Vision

The forested area beside Spencer Middle School contains invasive species that choke out the native plants growing there. Our vision is to restore that space over a period of years by removing invasive species such that areas for students can be created for nature based education, essentially learning from and on the land.

Action

With our grant, we purchased 28 pairs of gardening gloves, 3 loppers, and 21 pairs of pruners. Over the course of the school year, grade 8 students from 5 different classes removed approximately 100 yard waste bags of common invasive species, mostly periwinkle, Himalayan blackberry, and English ivy.

Reflection & Celebration

This project was a huge success and set the stage for future students to continue restoring the forest beside our school. For some students, it was the first time using gardening tools. For others, it was the first time learning to identify plants. For all students, it was a reminder that native plants are vital for a healthy ecosystem and invasive plant species disrupt that balance. Students were rewarded with a sense of pride for providing a service to their school and community and walked away with the desire to do it again.