High school students get first-hand look at sustainability during Sept. 24 field trip
By Mary Hightower
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Sept. 6, 2019
Fast Facts:
- Tour slots still open, contact Holly Yeatman at 479-575-5726, or hyeatman@uark.edu
- Tour set for Sept. 24 on the Division of Agriculture farm on Garland Avenue
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UPDATE: This event, originally scheduled for Sept. 24, has been rescheduled for Oct. 1, due to expected inclement weather.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – “Sustainability” is a word used a lot, but what does it really mean in terms of how we grow our food and fiber? More than 200 high school students will see how that answer plays out during the Sept. 24 Environmental and Agricultural Sustainability Field trip at the Arkansas Agricultural Research and Extension Center.
The trip is offered annually by the Crop, Soils, and Environmental Science Department, part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and the Bumpers College of Agriculture, Food, and Life Sciences. It’s now in its 11th year. The research and extension center, known as the farm, is part of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station.
For teachers who want their 11th or 12 graders to take part in the tour, contact Holly Yeatman at 479-575-5726, or hyeatman@uark.edu. There were 23 slots open as of Sept. 5.
“This is an unparalleled opportunity for students to take a look at agriculture and maybe explode some stereotypes they might have about agriculture,” Yeatman. “Students will be learning how soil, as a living matrix, supports plant growth, the role of water quality and how plants respond to our changing climate.”
The trip is comprised of two tours, each with six stops. Each stop is hosted by experts from the Division of Agriculture or Bumpers College.
“In two-and-a-half hours students get field exposure to concepts taught in the classroom the entire year,” said Natalie Olivieri, a teacher at Rogers High School. “There is no way to replicate the wealth of knowledge they gain in this short amount of time from leaders in these fields.”
Among the offerings in this year’s lineup:
- Controlling erosion: The basis of agricultural and environmental sustainability
- Weeds and invisible plants in a changing climate
- Water quality monitoring and riparian zones
- Remote sensing for drought stress and nitrogen deficiency
To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uark.edu. Follow us on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch and Instagram at ArkAgResearch.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact 479-575-5726, or hyeatman@uark.edu as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.
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Media Contact: Mary Hightower
Dir. of Communication Services
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2126
mhightower@uada.edu