Ash trees, and brown ash in particular, are critical to forest ecosystem health and to the cultural lifeways of Wabanaki people who have been stewarding this species for thousands of years. The impacts of climate change and the emerald ash borer have the potential to eliminate ash from our region if we don’t act quickly. Working together and by contributing to the Protecting Ash for the Future Community Science Project, we can preserve ash trees and the ecosystems and cultural traditions that rely on them by:

• spotting early signs and symptoms of emerald ash borer so that foresters and land managers can respond quickly;
• identifying seed trees, so ash seed can be stored for future generations of ash;
• locating high quality basket trees so that Wabanaki basketmakers can continue practicing their tradition as healthy ash trees grow scarce.

Join the virtual educator session on Thursday, September 24th from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. to discuss the research project, classroom resources, and how to get students involved.

Support to educators include:

• Free, ready to use, NGSS-aligned classroom resources, including class slides, videos, activities, and identification materials
• Help with finding field sites and fieldwork materials
• Ongoing support from the project team

Benefits to students include:

• Connections to professional scientists and a network of peers involved in the Ash Protection Project
• Experience with fieldwork (aka fun exploring the forest!)
• An authentic context for building STEM practices, ecosystem and cultural knowledge, and understanding of localized impacts of climate change
• Experience contributing significant data to an ongoing research project

Ready to get started? Sign up for updates and virtual opportunties now!

Reach out to Abigail at [email protected] with questions, ideas, or for help getting started.