Forestry starts with trees—knowing how they grow and what part they play in the world as a whole. It helps to know the history of the forest, what kinds of animals live there, and what makes Kentucky's forests special.
Forests affect how we live and provide many things we use, so it is important to take care of them, understand what they give us, and use them wisely. It is also important to know about jobs for people who want to work with trees, timber, or lumber.
We need to understand the effect of today's world on the forests of the future, and we need to think about what kind of forests we would like our grandchildren to enjoy.
Students at Isonville Elementary, Lakeside Elementary, and Sandy Hook Elementary in Elliott County, Kentucky, have provided the artwork and ideas in this booklet to help educate others about our forests and forest resource issues.
These words and pictures show how much a group of young people can come to appreciate Kentucky's forests. We hope they will help you care about our forests, too.
Katie Ison's fourth grade class, Sandy Hook Elementary
The forest has been changed by many things: weather, insects, disease, and people.
When Daniel Boone came to Kentucky, much of the land was covered with large trees, and native peoples were the caretakers of the forest. Later some trees were cut, and land was cleared by settlers for homes and farms. In the late 1800s to early 1900s, the forests changed because of widespread logging. The trees Daniel Boone saw when he came to the state were cut.
When trees are cut from the forest, it leaves room for new trees to grow. This is what has happened in Kentucky, and if Daniel Boone returned today, he would see lots of trees but a different forest.
Laura Sparks' fourth grade class, Lakeside Elementary
"Seeds can travel many different ways. You can even carry one in your shoe."
Trees need air, water, sunshine, and minerals.
There are many different parts of the tree. The roots hold the tree in the ground and give the tree water and minerals. The bark protects the tree like skin protects humans. The leaves make food for the tree. The stem and branches hold up the leaves.
The forest has layers. The top is called the canopy and is made of larger trees. The middle is called the understory and is made of smaller trees. The bottom is called the forest floor, or ground.
Linda Stafford's fifth grade class, Lakeside Elementary
"Animals are not the only thing alive in the forest. There are also plants, like poison ivy."
There are more than 300 kinds of wildlife living in Kentucky's forests. The forest provides habitat for wildlife, so taking care of the forest takes care of where the animals live.
There are around 200 different kinds of trees and shrubs in Kentucky, and about 50 of these can bring in income.
Darreline Lewis' fourth grade class, Sandy Hook Elementary
"The forest is like our community, always changing."
Trees hold the soil in place and keep it from washing into the creeks. Forests provide a special place for many animals and small plants.
The forest is like a puzzle; everything is connected: the animals, plants, soil, water, and trees. They all depend each other.
Everything is tied to everything else like a spider web. When you move one piece, it affects other parts.
Betty Williams' sixth grade class, Sandy Hook Elementary
"It is up to us to make a decision now as to what our future forests will be."
Fire can take waste out of the forest, but uncontrolled fires can be bad and cause a loss of future income from your forest.
If you keep taking the best trees out of the forest and leave the bad trees, the forest's value is decreased, which is called high grading. Damaged trees become more open to insects and disease.
You need to balance or care for what you take from the forest so the future forest increases in quality.
As cities grow in what is called sprawl, land is cleared that results in a loss of forest and agricultural land and a loss of habitat, or places for animals to live.
Linda Stafford's fifth grade class, Lakeside Elementary
"If we take care of the forest, it can provide a lot of what we need to live: a place to work, a place to live, a place to play."
The forest provides homes, food, jobs, and a place to play, and it cleans water. A forest provides a place for recreation: hunting, fishing, hiking, and camping.
The trees are pretty in the spring and fall and that makes people want to come and see the forest.
Lots of people make a living from the forest: loggers, truck drivers, and people in many other careers.
Denise Boggs' fourth grade class, Isonville Elementary
"I had no idea there are so many things that come from trees."
Over 5,000 products come from the forest: lumber, makeup, toothpaste, paper, pencils, maple syrup, oxygen, medicines, furniture, and many more. The forests are a renewable resource. Managing our forests well will allow us to have a continuous supply of forest products.
Toni Johnson's sixth grade class, Lakeside Elementary
"I did not realize the number of jobs in the forest industry."
It takes more than one step to produce a product:
Sharon Boggs' sixth grade class, Isonville Elementary
"To get a job in forestry, you should do well in school. Some jobs in forestry require you to go to college or technical school."
Shana Reed's fourth/fifth grade class, Lakeside Elementary
"We would like a forest with no trash, healthy trees, homes for animals, and a natural and peaceful setting with clean rivers."
If you could look out your window at a forest in 100 years, what would you want to see?
