On the first day of October, the East Grand Outdoor Heritage class visited Baxter State Park for a trek up Mount Katahdin. The students had a great time exploring the Hunt Trail, while gaining first-hand experience in the ecology of Maine’s diverse mixture of deciduous and coniferous woodlands. While guiding his class up the mountain trail, instructor David Apgar provided instruction on tree identification and the ecology of Maine’s forests.
The mountain provides a unique opportunity for learning that can’t be matched in the confines of a classroom. Because of its elevation, the mountain acts as a living model; changes in elevation produce conditions that match the conditions in North America as one approaches the Arctic Circle.
This unique feature lets the students experience firsthand the various biomes one might encounter across the American continent. Recent storms that lashed the park in the days before the trip brought an unexpected opportunity to observe the effects of runoff on the trails, and see weathering and erosion in real time as runoff from the storms turned trails into brooks and streams.
At the top of the mountain, the students were treated to a rare view of Maine’s woods, lakes, and rivers, and got a chance to learn about how it all works together to form the rich ecosystem that all Mainers enjoy. The students were able to observe how variations in soil and topography determine the types of trees that flourish in a given area.
The trip is part of a program at East Grand that encourages the use of the outdoors as a teaching resource for all subjects. The Outdoor Heritage class is a pilot project that seeks to instill in its students a respect for Maine’s rich natural resources, and how humans can make use of them in a balanced and sustainable way.
