Bellefontaine Intermediate School fifth-graders made a trek to the Grey Oaks Tree Plantation earlier this month, prior to the dramatic drop in temperatures, for hands-on experiences to examine concepts they have been studying in their life science unit.
Grey Oaks, located on Township Road 179 near Bellefontaine, has been hosting this field trip for fifth-graders for the past five years.
The tree farm offers students a unique opportunity to experience first-hand many different ecosystems, such as forest, meadow marsh, vernal pool and wetland. It also was named the 2021 Tree Farm of the Year by the Ohio Forestry Association and the Ohio Tree Farm Program.
During the field trip, students visited various learning stations, where they identified invasive species, developed food webs for the ecosystems they observed, learned the value of wetlands, learned the importance and saw practical application of land and animal conservation, identified numerous habitats, and learned how to identify carnivores, omnivores, and herbivores based on teeth.
A special experience for students was a presentation by the Ohio Wildlife Center that included four ambassador animals for students to see as they learned about their importance in the ecosystem.
The field trip was possible due to numerous volunteers, including Steve McGinnis (state forester for Grey Oaks), Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Logan Soil and Water Conservation District, their teachers, retired teachers, parents, Vineyard Christian Fellowship Church, Kelly’s Septic and Brown’s Lawn & Tree Service.
