A test site for hybrid poplars at Flathead Valley Community College has given students a real-life opportunity to exercise math and natural-resource management skills.

At a recent board of trustees meeting, a group of instructors described how students have tended, measured and analyzed a test site for hybrid poplars established in partnership with GreenWood Resources of Portland, Ore.

Retired faculty member Tom Jay said the project started with discussions about a year ago on a partnership with the college to run the Montana test site. The company develops fast-growing tree hybrids for use as timber products and biomass energy.

According to Jay, GreenWood operates around the world, including a test site for hardwood clones in Northern China that incorporated seedling samples from the Hi-Line in Montana.

The company has massive plantations spread along the Columbia River in Oregon producing hybrid trees for pulp products, engineered wood products, millwork, industrial products, domestic chips, logs and even lumber.

"Some of the trees are strong enough to make stud lumber," Jay said.

Depending on technology advances, some of their hybrids may become renewable resources for ethanol production.

GreenWood was looking at Northern Rockies testing locations when the college started discussions and made an agreement for five years.

"On June 15, we planted 1,200 (seedlings) on an acre about 6 feet apart," Jay said.

The hybrids grew from 8 inches to as much as 5 feet tall by September. The test site is located close to the logger sports arena on the college campus.

According to Jay, the first few months were tough since herbicides are not appropriate for seedlings.

"We fought a massive battle against weeds," he said.

Pete Wade, a math and biology instructor, told the trustees that his summer students performed statistical analysis, measuring the heights and circumferences of various clones in four quadrants of the test site.

The idea was to determine any differences in growth between clones and/or between the four areas. Wade said they found no differences in the quadrants but large differences between growth of different clones.

"We did the same analysis that the big boys at GreenWood do," he said.

Instructor Christina Relyea said that each of her natural resource students has charge of 67 trees, taking responsibility for weeding and general care.

Within a two-week time frame, Relyea said some hybrids grew from 6 to 10 inches. However, others never grew and some died.

"We also got a huge lesson in noxious weeds," she said.

Relyea said the students gain field experience measuring the trees, then enter the information in computers to convert into graphs. Measuring will continue until the leaves drop.

"It gives us a fantastic experience right here on campus," she said.

Relyea recently joined the faculty of the recently revamped Natural Resources program. She said 20 students signed up for the new program that includes studies in conservation and management of trees, water and wildlife and the urban/nature interface.

Graduates qualify to work as technicians in public agencies such as the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation or for private companies such as Plum Creek.

The college offers a two-year associate's degree and a one-year certificate in natural resource conservation and management.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com