The heart of this educational opportunity is a remnant old growth oak forest in Shoreview, MN. The landowners, who first came here in 1965 and now span three generations, would like to preserve their land as an educational space. Learning opportunities are abundant.
The Forest benefits the students...
At Oak Forest Academy, students will spend part of every day outdoors. Time in the fresh air, sunlight, and natural spaces is good for physical, mental, and emotional health. The forest provides opportunity for deep learning as a laboratory for real world experiments and work. It also provides unstructured space for play, relaxation, and exercise.
...and the students benefit the forest
Many environmental schools allow students to observe nature. Here we envision going a step further by allowing the students to actively nurture and nourish the ecosystem. Ecosystems are always changing, but in the 21st-century their natural progression is often hampered by human influence. At Oak Forest Academy, students give back to the land by assisting in the healthy regeneration of the natural plant community. This could involve monitoring disease, removing invasive species, enhancing habitat, and protecting seedlings.
The forest as a Laboratory
Not just a beautiful setting, the forest becomes a laboratory for biology, ecology, physics, mathematics, and chemistry. Rigorous studies of the forest informs many other topics, deepening our students’ experience.
Forest economics
The forest provides many opportunities for industry. Diseased trees are milled into lumber, which, after a period of drying, can be made into any number of products. This provides a perfect opportunity for students to participate in real world economics. Other forest produce includes syrup, berries, and decorative items.
