Advanced Placement biology students at Flagstaff High School set up a year-long experiment to investigate the interaction of climate change and invasive species. Using a fully-factorial design, they used tamarisk legacy soil and a non-legacy control soil along with a 50% drought treatment and a well-watered control.

Middle school students were nominated to attend a week-long immersive science experience during summer 2021. The students were divided into six groups of eight to ten students. They formulated a hypothesis, designed and conducted an experiment to test their hypothesis, and presented their results to the other groups. I was the science consultant for the soil ecology group.

In celebration of National Invasive Species Awareness Week, the Honor biology students removed about 30 pounds of the highly invasive cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) from around the city park near the high school.

The shutdowns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented challenges in all aspects of society, especially education. However, the commitment to place-based, experimental education required that the high school teacher and I get creative. We assembled these kits that were distributed to Honors biology students at Flagstaff High School. I joined the students via Zoom to set up their experiment and again at the end of the semester to help analyze their data.

During the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting shutdowns, I made a YouTube video for students rather than giving my normal presentation via Zoom.

Flagstaff High School and Coconino High School collaborated with each other and Northern Arizona University, Babbitt Ranches, the American Conservation Experience, Pulliam Trust, and others to plant over 8,000 cottonwood and willow cuttings along the Little Colorado River following the removal of invasive tamarisk.

Students were able to tour the "fish lab" and experience how USGS scientists conduct experiments with native Colorado River fishes to better understand the threats the fishes face and what management actions might be helpful.

High school students were able to attend a five day camping trip to the north rim of the Grand Canyon to help measure literally thousands of trees experimentally planted to understand the effects of climate change, local adaptation, and epigenetics in restoration efforts.

The Francis Short Pond in Flagstaff was the combined effort of decades of middle schoolers and their biology teacher (as chronicled in the inspiring book Just a Teacher). The "pond project" began in 1969 as an outdoor classroom. In 2017, I began utilizing this invaluable resource in my outdoor, place-based biology lessons.

In collaboration with Arizona Trail Association, students learned about how hiking, biking, and ATV trails affect the ecosystem, the concepts behind trail design, and then had the opportunity to help build a new trail near Flagstaff, AZ.