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BOTTINEAU - Students at Dakota College at Bottineau took their learning outdoors this fall, with hands-on field experiences at several locations. The trips allowed students to apply classroom concepts in real time with a professional perspective.
"These experiences, which are a core part of DCB's Natural Resource program offerings, allow students to pair classroom instruction with real-world practice," said Michelle Cauley, Natural Resources assistant professor.
Students from Natural Resources, Soil Science and Horticulture visited the International Peace Garden to explore the work behind managing soil and sustainability in a large, carefully maintained landscape. They learned about the issues in managing indoor and outdoor soils and the challenges of managing environmental problems while balancing financial constraints and available human resources.
At Lake Metigoshe State Park, North Dakota Fish and Wildlife students joined Environmental Science students to learn about water quality and human impact on natural places. They sought to gain an understanding of the strategies used to manage wildlife while balancing the public’s interest in hunting and fishing and addressing external factors such as disease and pollution.
They participated in an archery activity before learning about water quality assessments and the relationship between the health of water and the microorganisms that inhabit it. The Environmental Science students also showed their humanitarian side by pulling litter from the lake during their water quality study, leaving it cleaner than they found it.
The Intro to Soil Science students were joined by Horticulture and World Food Crops students at a Soil Health Field Day sponsored by the North Dakota State University Extension program at the Langdon Research Extension Center. They learned about cover crops, sustainable soil practices and current research from the experts in the workforce. Standing in a harvested field alongside producers and other students, they saw firsthand how soil health research is shared with the people who use it to make informed management decisions.