Middle School Students Get Their Hands Dirty at Piscataquis County Green Jobs Fair

Middle and high school students from SeDoMoCho Middle School, Piscataquis Community Secondary School, and Tri-County Technical Center spent a windy Tuesday at the Law Farm Nature Trails in Dover-Foxcroft getting a hands-on feel for Maine’s green economy. The Annual Green Jobs Fair celebrated its 4th year, providing students with opportunities to connect with professionals and explore career possibilities in the natural resources sector. From measuring tree height to getting their hands dirty, students were ready to participate and learn about the skills, tools, and career paths that keep Maine’s forest sector thriving!

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The Natural Resources Conservation Service encouraged students to roll up their sleeves with soil science! Students explored how different soil types separate into layers, how water runoff and erosion affect landowners, along with strategies to prevent them.

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Pleasant River Lumber Company offered a chance to sit in the seat of a logger, showcasing the technology used to sustainably manage forests. For some students, the controls on today’s harvesting equipment may feel familiar, like video game controllers, showing how their interests connect to real-world skills in the forest industry.

District Forester Jim Ferrante teaches participants to use a Biltmore stick to measure tree height.

Maine Forest Service District Forester Jim Ferrante introduced students to the role of a forester and demonstrated tools of the trade, including a Biltmore stick. The demonstration was part of a collaboration with the Maine TREE Foundation and its Forest Ecology Research Network (FERN) program, which gives students hands-on experience monitoring forest ecosystems on their school grounds.

Students get creative with leather stamping, designing and making their own personalized tags.

This event was organized by the Piscataquis Environmental Education Collaborative (PEEC), a coalition working to expand environmental education and hands-on learning opportunities for students. PEEC brings together the Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District (PCSWCD), Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), Maine Audubon, Maine TREE Foundation, and Rural Aspirations Project (RAP). Through these partnerships, PEEC works to broaden educational opportunities and inspire student aspirations across Piscataquis County schools while fostering a stronger sense of place, community, and belonging. To find out more information or to become more involved with PEEC, please contact any of the following: Kacey Weber, katherine.weber@piscataquisswcd.org.

This event was made possible thanks to generous funding from the Onion Foundation and Kiwanis Club of Dover-Foxcroft and to the many businesses, organizations, and volunteers who shared their time, knowledge, and passion with the next generation of Maine’s outdoor career professionals!

To bring an immersive Green Jobs Fair to your school or district, contact info@mainetree.org.