learning about meteorology and lakes. 

During the evening the students participated in nightly fires, talking circles, medicine wheel teachings, and a climate change decision making activity. The fire provided informal times to understand the stories of how students and scientists found and followed their career pathways.  By doing the decision making activity students gained an understanding of why important climate change issues need to be discussed and voted upon in order to find community consensus. We held a mock community meeting where participants took on different roles of community stakeholder interests in whether to build a wind farm near the College or not.  Stakeholders included College of Menominee nation students and staff, Menominee Tribal Enterprise employees, near-by homeowners, coal workers at a power plant, community interest groups, and scientists. The medicine wheel teachings provided a great way to share the Menominee culture and remind everyone involved why we were participating in the retreat in the first place. SDI food sovereignty intern Lloyd Frieson said, “The medicine wheel is something that brings all our nations together."  Dr. Ankur Desai also emphasized that science had its own strong traditions rooted in curiosity. 

Throughout the retreat everyone had responsibilities like cooking meals, washing dishes and cleaning the kitchen. Being a community leader is one of prominent goals of this cohort and was represented through doing chores daily and giving back to your place or community. These duties helped bring the group together and teach the students to be in charge of and responsible for their own actions. 

Everyone was surprised at how well they were able to relate to one another. The scientists, students, and interns all seemed to express and appreciate that their knowledge of science and culture was expanded by the end of the weekend. Overall the trip was a great success and we have high hopes for the future forest and climate leaders of the Wisconsin area.

"I couldn't think of a better day at work," an Internship Experience

Sheldon Waupochick, SDI Intern

My internship experience started with meeting new people, which so far is the best part.  A group of new people going through the same new experience as me; it was a very comfortable feeling.  The first thing we learned about was SEK (scientific ecological knowledge) and TEK (traditional ecological knowledge).   Looking at a forest and applying both of these methods to understand the true components, both traditionally and scientifically.  It was very interesting to learn more in-depth about the same forest I lived in a majority of my life.  With the presence of Dr. Kimmerer, instructor from SUNY ESF, I had much help in understanding factors that affect the rate of tree growth, species, soil depth, and temperature.  I found out that there is an answer to all these factors, and it is “It depends.” I now have a better knowledge of tree identification, which is kind of annoying now that I am always trying to identify trees outside of work. 

With the other interns from SUNY ESF, we took several trips to various vantage points throughout the Menominee reservation.   I thought it was “cool” to be able to help show these people from New York the “Dells” and other places where I have been enjoying recreational activities my whole life.  Places like the “Dells” probably don't exist many other places on earth and we had the opportunity to explore the area and learn in depth of the tree species with Dr. Kimmerer.  At that moment, I couldn't think of a better day at work than that.

On the 6^th of June, the other interns and I were given the opportunity to attend the 37^th Annual National Indian Timber Symposium.  Located in the conference center of my hometown I learned from many interesting people.  During the symposium I learned about climate-change, forest ecology, invasive species, and species range shifts.  These instructors came from all over the country, and I was most pleased to spend time with instructor Tony Waupochick, who is my father.  During a tour of the Menominee reservation and Stockbridge reservation I met another Native American from California.  We had several conversations, and in one of them, he said he met the president and had dinner with him. I thought that was very interesting. 

As an LFTL intern, we were given a task to team with SUNY ESF interns and repair an Oak Wilt Gap.  This Oak Wilt Gap was an area on the Menominee reservation that has been exposed to the Oak Wilt Disease.  Mentored by Jeff Grignon (Menominee Forester), we as a group, got to decide the future of this piece of land by how we would repair it.  First we had to think about how the forest sustains us, and how we sustain the forest.  After learning a variety of aspects of forest management we applied these methods to our Oak Wilt Gap prescription.  Menominee Tribal Enterprises has the capability to prescribe burn or manipulate land mechanically with machines or men with chainsaws.   In a group presentation we described how we recorded the tree species, temperature, and other data of the area.  In two weeks we completed our prescription and possibly made our mark on the future of the Menominee forest. 

After completing only half the internship I feel I've learned a lot.  I can’t wait to get the opportunity to travel to the Huntington Wildlife Forest, New York and live vise versa of SUNY ESF interns.  I believe that the Sustainable Development Institute is making great strides in innovating learning experiences to us interns.  The second best factor of this internship is that I get to keep my knowledge forever and apply it throughout the rest of my educational journey. 

Blog post written by Sheldon Waupochick, Summer 2013 CMN SDI Intern for the Learning From the Land Experience