SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – South Tahoe Environmental Education Coalition (STEEC) hosted third and fourth grade students from the Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) at the annual Children’s Forest field trip at the Tallac Historic Site.

The third graders dove into lessons on the water cycle, Washoe history, plant identification, and dendrochronology (tree-ring dating).

During a lesson with local Master Gardener, David Long, third grade students documented plants while learning traditional Washoe uses for each one.

“I learned that strawberry plants help with a stomachache,” said a third-grade student from Sierra House Elementary.

Members from the Sugar Pine Foundation taught students about dendrochronology. Students used an increment borer to count the age of native trees and learn about tree health.

A third-grade student from Meyers Elementary School exclaimed, “I like learning about how you don’t have to cut trees down to study them. You can just use this special tool!”

The fourth graders focused on aquatic invasive species, living with fire, and tree biology. Members from the U.S. Forest Service taught students about the importance of forest management and what makes a forest healthy.

Kaitlin Green, a 4th grade teacher at Meyers Elementary School, said “The kids have an incredible opportunity to learn in their local environment and apply what they learn, all in a beautiful place. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity.”

This is the 17th year of environmental programming offered by the South Tahoe Environmental Education Coalition. STEEC is a collaborative network of more than 20 local agencies and organizations with an aligned mission to bring environmental education resources to Lake Tahoe youth. Many STEEC partners rely on AmeriCorp fellows to teach environmental education. This year, federal funding cuts to AmeriCorps and the U.S. Forest Service impacted programming, with fewer environmental educators available to host stations