At Mt. Hood Community College, students use the forests of the Latourell watershed as the basis for their studies in natural resources. These forests provide the working environment for demonstrating ecological, social, and market issues relevant to forest education today.

The poster presentation will describe how the multi-dimensional issues associated with forests at work are translated into opportunities for advanced technological education for natural resources technicians. Funded by a National Science Foundation grant, faculty in the Forest Resources Technology and Integrated Natural Resources Technology programs at MHCC are developing a watershed-based framework in which students learn and apply natural resources technology. The forested Latourell watershed, on the western slope of the Cascade Mountains, is a designated watershed for the grant.

The 2500-acre Latourell watershed includes forests managed for a wide range of uses, from commercial timber production on private lands to public recreation within the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area. Students learning within the context of this diverse watershed gain direct experience with the complex interrelationships that exist in forested watersheds. For example, a recent regeneration harvest that occurred adjacent to Latourell Creek provides a site where students study reforestation methods, riparian management and faunal diversity. These experiences will then be linked to other learning activities across the watershed, such as assessing changes in forest cover and habitat quality over time.

Contextual education within a watershed that incorporates multiple landowner objectives, provides relevant experiences necessary for effective natural resources education.