Nothing lasts forever, especially dams. Not planning for the future is full of consequences and surprises

Who determines the worth of a river and what values do they use?

Think about the many benefits, resources and products that forests provide: beautiful parks, recreational areas, wildlife habitat, clean air, lumber for wood manufacturing. Who is responsible for managing and caring for trees and forests? How do we ensure our resources will be sustainable for future generations? Do you have skills or interests that could help the field of Forestry?

Follow Into the Outdoors Adventure Team members Charlie and Lucas as they learn about the diverse career opportunities in the field of Forestry.

There are heroes out there. You may not recognize them, hiding in the trees, but they are there. Agents doing their job with skill and strength, wielding the most advanced technology, fighting disease and pestilence, managing our resources for the service of humanity. They are the Heroes of the Forest.

Trees and forests provide so much for us: places of beauty and recreation, shade for our homes, wood products like paper and building materials, habitats for animals, clean air, and more. It’s important that they are managed sustainably, which means caring for them so they will be healthy and provide resources for future generations.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources collaborates with a vast network of professionals who manage the ecological, economic, social, and cultural well-being of our forests. This episode explores the variety of careers in the field of Forestry, from silviculturists to data analysts, fire fighters to GIS specialists. Students are introduced to opportunities and programs that provide training and pathways to diverse careers. The technology used for forest management and wood-product manufacturing is showcased. The importance of diversity in the field is emphasized, showing that individuals from all backgrounds and communities should have a voice and participate in the care of our natural resources.

Join Into the Outdoors Adventure Team members, Charlie and Lucas, as they embark on a special mission to meet and recruit Heroes of the Forest.

Farming and raising animals is not the same everywhere.  Each tract of land has its own soil type, bedrock, plant cover type and percentage, water flow and slope.  All of these factors play a part in the vulnerability of surface and ground water to contamination by farm run-off.  This runoff could contain manure, fertilizer, herbicides, insecticides or other substances from machinery and operations.  The contaminants in the run-off could kill aquatic plants and insects at the base of the food web, or make them grow too numerous.  Each situation puts the aquatic ecosystem off balance and lowers species diversity by decreasing the survival rate of sensitive organisms.

Did you know that trees are actually plants? Or that we would be unable to survive on this planet without plants? These are just a few of the facts presented in this Serious Science video. Josh and Caroline start things off with a debate about whether plants are best as an economic product or as a living home to wildlife. Where do you stand?

 

So...what is a plant exactly? Josh and Caroline will help you out with that one, before handing things off to mission control. There, Amelia defines the different values related to forests.

First, it's important to understand the difference between abiotic and biotic factors. Biotic factors are living things that contribute to healthy ecosystems. Trees fall into this category, as they take in carbon dioxide, expel oxygen, and feed other species. Abiotic factors include non-living, but essential, parts of an ecosystem. Water, air, soil, and structure fall into this category. Again, trees provide, or help to provide, a multitude of abiotic factors.

Watch the video to learn about the variety of values related to plants. Ecological, economic, social, recreational, cultural, and traditional values all tie in to how humans perceive the environment. What do you value about plants, trees, and the natural world?

Check out the links below and the lesson activities to gain more knowledge about the role plants play in our lives.

Aquaculture is the production of fish, either in containment nets or in recirculating systems.

Aquaponics is the combination of fish culture and hydroponic vegetable production.

Aquaponics systems are more economically and environmentally feasible than typical recirculating aquaculture systems.  By growing a secondary crop, such as vegetables or herbs, costs associated with construction, operation and maintenance can be distributed across both fish and vegetable production and make both more viable in cost return.  Plants/vegetables via the nitrogen cycle help break down ammonia and nitrates and remove them from the culture water.  This is mutually beneficial for both plant propagation and fish culture.

In aquaponics the fish effluent and the nutrients left by leftover decomposing fish food can be utilized by plants and other aquatic life as food.  Rather than just throwing away these nutrients food can be produced. Creating a closed loop is not only economically more viable but is also more environmentally sustainable.

 

Even though traditional agriculture of farming the land is on the decline, aquaculture, also known as fish farming, is on the rise and offers new educational and occupational opportunities. And aquaponics is also a growing trend that has a strong sustainable side.

Aquaculture involves the breeding, rearing, and harvesting of water-raised plants and aquatic animals in various water environments; including tanks, ponds, rivers, lakes, and even the ocean. Aquaculture produces food fish, sport fish, bait fish, ornamental fish, crustaceans, mollusks, algae, sea vegetables, and fish eggs. And some operations combine two or more products in the same operation. Watch our video here and you’ll see for yourself how they make ‘surf n turf” under the same roof.

Some aquaculture operations produce seafood from hatchery fish that are grown to market size in ponds, tanks, or raceways. Other operations grow the combination of fish and plant species used in a variety of food, pharmaceutical, nutritional, and biotechnology products.

Freshwater aquaculture produces species that are native to rivers, lakes, and streams. This aquaculture is dominated by catfish but also produces trout, tilapia, and bass. Freshwater aquaculture takes place primarily in ponds and on the land, inside man-made systems such as recirculating aquaculture systems.

Below you’ll find helpful links and lessons about aquaculture and aquaponics.