Chattermarks

By guest blogger Elisabeth Keating

“The coolest part was when we went snorkeling in Ross Lake, looking for fish. Remember how cold it was?”

“We met a Spanish forestry Ph.D. student on the boat on Ross Lake. She’s here to study how we manage our forests because in her country, the forests have been logged so much they barely have any trees left. She told us she couldn’t believe how huge and unspoiled our forests are!”

“My favorite day was when we learned all about bears and the effect of climate change on bear habitat. I didn’t know the bears we have here were endangered, I thought it was all about the polar bears.”

“I’ll never forget watching the meteor showers when we were lying on the dock last night!”

“Remember how we held hands and ran the final few yards up to Desolation Peak? I couldn’t believe we made it!”

It’s a beautiful Saturday morning in the North Cascades at the North Cascades National Park Visitors Center in Newhalem, WA. As I walk the trails, I’m regaled with tales of scientific discovery and high adventure by 19 very enthusiastic and bright high school students. Freshly back from 19 days of hiking to Mount Baker’s glaciers and summiting Desolation Peak, riding out thunderstorms on Cascade Pass and exploring the underwater world of Ross Lake, the students are full of stories and it’s all I can do to keep up. Best of all it’s not over yet: still to come are 2 final days of camping, planning school projects that will extend the students’ learning to elementary school students, brainstorming and rehearsing presentations. Tomorrow, we’ll get an inside look at Diablo Powerhouse to learn about hydro electric power—a renewable energy source that must be balanced with protecting salmon habitat.

On today’s agenda: learning about national parks and putting in some time to plan what projects the students will bring home to their schools in the fall. Last summer, I spent an incredible day exploring the glaciers of Mount Baker with the 2009 students, and I can’t wait to learn about what this year’s crop of Cascades Climate Challenge students has been up to.

At ten AM, we meet the two Park Service rangers who will be our guides for the day: Will George from Oregon’s Lewis and Clark National Historic Park, and Autumn Carlsen, from North Cascades National Park.

» Continue reading Student for a Day at North Cascades National Park Headquarters

Guest post by Lilly Nash

The first session of the Cascades Climate Challenge (CCC) is in full swing right now, with over 20 students from communities throughout Washington and Oregon learning about climate change and many interconnected over an intensive month of field studies in the North Cascades. Here’s an update on some of what they’ve been studying….

The CCC students learned early on about bear behavior, first in an amazing exploration of forest ecology, fire, habitat, mutualism and even interstellar dust with Mike Brondi at the Environmental Learning Center, and then again from Anne Braaten, a wildlife biologist for North Cascades National Park.  She drew gigantic bear prints in the dirt on a hike up Thunder Knob, as you can see here:

The next day, the students climbed like mountain goats up Sauk Mountain, reaching snowfields and stopping at a ridgeline.  We were fortunate to be joined by Don Mann, an incredible naturalist who helped us identify many flowering plants, including some wild edibles like glacier lilies. From our birds-eye view, students discussed the confluence of the Skagit and the Sauk rivers and what they could tell about the rivers from their riparian zones:

That evening we did an exercise on the sandy shore of Baker Lake, where students emulated glaciers, shuffling their feet back and forth across sand to embody the movements of lateral moraines:

The next day, our group divided up, with one half focusing on an amphibian lesson at Baker River (flat terrain, humid, replete with caves, snakes, Pacific Giant Salamanders and a toad):

and the other on a glacier lesson at Mount Baker with National Park Service geologist John Riedel tracking glacial melting rate in the North Cascades (steeper terrain, powerful water crossing experience, snowfields, visible moraines)

The next day, the two groups swapped locations.   Many people went beyond their own expectations for the more difficult hike and confidence was gained.  Both days were palpably fun.

After our return from Baker Lake, the group did laundry, took showers, made telephone calls and packed for future adventures. We also prepared to teach Kulshan Creek Neighborhood Project kids next week by sharing games techniques and ideas.  Next up: one group is setting out for canoeing at Ross Lake and the other group will be hiking Boston Basin.

It is beautiful where we are—to some extent, a reflection of these CCC students’ very fine hearts.

The North Cascades Institute Staff and Graduate students have spent weeks packing food, preparing curriculum, shuttling canoes, calling students, organizing camping gear and finalizing lessons in preparation for the first of two Cascades Climate Challenge Programs.  On June 29th twenty students from around the Pacific Northwest met for the first time at Sea-Tac Airport to began their three week journey through the North Cascades.

The first few days have been full of nerves, laughs, smiles and lots of questions as the group prepared for their first camping experience with their new community. Already these students have learned how to set up camp, use different types of media to capture their experience, explored trails on their own, and met with North Cascades National Park scientists and rangers focusing their attention on the impacts of climate change on this alpine ecosystem.

» Continue reading Introducing the 2010 Cascades Climate Challenge Team!! (Part 1)

How big is your social network? Use your e-powers for good and help Cascades Climate Challenge win a grant! Go to the  Brighter Planet Project Fund and vote up to 3 times. If we get the most votes, we win $5000.

The money will be used to buy new tents (our current ones aren’t going to make it through the summer), school bus fees (many school districts don’t have field trips because they can’t afford to hire the buses) and supplies for the students (we supply everything the students need for the summer—socks, long underwear, boots, water bottles, raingear, warm fleece, hats—you name it.)

Voting closes June 15, so please spread the word to everyone you know!

Photo (Above) Two Climate Challenge students enjoy Baker Lake in July.

From sea to shining sea . . . Well, okay, not that far, but North Cascades Institute has been traveling far and wide recruiting students to join us for service learning, field science, leadership and fun in this year’s two Summer Youth Programs for teenagers!

Representatives from North Cascades Wild and Cascades Climate Challenge have been tirelessly traveling across the Pacific Northwest meeting with students, teachers and club leaders, encouraging youth to challenge themselves and the norms of high school life by applying for these transformative programs.

» Continue reading Summer Youth Roadshow