Goralnik, Lissy; O’Connell, Kari; Schulze, Mark; Nelson, Michael Paul. 2015. HJ Andrews Forest Discovery: A conceptual framework for interdisciplinary interpretation. In: Proceedings of the 2015 Symposium on Experiential Education Research (SEER); October 22- 25, 2015; Portland, Oregon, USA. 43nd Annual International AEE Conference}: Association for Experiential Education (AEE): 30-34.
The H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest (HJA) in the Oregon Cascades is one of 24 sites in the Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) Network. Currently hosting 85 research projects on forests, watersheds, natural resources management, and the humanities, the HJA also offers experiential training for undergraduate and graduate students, professional development for teachers, and programs for K-12 students. Since much of the terrain at the HJA is steep or occupied with sensitive research materials,
school visits are limited to tours given by HJA staff or to designated areas within the forest.
The HJA Discovery Trail was developed in 2011 as a place for visitors (~1800 in 2014) to explore the forest from site headquarters, but it is not yet amenable to unguided educational exploration. An interpretive learning trail and fieldtrip support framework for the Discovery Trail would provide new
opportunities for visitors to learn about the forest, site research, and personal responsibility for ecological systems. It would also facilitate more student visitors and provide teachers with the resources and confidence to take advantage of experiential learning opportunities in the forest.