Whidbey Island Field Trip in the Spring!

Students from the Biotech Academy participated in a second field trip this school year to the Whidbey Island Tree Farm to continue their ecological studies.  This trip was special because the local ecology experiences seasonal changes. Skunk cabbage was in full bloom! Horsetails and stinging nettles invaded all of the sample sites.  Salmon berry plants were in bloom and fern sporophytes were unfurling.  The warm weather allowed for swimming and pirating on the pond.  And a fortuitous low tide of -2.5' allowed us to explore local Hidden Beach.  It was a great trip and the students and staff enjoyed their connectivity to the natural world.

Beautiful 1st day, looking north.

Making connections-playing screaming toes.

Making connections-team building.

Using trigonometry to learn about carbon sequestration.

Collecting bugs.

Tree huggers measureing the DBH.

Bug trap collection!

Now the hard part!  Data analysis.

Species identification.

Measuring trees.

Champion plankton net tow!