This fall, Hancock Lumber welcomed 38 students in grades 6-8 and their teachers from The Maine Environmental Science Academy (MESA) to tour part of their operations. Across two days, the group of students and teachers toured both our Bethel Eastern White Pine Sawmill and Jugtown Forest conservation land.
At the Bethel Mill students experienced a complete tour with site General Manager, Keith Trask. Students took part in learning about log scaling, finished products, tree ring counting, and more. Hancock Lumber is proud to work with local schools and communities to bring this type of educational experience to students and educators as the forest products industry is an iconic one here in Maine and New Hampshire.
On day two, the team then explored our working timberlands that are part of Jugtown Forest in Casco. One of our Log Buyers, Matt McCaslin, spent several hours with the group explaining how a working forest operates, including the process of harvesting Eastern White Pine saw logs and manufacturing them into our world class pine boards that are sold in at our lumberyards, nationally, and even internationally!
“Our field trips to the Bethel Sawmill and Jugtown Forest were a fantastic success. Students were able to get a detailed tour of the immensely complex production of lumber. Tour guides were great with our students allowing us to view and ask questions about each step of the process. This tour provided everyone with a new insight into where the wood from our own homes comes from—and, a better understanding of the time and energy that goes into its transformation from tree to lumber.”
– MESA Teachers, Molly Ockett School, Fryeburg
MESA offers a unique opportunity for students in grades 6-8 to complete their middle school years in an experiential setting. The objectives of the program are to provide students an opportunity to learn about their surrounding environment, to introduce the state curriculum standards through authentic experiences, to provide personal growth opportunities, and to create a culture of leadership and teamwork.
For more information on MESA, click here.
If you are interested in scheduling tours for your school, please click here.
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