A Kindergarten Perspective

Less than four days for Forestry College,
Not much time, but a big need for knowledge?
Try the Southeastern Region Teachers' Tour '99,
I signed up since trees are a big love of mine.
A bus that took us where ever we'd roam,
Louisiana and that bus, they both felt like home.
For history we went to the Forest Heritage Museum,
Looking at the old ways where else can you see them.
Project Learning Tree lessons so late at night,
Peanuts and M&M's almost causing a fight!
It's only Wednesday, a busy half day,
I'm enjoying this learning the Temperate Forest way.
The Thursday wake up call almost brought me to tears,
Breakfast visiting with new friends who were also peers.
Roy O. Martin was our hardwood mill site,
They don't waste a thing, they do it right!
Our mill tour was enlightening, but a little hot,
Somehow I enjoyed it - believe it or not!
The beautiful hardwood silviculture at Thistlethwaite
was such a special and unique part of the state,
I can still see the 75 year old red oak tree
Ready to be harvested to make forest products for me.
Just like families, a generation will be gone,
Life left to the others who will carry on.
Lunch brought us catfish, what a wonderful treat,
Learning about wildlife, pine trees, and some good eats.
International Paper, another great mill tour,
We learned all about Kraft paper, of this I'm sure.
Our dinner at Kent House, an old plantation home,
Full of area history - great food and time to roam.
Now it was time for Forestry 101
Measures and sensors, that's how it's done.
It's already Friday - another day with friends,
Off to the woods before the monsoon begins.
Pine trees our focus in varying stages,
All that I learned wood fill forty pages.
Next was a visit to learn about Land Owner Assistance,
Help for Joel Braud without company insistence.
I'm beginning to see a new side of the industry,
It's also made up of people with visions like me.
A rain dampened lunch at a beautiful site,
Long Leaf Vista - wilderness or not - who's right,
Engineered wood at Boise Cascade - news to me,
Another way to get more from each and every tree.
Elderwood Preserving was an interesting stop,
Pressure Treated Wood a practical way to end rot.
Marksville the stop for another Louisiana treat,
Even a long lost third cousin to meet.
I've learned so much in a very few days,
An industry that cares in so many ways.
A forest is a resource that is sustainable,
And now I know it is really attainable.
I won't forget to encourage science and math
for those who might choose the forest industry path,
But the best and the brightest I'm hoping will be
A teacher who loves learning about trees like me,
A teacher who will help students think with brain and heart,
Maybe even a kindergarten teacher to give the right start.

Beverly Richard
Teachers' Tour Graduate from Texas