Port Blakely welcomed 21 high school students participating in the Foundation for Water and Energy Education's Southwest Washington STEM Career Academy for a full day of hands-on learning in the forest. The weeklong program, coordinated through Centralia College, connects students with industry partners across Southwest Washington to explore careers in natural resources, energy, and environmental stewardship.
Throughout the day, students met with Port Blakely employees representing GIS, silviculture, inventory, wildlife, and forest operations to learn about the many career opportunities in forestry and hear how each employee found a path into the industry. Their visit highlighted the importance of preparing the next generation of forestry professionals in a state with 22 million acres of forestland to sustainably manage.
Students visited an active logging operation to see harvesting equipment in action and learn how timber is safely and efficiently harvested. In the field, they practiced measuring tree plots, learned how foresters monitor tree growth, and used Port Blakely's carbon tape to measure trees and estimate how much carbon is stored in them.
The visit gave students a firsthand look at the science, technology and teamwork behind sustainable forest management while helping build awareness of the diverse careers that shape Washington's forest industry.