Riverside students participate in San Bernardino Forestry Challenge

Three students from Riverside Polytechnic High School and 17 from Riverside’s John W. North High School participated in the 2023 San Bernardino Forestry Challenge held Nov. 15-18 in Green Valley Lake.

The Riverside students were among 148 high school students from 17 schools in Southern California who participated in the event, according to a news release.

One of the highlights of the 2023 Forestry Challenge was the opportunity to do a post-treatment assessment of the Upper Little Bear Mountain Club Fuel Reduction Project. Students collected data on a recently treated, undeveloped forest area owned by the community and will determine if the treatment met the project objectives.

During the challenge, teams of students also completed a field test to assess their technical forestry knowledge and data collecting skills.

“Forestry Challenge is an immersive event that introduces students to the forestry industry,” Lillian Mccandless, adviser for the students from North High

School, said in the news release. “It is a great balance between learning and fun. It allows students to engage with the great outdoors, sometimes for the first time.”

North High School students who participated in the Forestry Challenge

are Rozlyn Lomeli, Braedyn Near, Andy Mejia Garcia, Daniela Hernandez Picasso, Yvette Madrigal, Laidisha Ferreira Santos, Angelica Hurtado, Gaby Armas, Amberly Padilla, Arlene Venegas, Aryana Montez, Carol Devalos, Jaymee Valentin Lopez, Marian

Myorga, Emory Stennis, Vincent Guzman and Nataly Gomez Gutierrez.

Riverside Poly students who participated in the Forestry Challenge are Vincent Mcphee, Porter Mccandless and Nicholas Erickson, with adviser Greg Aniol.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FORESTRY EDUCATORS At the 2023San Bernardino Forestry Challenge held in Nov. at Green Valley Lake are 17students from Riverside’s John W. North High School with their adviser Lillian Mccandless, third row, at left.

At the 2023San Bernardino Forestry Challenge held in Nov. at Green Valley Lake are Riverside Polytechnic High School students Vincent Mcphee and Porter Mccandless, second and third from left, with adviser Greg Aniol. Not pictured is Riverside Poly student Nicholas Erickson.

Riverside Poly High School student Porter Mccandless uses a densitometer to assess canopy density during the 2023 San Bernardino Forestry Challenge held in November at Green Valley Lake.