On December 5th, 2015, a handful of iUrban Teen families joined the Forestry Service for some tree cutting, fun memories and forestry learning. The morning started off with hot-chocolate and an engaging conversation about what nature offers us and the many ways that the earth provides us with resources. We discussed the benefits of trees, the forest, the sun and waterways. Some notable responses from the group was that nature gave us shelter, water, energy, firewood, peace and beauty. For some of the attendees, it was their first time out in Wind River, or even tree cutting! It was a wonderful opportunity to reflect on how important the natural world is in our everyday lives and take a tree home for the holidays.
The group then headed out to Forestry maintained land where evergreens are grown yearly for individuals, families and general coniferous tree lovers to enjoy during the holiday season. It was a lovely snow covered drive. On the property, there were a combination of Douglas Firs and Noble Firs to name a few. Selecting the right tree definitely required teamwork within our groups. Walking through the winter wonderland was chilling and invigorating. There were trees of all sizes and some of the larger ones required a steady hand for the hand saw. Needless to say, we all found our perfect tree – some folks even found two!!
Once we’d cut down our trees, we returned to the bonfire that the Rangers had made and enjoyed some good old-fashioned s’mores! With the indoor fire going, it felt like we were having a camping style cookout. We continued our conversation about nature and the Rangers shared with the families how a future in the Forestry service could be an option for each and every one of them.
Without a doubt, the tree cutting was an educating and enjoyable event. It was a nice change of pace to spend time in nature with each other. There’s nothing like making new friends while taking in the great outdoors!
Grace Andrews
iUrban Teen Advisory Board Co-Chair
Solutions Engineer @ Puppet Labs
