Students are leaving the classroom to get a first-hand look at nature.

Chehaw is home to the native vegetation of Georgia and the southeastern United States.

The goal is about forest ecology and forest succession and how if you take an area and wipe it clean of plant life, it grows over a period of time.

Students spent the morning measuring vegetation at two different sites, a long-leaf pine forest and a hardwood, or climax, forest.

Research collected at these sites helped students determine whether or not each location would be a good habitat for particular types of animals.

Students say they were excited for this field trip because they got to experience it first hand compared to reading about it or looking at pictures in a book.