27 March 2001

Ballarat, VIC - On Apr. 6, Mount Clear Secondary College science students in Ballarat will get a chance to compare scientific findings with the Canadian forest explorer who donated a $6,000 weather station to them last year.

International tree biologist Dr. Reese Halter, founder of research institute Global Forest in Canada, will participate in science classes and meet with the kids to discuss their weather-station discoveries and how to expand their exploration. Mount Clear Secondary College and Perth's East Maddington Primary School are two of 14 international schools to get a Global Forest weather station.

Along with his school projects, Dr. Halter has personally financed more than 50 scientific projects on three continents including studies exploring ant colonies in Japan, the relationship between fog and redwoods in northern California, and the genetic extinction of fish in southeastern British Columbia.

"Kids are going to be the salvation of our wild forests," says Dr. Halter. "These weather stations and our other education initiatives are designed to get them motivated, mobilized and influential in forest exploration and conservation. Kids need to know that trees, science and discovery are cool."

Dr. Halter will also do a reading of The Forest Adventures of Bruni the Bear, written for kids aged 4 - 8, at Ballarat area bookstores. Bruni tells the tale of a curious bear that searches the forest for his favorite snack ⠈oney!

Tuscon and Banff-based Global Forest Science (www.globalforestscience.org) is a forest biology research institute. With an international multi-disciplinary team of 165 scientists, Global Forest Science is a world leader in forest science research and has often been likened to the Red Adair's of the forest biology world. Global Forest Sciences' many victories ranging from legislation to protect the threatened westslope cutthroat trout of British Columbia, protection of the world's largest ant colony, opening an international insect quarantine facility and helping to save New Zealand's multi billion dollar forestry and agriculture industries from the Australian painted apple moth. Global Forest Science is also dedicated to children's ecological education - visit GFAwesome.
(www.gfawesome.org)

For more information, please contact:
Email: info@globalforestscience.org
Phone: 818.851.9682