It could be a healthy forest, lots of wild flowers, different kinds of wildlife, an investment for your grandchildren that could send them to college, the trees you climbed when you were a child, and a creek with clean water.
Robin Griffith's fifth grade class, Sandy Hook Elementary
"If you care for the forest, it will give you more of what you want and need."
We can take care of our forests for many different reasons, including providing timber, recreation, water, and a home for wildlife.
To decide how we want to take care of our forests, we need to think about how we want our forests to look in future. Do we want income from the forests, hiking trails, wildlife, or something else? With a good forest plan we can have many choices.
Caring for our forests is like raising our children; the attention we give them will determine their outcome.
Brenda Bradford's sixth grade class, Lakeside Elementary
"I realized how important it is to take care of your trees so they will be worth more money in the future."
It is important to take care of our trees so they will be worth more in the future.
Preventing fires from getting out of control and not using living trees for fence posts will make our trees more valuable. While not all fire is bad, fires that are uncontrolled or "torched" do damage and cost money. Although fire can kill trees, more often fire just causes damage and allows insects and disease to attack. In future years the damaged trees may look sound, but the heartwood or core of the trees may be rotten, which takes away from the quality of the wood and its value.
Freida Tussey's fifth grade class, Isonville Elementary
"Cutting trees is not bad, but it needs to be well planned."
There are many ways to harvest trees:
Trees can grow back or re-sprout from the stump and roots of cut trees.
Vicky Riffe's sixth grade class, Sandy Hook Elementary
"Before I sell my timber, I want to have written on paper what's going to happen."
Here are steps to follow before selling timber:
Jady Skaggs' fifth grade class, Sandy Hook Elementary
"All the information is available for you; all you have to do is ask."
We wanted to celebrate one of our best assets in Kentucky, our youth, by using their help to create a publication for all ages to explain forest resource issues.
Students at Isonville, Lakeside, and Sandy Hook elementary schools in Elliott County, Kentucky, took part in a 4-H project using interactive educational activities about 15 different topics in forestry.
The youth were asked to tell us, in words and drawings, what they learned for each of the15 different topics.
This project was developed and designed by Dr. Marcella Szymanski, Assistant Extension Specialist in Forest Economics and Natural Resources; Gwenda Adkins, Family and Consumer Science Agent, Elliott County; and William Thomas, Agriculture and Natural Resource Agent, Elliott County. Educational activities were provided by Project Learning Tree and Project Wild. Information was provided by the Kentucky Division of Forestry and Daniel Boone National Forest. Some information was specifically designed for this project by the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service.
We would like to thank students and teachers at Isonville, Lakeside, and Sandy Hook elementary schools for their hard work on the project. We thank Debbie Murray, Extension Program Director of the Northeast Area for her support. For their help in reviewing this publication we thank Dr. Jeff Stringer, Assistant Extension Specialist in Hardwood Siliviculture; Doug McLaren, Forestry Extension Associate; and Laurie Taylor, Natural Resource Educator. We also thank UK Agricultural Communications Services for its assistance and the Kentucky Division of Forestry for help with educational activities.
A special thanks to our sponsors: This work was made possible with financial support from the Robinson Forest Initiative Trust, the Northeast Area Homemakers Association, and an Agriculture Achievers grant from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.
