From early beginnings, the Algoma Highlands Conservancy has recognized the need to further our understanding of natural systems and transfer this knowledge to current and perhaps more importantly, future generations. In this context, we take advantage of this living classroom as an effective method of demonstrating key concepts of conservation biology, sustainable forestry, and ecology in a real-world application context. The facilities made available by our partners at the Stokely Creek Lodge for more traditional events such as workshops, conferences and meetings greatly facilitate these endeavors not only by providing necessary infrastructure but also by attracting a wide-ranging clientele with a particular, direct interest in the area.
The Conservancy Board, together with their friends and professional contacts, have an excellent capacity to lead and contribute to environmental education in this context. Several current and past Board members are professional scientists with expertise ranging across natural science disciplines including ecology, entomology, geology, wildlife biology, forestry and ecotoxicology. In addition, three Conservancy Board members hold senior positions in various post-secondary academic institutions and thus have experiential knowledge in teaching as well as direct access to eager students and modern instruction techniques and methods being employed in academia both in Canada and the USA.
From an educational potential perspective, the Algoma Highlands, which are a mere 20 minute drive from the “Twin Saults”, are proximally located to three post-secondary academic institutions, several local high schools and a number of public schools. As such, the area affords excellent opportunities to provide direct outdoor educational experiences and thus significant “added value” to standard school curricula. For example, the local Sault College of Applied Arts and Technology has utilized the property to facilitate learning in various outdoor studies, orientation and Geographic Information Systems training. Their links with the Conservancy also lead to co-operative educational placements in the highlands area through the summer. Similarly, Lake Superior State University (LSSU), on the Michigan side, has routinely taken classes to the area for direct field studies 
in ecology. Through these experiences, students in both post-secondary institutions are able to directly interact with nature and connect the real world with the spoken and written word of theory. A unique program run by LSSU, in conjunction with the Shiga prefecture in Japan, has allowed international students from Japan to tour and study in the area for the last several years. Local public schools have also taken advantage of this opportunity, including nearby Mountain View public school which has historically used the trails to provide enhanced physical education opportunities for students in the Goulais River area. A particularly unique local interaction has been lead by Algoma Family Services, who in conjunction with the local Catholic and public school boards and Heyden Adventure Base Camp's have developed an adventure based learning program which holds annual treks to introduce "At Risk Youth" to this particularly beautiful area. This program challenges young people to learn about their limits, and the natural environment around them.
Scientists who serve on the Conservancy board and who also work for the Canadian Forest Service, have conducted long-term monitoring and a variety of research experiments in the Stokely Creek area. The easy access to these experiments and the scientific expertise associated therewith represents a unique opportunity to demonstrate science in action.
One of these initiatives was coordinated with the Conservancy’s previous acquisition of the 300-acre Robertson Lake Cliffs property which provided an opportunity to re-establish nesting pairs of peregrine falcons in the area. Subsequent research has focused on ecological restoration of the forests at the base of King Mountain and includes coordinated monitoring of both “improvement cut” and “un-harvested control” areas to investigate 
changes in plant community dynamics and forest songbirds. Currently, 100 permanent sample plots are being used to comparatively examine the extent and duration of partial harvesting impacts on forest vegetation components. Monitoring of forest songbirds using “point-call” survey techniques allows assessment of changes in density and diversity of breeding songbirds through time. Results to date show that restoration cutting, as practiced in the Stokely Creek watershed, has had little effect on the forest bird community and may, in fact, improve the habitat for some species.
Other studies have focused on optimal methods for re-establishment of white pine as a means of increasing the representation of this species in the forest over-story. Most recently, research colleagues have initiated studies to examine the invertebrate communities of Stokely Creek. The combination of historical research and data; infrastructure available at the Stokely Creek Lodge; and the diversity of natural aquatic and terrestrial habitats in the surrounding Algoma Highlands, provides an excellent basis for directly engaging students, young and old, in learning more about our natural world, potential human impacts thereon, and ways in which such impacts can be mitigated to ensure long term sustainable use.
What better way to learn about nature than from nature itself?
Sault College forestry students use the King Mountain/Stokely Creek area as a living classroom.
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