Beginning this spring and summer, Springwater students and families will see the front entrance of the school begin to change. Insect hotels will be erected, the ground will be mulched and composted, pathways will be shaped, and pollinator habitat structures will be built. Over the course of the year, the landscape will alter into a beautiful pollinator garden and learning center.
Springwater is partnering with the Clackamas County Soil and Water Conservation District to develop this area into a refuge and home for native pollinators. With their generous support of $10,000 and the aid of planner Erik Carr, the Springwater garden program will be incorporating this project into the springtime pollinator lessons for the K-1st grade classes. Students will study the plants, colors, shapes, and habitat for local pollinators and, come fall, will participate in the planting aspect of the project.
This idea began from a concern by myself, Kaci Rae, in noticing the need for native pollinator habitat to help the newly developed Springwater garden. I reached out to Erik Carr at the CCSWCD, and began to meet with him to discuss the potential for developing a pollinator space at the school, in order to provide habitat and to create an education space for the students and families. I am positive that this new space will fit in perfectly with the goals of Springwater. It will provide new environmental and science lessons for all the classes, it will beautify the school grounds, and it will be a refuge for the struggling populations of certain native pollinators.
The area is to the left of the school entrance, surrounding the existing Springwater sign. There will be an informational sign that students will help design, and a variety of habitat structures: bee/bird boxes, log rounds for habitat structure, insect hotels, basalt water basins, and more.
While CCSWCD is providing the funding and planning support of this project, Springwater has been asked to provide the maintenance and care of the new space. If you are interested in gardening with flowers or would like to know more about pollinators and habitat building, please contact me at[email protected]. Any and all support of this project would be wonderful!
Springwater is partnering with the Clackamas County Soil and Water Conservation District to develop this area into a refuge and home for native pollinators. With their generous support of $10,000 and the aid of planner Erik Carr, the Springwater garden program will be incorporating this project into the springtime pollinator lessons for the K-1st grade classes. Students will study the plants, colors, shapes, and habitat for local pollinators and, come fall, will participate in the planting aspect of the project.
This idea began from a concern by myself, Kaci Rae, in noticing the need for native pollinator habitat to help the newly developed Springwater garden. I reached out to Erik Carr at the CCSWCD, and began to meet with him to discuss the potential for developing a pollinator space at the school, in order to provide habitat and to create an education space for the students and families. I am positive that this new space will fit in perfectly with the goals of Springwater. It will provide new environmental and science lessons for all the classes, it will beautify the school grounds, and it will be a refuge for the struggling populations of certain native pollinators.
The area is to the left of the school entrance, surrounding the existing Springwater sign. There will be an informational sign that students will help design, and a variety of habitat structures: bee/bird boxes, log rounds for habitat structure, insect hotels, basalt water basins, and more.
While CCSWCD is providing the funding and planning support of this project, Springwater has been asked to provide the maintenance and care of the new space. If you are interested in gardening with flowers or would like to know more about pollinators and habitat building, please contact me at[email protected]. Any and all support of this project would be wonderful!