Students gathered in the ACCF parking lot on the first day, listening to Al Springer discuss safety rules. The "student" with the beard is Lenny Schussel from Umpqua Community College.
A creative way to learn names: toss a hacky sack and call out the person's name as you do so. Even more creative: toss around a half-dozen or more hacky sacks simultaneously!
Marv Mizell, builder extraordinaire, donated his time to help the young people learn about construction…in this case a footbridge across Alder Creek, to be erected on the logs dropped across the stream to Marv's left side.
"First, you pick up one of these logs, then you just drop it across the stream, then you…" Marv giving the ten easy steps to building a footbridge.
Board member and camp volunteer Jim Long watches as students warily cross the not-yet-footbridge.
Jim Long going over footbridge plans with two of the older students, who did a great deal of the construction.
And here come the footbridge materials!
Camp Director Al Springer (the one with the shiny head) introducing Bob Kinyon, Coordinator for the Umpqua Basin Watershed Council and member of the ACCF Board.
Bob Kinyon talking with students about riparian zone management, as they sit in the riparian zone of Alder Creek.
It's another beautiful morning at camp!
Alan Baumann, US Forest Service Fire Ecologist and ACCF board member, talking with students about local vegetation.
Lenny Schussel working with a student to learn DBH (diameter at breast height) on a small incense cedar tree.
Alan and students; also present is Aimee Brown of Oregon Trout.
Work begins on the bridge…
…with horizontal beams measured to make sure all is square with the world before others are added.
Al Springer, Lenny Schussel, and Executive Director Teresa Price meeting with students.
And they're off to do some forest measurement work, hard hats and all!
Alan Baumann working with students to lay out a vegetation plot and inventory trees.
Measuring off the appropriate radius from the plot center.
Meanwhile, back at the footbridge (which was a nice place to work on a hot day)…
…things are measuring up nicely!
By the end of day: progress.
And, with many helpful student hands, the footbridge soon took its final form…
…including an approach trail students constucted on the other side.
Finally, the big day arrived: Thursday August 19, Summer Camp Celebration Day, when all the hard work of students in the forest and on the footbridge was honored.
It's time to cut the ribbon!
Well, cutting the ribbon was alot easier than building the bridge.
Afterward, students and adult volunteers were treated to a barbeque. Nothing like food when you've been working hard!
Camp Director Al Springer at the helm, flipping burgers.
And a final thank-you to Marv Mizell, who did such good work with the students in building the footbridge. Marv, you're a hero!