The month of April was filled with outdoor fun for fourth and fifth-grade students in Lassen County. Each elementary school was invited to participate in two educational events centered around outdoor adventure and recreation on their public lands. Both events, coordinated by the Lassen County Environmental Education Collaborative, occurred over the course of two weeks: Fun and Discovery in Lassen National Forest, April 12th – 14th, and Day in the Desert, April 19th – 21st.
The LCEEC was able to support each school’s transportation to and from the events through a generous grants from the National Park Foundation. The grants were part of the Foundation’s Open OutDoors for Kids program, which supports the White House youth initiative Every Kid in a Park.
“Both events were the most highly attended programs the LCEEC has offered,” said Jessie Diermier, Lassen County Environmental Education Collaborative coordinator. “We are grateful to our partners at the BLM Eagle Lake Field Office and Lassen National Forest, who helped us secure the transportation funding.”
Day in the Desert was based at the Bureau of Land Management’s Antelope-Shaffer-Bald Mountain Management Area near Willow Creek. More than 340 participants from local schools learned about the unique aspects of our high-desert region, including Native American history and archaeology, invasive and native wildlife and plants on the site, and “Tread Lightly” outdoor principles.
Students, teachers, and parent volunteers visited five stations staffed with educators and field professionals from the Lassen County Office of Education, Lassen National Forest, Susanville Indian Rancheria, and the BLM Eagle Lake Field Office: James Hall (LCOE), Jack Scott (LNF), Linn Gassaway (LNF), Robert Gudino (LNF), Adam Gutierrez (LNF), Lowell Thomas (LNF), Sharynn-Marie Blood (BLM), Marilla Martin (BLM), Jennifer Rovanpera (BLM), Missi Nelson (BLM), Valda Lockie (BLM), Josh Huffman (BLM), Marisa Williams (BLM), and Jessie Diermier (BLM).
Fun and Discovery in Lassen National Forest took place at Roxie Peconom Campground, which is also the site for the Mountain Maidu Indians’ Spring Rite “Bear Dance”. Nearly 300 students explored stations focused on “Leave No Trace” principals, stream hydrology features of Roxie Peconom Creek, a dichotomous key hike, botanical scavenger hunts, and pine tree tag.
Four stations were staffed by volunteers and professionals from Lassen National Forest, the Lassen County Office of Education, Susanville Indian Rancheria, and Lassen Land and Trails Trust: Mario Guajardo (LNF), Doug Peters (LNF), Shawn Wheelock (LNF), James Hall (LCOE), Valentina Antonin (LCOE), Tori Willits (LCOE), Melany Johnson (SIR), Amy Holmen (LLTT), volunteer Quincy McCourt (LLTT), and Jessie Diermier (LCEEC).
“Lassen County Office of Education was very excited to be allowed to participate in and partner with LNF and BLM to provide such wonderful events for the students,” said County Superintendent Patty Gunderson. “Any time we can enhance classroom experiences with outdoor, hands on activities, we connect and enrich student learning.”
These events are programs of the Lassen County Environmental Education Collaborative, a partnership between the BLM Eagle Lake Field Office, Lassen National Forest, the Lassen County Office of Education and Lassen Land and Trails Trust. For more information about the Collaborative, the Trust and their work, or about trails to enjoy, please visit www.lassenlandandtrailstrust.org.
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