Ryer Becker knows that whenever he brings University of Idaho’s logging simulator to an outdoor educational event, it will be the star of the show.
Becker, the forest operations extension specialist and an assistant research professor at the College of Natural Resources (CNR), is also used to people assuming the simulator will be easy to maneuver — even if the person in question happens to be in elementary school.
“A lot of these students have family members who are in the logging industry,” he said. “They’re familiar with a lot of the equipment but haven’t sat in the seat before. So they come in saying ‘my dad runs this so I should be really good at it’ and then they struggle. But it’s great because then the family member coaches them through it, and it bridges that generational gap.”
In August 2025, Becker and Randall Brooks, an Extension professor of forestry at CNR, teamed up with University of Idaho Extension, Benewah County and U of I’s College of Education, Health and Human Sciences to put on Rooted in the St. Joe, an event for students at the Calder School to learn more about forestry-related careers.
“Many of our students know they could go directly into the logging industry right after high school, but I really wanted to help expand their horizons,” said Megan Sindt ’12, ’20, superintendent and principal at Calder School, one of the smallest public schools in Idaho with 15 K-8 students. “What’s so great about U of I is that they’re willing to come to us to provide our students with information about other careers within the industry.”
Our students feel so special when other people come to their school. Events like this show how Idaho forests are made. It helps our kids understand how it makes our community thrive.
Megan Sindt ’12, ’20
Calder School principal and superintendent
From trees to logs
Calder School students and members of the UI Extension, Benewah County 4-H program participated in three stations during the event — planting trees, identifying trees and running the simulator. The idea was to expose the students to multiple career paths within the forestry industry.
“Logging is an obvious career most of our students already know about, but I also wanted them to know what else was out there,” Sindt said. “If they aren’t interested in running a skidder, they could potentially pursue a college education and still be able to work out in the woods and support the timber industry.”
But before you talk about the timber industry, you should first talk about trees. Lauren King, an educator with UI Extension, Benewah County, was one of the volunteers who helped students plant trees in woods that border the school.
“We’re teaching them the basics — tree planting 101,” King said. “It’s good for them to see the whole process and to get an understanding of why we have to plant trees. They really enjoy it and get to see a different side of the industry.”
But the main attraction — at least for most of the students — was the logging simulator. Housed in a trailer, the simulator gives participants a chance to run five pieces of logging equipment, including skidders, feller bunchers and processors.
“These students definitely have a head start because they know some of the terminology and mechanics,” Becker said. “Our goal is to show them how logging fits within the overall scheme of sustainable forest management.”
Another aspect CNR hopes to emphasize with the simulator is how technology — and education — is continually shaping the industry.
“Entry level jobs in this industry are much different than they were 10 or 20 years ago,” Becker said. “That’s why getting this machinery in front of the students earlier is important. The industry is more mechanized, more technologically advanced and it’s changed those jobs.”
Planting ideas
K-8 students at Calder School spent a day planting trees, running a logging simulator and talking about forestry-related careers — with help from University of Idaho.
Planting a seed
King, who has been with UI Extension, Benewah County for just over a year, was in her element helping students plant trees. Having previously worked at U of I’s Pitkin Forest Nursery and having a background in forestry, she and Sindt have created a solid partnership for educating students already thinking about jobs in forestry.
“One of my favorite things is doing outreach programs and working with kids,” she said. “Being able to teach them about natural resources, why we plant trees, why we log — it’s super rewarding and I love seeing that whole process.”
King, who helps with the 4-H program in St. Maries, is also working on a nursery management project she hopes to incorporate into learning opportunities for Calder School students.
For Sindt, one of the most rewarding parts of Rooted in the St. Joe was knowing U of I is a resource that understands the value of traveling to students in rural parts of the state to ensure they are exposed to the same opportunities as those in bigger cities.
“Our students feel so special when other people come to their school,” she said. “Events like this show how Idaho forests are made. It helps our kids understand how it makes our community thrive.”