Forest 360
Welcome to the Summit Bechtel Reserve. We are going to explore an Appalachian hardwood forest. These forests provide many services to us and are very valuable.Let’s start by discussing what ecosystem services are. Ecosystem services are goods that the ecosystem provides. In the Appalachian forests, this list is long. Some include:
1. Freshwater production
2. Carbon sequestration
3. Timber
4. Recreation
5. Wildlife habitat
6. Flooding prevention
7. Erosion control
Did you know that 80% of the water in the United States originates from forested headwater watersheds?
Did you know that wildlife use the forest in several ways. All animals need three things to survive. Food, water, and shelter. The forests provide all three to most animals. Can you think of some ways a forest provides food? Did you know that West Virginia is home to 70 wild mammals and almost 300 species of birds?
Find plants and animals that live in the Appalachian hardwood forest.
Look under rocks and logs.
Look in a stream.
Look up in the canopy.
What kind of plants occupy the understory?
What trees live in this forest?
Take pictures of species that you find!
Mission Wall