Lesson 4: The Sustainable Forest

Objective

1. To understand that California has the most comprehensive timber harvest regulations in the nation
2. To understand that California foresters must prepare a timber harvest plan and have it approved by the Department of Forestry before harvesting may take place on private forest land in California
3. To understand that many different kinds of forest workers cooperate to help a registered professional forester in preparing a timber harvest plan, such as wildlife and fisheries biologists, botanists, geologists, and hydrologists
4. To understand that sustainable forestry ensures balance between increasing consumer demands for wood products and safeguarding environmental needs

Skills

1. Ecology
2. Environmental Sciences
3. Natural History
4. Government
5. Art
6. Association

Vocabulary

Relic

An object with historic value that has survived from the past

Hydroelectric plant

A place where electricity is produced by the energy of rapidly moving water

Spawning

The producing or depositing of eggs by fish

Erosion

The wearing away of the soil, usually by wind or water

Riparian zone

The area along a river or stream

Focus

1. Establish the comprehensive nature of laws that protect California's forests and wildlife by asking the students to guess what some of these laws might concern. Put their suffestions on the board. Examples are given below:

• protecting wildlife and fish
• keeping water clean
• keeping the air clean
• protecting other plants in the forest

2. Read together the material in the "Did You Know?" activity sheet to validate correct answers and to illustrate some of the particular rules that protect forest health and provide protection for wildlife.

Enrichment Activity

1. Have the students make a forst panorama display:

• Print the left side of Forest Panorama
• Print the right side of Forest Panorama
• Fold and glue the right side to the left side of the Forest Panorama
• Color the picture
• Cute the information windows along the dotted lines
• EMPHASIZE NOT TO CUT THE TOPS OF THE WINDOWS!
• Have the students glue a perimeter along the outside back of the panorama ONLY
• Glue the panorama to the information sheet along the outside perimeter
• The two pages need to be positioned so that the written information lines up with the windows.

2. Make an optional set of props so that the panorama can stand:

• Give students two 3x5 index cards
• Have them fold each card in half
• Halve them glue one half of each card, with the fold up, to the back of the finished panorama. The card will act as a prop.

Other Materials Needed:

Student Vocabulary List

Did You Know?

Did You Know? Key

Panorama (Left Side)

Panorama (Right Side)

Info for Panorama Windows