High school students studying the environment had a chance to explore one of the area’s natural treasures that was almost lost to industry.

Thomas County Central High Schools students in Laura Kornegay’s AP Environmental Science class took a trip to visit and study the Lost Creek Forest. The site was meant to be an Industrial Park back in 2008, but was saved by a group of locals known as “The Friends of Lost Creek Forest.” It is located behind Country Oaks Golf Course and beside Thomasville Regional Airport.

“We had a great day,” teacher Laura Kornegay said. “I appreciate all of the work from the Friends of Lost Creek Forest in making this a great learning experience for our students.”

The Friends of Lost Creek Forest President Beth Grant commented that this was their “first ever high school field trip, and we’ve been doing this since 2008, so this is a huge milestone for us!”

The TCCHS students traveled to the forest to conduct a series of short environmental studies along with collecting data and samples. Being an old-growth forest, it has not been disturbed by man in the case of clear cutting and forest fires, and to the guides’ knowledge it hasn’t been damaged by any natural causes, either.

“Students had the opportunity to do real field research in a natural environment while learning to appreciate nature,” Kornegay said.

The students got to enjoy field research in three different areas. The first was called “canopy,” where students analyzed the trees of the forest.

Student Jane Guo said her favorite part was “learning how to measure the tree by calculating the diameter.”

The second area was for the study of the soil in the forest. The students were to analyze how the soil and its nutrients where affected upon the slope of the forest after the effects of runoff and erosion.

Student Kyla Williams commented that the “different colors of the soil as you went deeper were very interesting.”

The third activity was the study of the stream, which consisted of two different assessments: the biological and the chemical.

“The chemical assessment of the stream was very beneficial to my understanding of water and factors that affect it,” student Madison Smith said.

Students tested for the oxygen levels in the stream as well as the amounts of phosphates and nitrates.

Student Jordan Bush, who is also conducting a science fair project on the water of the forest, participated in the biological study of the stream.

“It really helped us on the biological aspects of our water quality project, because the instructor really helped us capture and identify macroinvertebrates,” she said.

After the students and instructors enjoyed a picnic lunch at the Thomasville Regional Airport nearby, they returned to the site for one last session. As a class they analyzed a section of the forest that had been planted by man. The students got to core the trees to determine the age of the tree.

“This was my favorite part of the trip because I got to core the tree,” student Anna Jense said. “This consisted of using an auger, and pulling the center of the tree out in a thin wood strip. We then counted the rings to determine the age.”

The students got to experience a true environmental field study for themselves.

“We should do this more often,” student Katie Simmons said.