Navy forester, Walter Briggs assigned to Naval Facilities Engineering Command Northwest taught children from Poulsbo’s Christ the King Academy about the Navy’s ecosystem and the process of horse logging at the Naval Magazine Indian Island forest, June 1.

During the class trip, Briggs gave the students a tour of the woods and pointed out the diverse plants and trees which make the Navy’s forest. 

After the tour, they made their final stop to watch the horses get to work and to show the children the horse logging process in action. Briggs emphasized the importance of using horse logging as a way to preserve wild life.

“It is important to teach children the science of the environment and show them what we do to take care of our environment,” said Briggs. “Horse logging is one way to preserve our natural sources and we want them to grasp the knowledge through these trips.”

The Navy owns more than one million acres of timbered land throughout the world.  These forests are environments used for training, recreation and work.

Jerry Harpole, forest horse logger for Naval Magazine Indian Island brought out two horses named “Tom” and “Jerry” to explain how the system works instead of using machines to transfer logs.

“By using horses instead of heavy machinery, the forest isn’t damaged during the process of moving logs of the forest,” said Harpole.  “Horse logging has less impact on the ground of the forest and it is a way the Navy protects the environment to enhance wild life habitat.”

Horse logging is a process the Navy uses to thin the forest as a way to accelerate the growth of other trees. 

The children were given an opportunity to control and command the horses to see what its like to be a horse logger.

“The children are our future and what better way for them to learn by giving them hands-on training,” said Sandy Stockwell, Christ the King Academy teacher. “Taking care of the environment is critical to everyone’s survival and through this trip they are able to learn the importance of taking care of our forest.”