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Purpose: Increase the population of endangered Blue Karner Butterflies in Adams County.

Observation: Site visit by U.S. Fish and Wildlife and NRCS confirmed the lack of habitat for the endangered Blue Karner Butterfly.

Question:  How does one increase the population of the endangered Blue Karner Butterfly in Adams County

Hypothesis: If the students of Adams - Friendship Area Schools, working with the U.S. fish and Wildlife and the NRCS, restore 15 acres of the Easton School Forest, by selective timber reduction and invasive species eradication, then there will be a 90% increase of wildlife including the endangered Blue Karner Butterfly.

Gathering Background Knowledge:

• Financial Mangament ( Mr. Stelter's 7th grade math)

• Pre-project observations (  )

L.E.A.F Lesson Guides

Experiments:

UNIT One: What is the cause of the Karner butterfly extinction?

• Lessons   Broader Connections.pdf

   

• How changes in the use of Wisonsin forests may affect the forests worldwide
• How forest products affect the economy, society and environment in Wisconsin?

UNIT Two: Selection of Trees for Thinning

• Lessons
  • Tree Identification   Tree ID.pdf
  • Mapping of selected area   Forest Mapping.pdf

     

  • Select 75% of trees
  • Selecting clumps of trees to remain
  • Mark those trees selcted for thinning

UNIT Three: Pre-Data Collection

• Lessons  Forest Diversity.pdf
  • Current butterfly population
  • All trees, shrubs, pants, flowers, wildlife identified and counted
  • Soil and air temperatures
  • Current ecosystem and how it's similar to a government (Mr. Ebert's 8th science and Mr. Gralapp's 6th social studies)

UNIT Four: Tree Cutting

• Completed by DNR

   

UNIT Five: Soil Preperation

• Tree top raking and soil scraping by DNR

UNIT Six: Seed Selection and dispersal

• Lessons
  • Collect current data regarding Karner Blue Butterfly habitat
  • What environment encourages butterfly growth, ie: plants, flowers, habitat?
  • Seed selection
  • Where to disperse of seeds
  • Mapping of seeded areas

Data collection in progress:

• Plants, trees, flowers,
• Current butterfly population

Project History

• Finances
• Initital photographs
• Pictures of lessons in progress
• Up to date graphs
• Interviews
• History of idea
• Brochure to Chamber of Commerce
• Guide to butterfly gardens

Reflection/Conclusion:

Share results:

Mr. Stelter's math group will be in charge of the finances.

Some of the questions needed to be answered.

Transportation costs

Approximately how many trees will be sold.

Approximately how tall in the average stand of trees.

Cost to cut timber, haul away.

Timber profit

EE budget for 2008-09 school year

Mr. Ebert and Mr. Gralapp will be in charge of ecosystems and government

Science inquiry of ecosystem and relationship to how a government works