Forestry Awareness Week Now (FAWN) Outdoor Classroom Reaches Winston County Sixth Graders

About 250 Winston County sixth graders attended the Forestry Awareness Week Now (FAWN) Outdoor Classroom event.  FAWN is an annual event raising youth awareness of Alabama’s abundant natural resources and their conservation.  This year it was held at Matt Hannah’s Treasure Forest in Arley on October 17 and 18.  All Winston County schools participated, including Lynn, Haleyville, Meek, Addison and Double Springs.  

This year students visited learning stations covering a wide range of natural resources topics.  Stations included wildlife identification, forest management, water quality and watersheds, aquatic life, prescribed burning, wildfire and FIREWISE communities, bee-keeping and pollinators.

FAWN is a program of the Winston County Natural Resources Council.  Numerous agencies, organizations and individuals come together to implement the outdoor classroom event.  

Financial sponsors of FAWN this year include Winston County Commission through the Forest Service Secure Rural Schools program, Grayson Lumber Company, and Winston County Soil and Water Conservation District.  Funds are used for transportation and supplies and made it possible to provide all students with a small backpack, school supplies, reusable water bottle and a t-shirt.  The WCNRC thanks Matt Hannah for hosting the event.  Organizations contributing time and expertise include the WCNRC, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Alabama Forestry Commission, US Forest Service, Winston County Beekeepers, Camp McDowell, Winston County EMA, Arley Volunteer Fire Department, and Winston County schools.  A big thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to making FAWN successful and informative.