Applicant: paleontological research institution title: a watershed of trees: a mwee to engage students at the intersection of forest, water, climate, and environmental stewardship overview: the…

Applicant: paleontological research institution title: a watershed of trees: a mwee to engage students at the intersection of forest, water, climate, and environmental stewardship overview: the overarching goal of this project is to get children outside in their own community to observe, record, monitor, and build understanding of the importance of water and climate on the quality of life in their communities, and empower them to act on that understanding. They will do this by studying the impact of trees on the movement of water through the watershed and the subsequent changes in microclimate and water quality that arise from water-vegetation interactions. Trees have been chosen as the central player in this proposed district-wide mwee because (1) they are present in schoolyards in each of the diverse ecosystems that comprise the county, from urban to agricultural, (2) the presence or absence of trees profoundly impacts water movement and water quality, with additional impacts on am