Fifth Grade
Teacher: Freda Tussey
Lori A. Adkins
Brittany J. Barker
Kelley Marie Barker
Samantha A. Cox
Amanda Eldridge
Gregory N. Gilliam
Christopher A. Hall
Jonathan J. Hall
Ashley Keaton
Billy Maxie
Bonnie M. Maxie
Hazel Maxie
Timothy R. Maxie
Rodney D. Messina
Tiffany R. Mullett
Cory E. Opp
Garrick Pennington
Jessica R. Salyers
Sarah J. Salyers
James Z. Skaggs
Adrianna Sturgill
Nathan L. Sturgill
Donald C. Vaughn
Amy M. Wagoner
Joanna L. Wagoner
Kimberly W. Wagoner
Rachel C. Wagoner
Sixth Grade
Teacher: Sharon Sloas Boggs
April N. Blankenship
William J. Conley
Kayla R. Evans
Lacy D. Lewis
Nathan S. Lewis
Anastasia N. Lovato
Travis L. Matthews
Margaret C. Maxie
Willis A. Maxie
Sarah E. Porter
Rebecca Sue Rupe
David Skaggs
Keshia D. Skaggs
Johnny G. Stevens
Justin R. Wagoner
Windy R. Wagoner
Rebecka J. Whitley
Fifth Grade
Teachers: Linda Stafford & Shana Reed
Corey T. Bames
Danny Martin Bayless
Leevon Bear
Matthew T. Blevins
Tasha R. Carrington
Joseph Aaron Carter
Morgan E. Carver
Ashley D. Cox
Jonathan Ray Cox
Shaun Riley Cox
Nathan W. Davis
Jared T. Dickerson
Adam J. Eldridge
Tommy Lee Garris
Joshua Ray Greene
Hallie Sue Griffith
Kelsay D. Harper
Lela N. Hickman
Joshua S. Hill
Melissa Leann Holbrook
Sarah R. Ison
Sarah Johnson
Derrick Laney
Christoph Leadington
Hayley Nicole Lewis
Natasha N. Lewis
Justin L. Lyons
Vickie Lee Nicholson
Emily Grace Porter
Jacob D. Randolph
Keisha R. Randolph
Brittany N. Rose
Timothy E. Stephens
Danielle Turner
Latysha D. Walker
Sixth Grade
Teachers: Brenda Bradford & Toni Johnson
Lisa Boggs
Vanessa Sue Brown
Reba Katherine Click
Gregory L. Conn
Michael Paul Cox
Amelia Eldridge
David Chase Evans
Michael Scott Fannin
Nancy K. Greene
Thelma N. Griffith
Troy J. Griffith
Hilary D. Holbrook
Leah E. Horton
Adam L. Howard
Alesha Howard
Joshua Lewis
Kayla Lewis
Chelsa C. Markwell
Andrew Alderick McLaughlin
Nathan A. Moore
Stephanie D. Porter
Derek D. Randolph
Jackie Reynolds
Christopher R. Skaggs
Jessica F. Smith
Nathan Stephens
Heather M. Stevens
Derek Whisman
Amber Nicole Wood
Fourth Grade
Teacher: Katie C. Ison
Lacy Morgan Blevins
Leah Kathryn Blevins
Bethany Bowling
Kaleb Carpenter
Keith Anthony Center
Billy Click
Whitney Nicole Cline
Bronson J. Flatt
Krista Lynn Fultz
David Ray Gillum
Benjamin Terry Green
Stephanie Juniper
Charles A. Kibbey
Mary Ann Noble
Wayne T. Reynolds
Joseph M. Stapleton
Ricky K. Stevens
Kaneatha Thornsberry
John William Walter
Kala Noel Wilson
Sheena Rene Wilson
Fifth Grade
Teacher: Robin L. Griffith
Samantha K. Brickey
Jeremy C. Clinger
Heather Eagle
Justin Tyler Fannin
Billy Malcolm Fultz
Cassie M. Gray
Bryan Lee Holland
Korey Scott Ingram
Samantha Faye Ison
Andrew Zachary Le
Amber Nicole Mofford
James Talbit Nickell
Paul O'Neal Jr.
Nathan Adam Perry
Lucas Lee Stegall
Brittany D. Stephens
Maynard A. Stevens
James Michael Trimble
Laken Hope Wilder
Mary A. Williamson
Danielle Wolfenbarger
Fifth Grade
Teacher: Jady R. Skaggs
Angel Renee Brown
Jeremiah Joseph Butts
Kaleigh Carter
Rachel Marie Castle
Melissa G. Clevenger
Caitlin Coffey
Brian K. Eldridge
Bethann M. Englehardt
Jeffery S. Flannery
Monica Lee Fraley
Samantha L. Gilliam
Teara Noel Jessie
Travis Colby Jones
Brittany Renee Layne
Sabra L. Lewis
Joshua Allen Mason
Sixth Grade
Teacher: Betty S. Williams
James K. Adkins
Ashly N. Boggs
Carol Layne Burton
Frances Collette Burton
Pamela Jean Cline
Jeramie Elliott
Brittany Ferguson
Jessica E. Gilliam
Adam L. Howard
Ricky N. Juniper
Amber N. Kinster
William Anthon Mason
Issac S. Smith
Shelly Rena Smith
Robert Brian Spears
Whitney A. Thompson
Trista June Wagoner
Charles A. Weddington
Charles Daniel Weddington
Jordan Wilder
Sixth Grade
Teacher: Vicky Riffe
Joann M. Brangard
Cody A. Carpenter
Amelia G. Conway
Kendra E. Dickerson
Jaclyn B. Ferguson
Erica D. Gibson
Cameron A. Griffith
Justin Lee Kidd
Dustin E. Line
Aaron D. Moore
Lisa M. Short
Joshua Allen Sims
Joshua Joe Smith
Brenna Ann Telaroli
Justin D. Watson
Ronald E. Weddington
Randi E. White
Aleisha N. Whitt