Kids in the Woods

Children grades 3-5 were in for a treat June 24. The West Iron County Public School buses took them on an unforgettable field trip to the Ottawa National Forest Visitor Center in Watersmeet for a day of nature education and fun. They were then greeted by Shanelle Saunders, conservation education coordinator for the U.S. Forest Service, who discussed different facets of the environment, including its wildlife and ecosystems. Smokey and a group of fire fighters from California also taught the youth about the importance of fire safety. After lunch was served, students headed off to Imp Lake to complete a 1.8 mile hike on the nature trail, allowing them to complete two sections of the Ottawa National Forest Backpack Program.

Pictured left to right: Emerson Osterlund, Amirah Gorman, Devyn Gorman, Kyla Gorman, Chevy Carlson, Dominick Mottes, Isabelle Schiavo, Apollo Werth, Smokey Bear, Kissalyn Jines, Silvia Werth, Olivia Werth, Sophie Rhino, Jacey Gorman, Braylee Chernach, Jax Blair, Peter Schiavo.