GA: Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide

Georgia Schoolyard WildlifeHabitat Planning Guide

Schoolyard Wildlife Habitats

Improve Academic Achievement

National research shows that Schoolyard

Wildlife Habitats work and are highly bene-

ficial. Data collected in 60 schools in 13

states, since 1996, indicates that "using the

environment as an integrating context for

learning" (EIC) has significant positive

effects on academic achievement, classroom

behavior and instructional practices. EIC

students exhibit:

improved performance on standardized

tests in reading, writing, math, science

and social studies.

greater academic performance in stu-

dents in EIC programs than peers in

traditional programs in 92% of

the schools.

reduced discipline and classroom man-

agement problems in some cases by as

much as 95%.

increased engagement and enthusiasm

for learning, resulting in substantially

improved attendance.

heightened contributions to their com-

munities through effective service-

learning projects.

To learn more about EIC in Georgia, visit

www.eeingeorgia.org/eic.

Schoolyard Wildlife Habitats are a part of a larger

movement to use the natural environment as a teaching

tool. This guide is intended to help develop, use and

maintain school grounds for hands-on, minds-on edu-

cation and conservation. It includes some good ideas

submitted by real persons at real schools

in Georgia.

A Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat will:

w provide areas for teaching and learning about nature.

w restore habitat for wildlife.

w decrease mowing maintenance costs.

w provide alternative classroom setting.

w create beautiful places on campus.

w enhance biodiversity.

Written and compiled by Georgia Wildlife Federation,

11600 Hazelbrand Rd., Covington, GA 30014

Ph: 770-787-7887

Fax: 770-787-9229

Website: www.gwf.org

Thanks to all those who helped in the creation of this guide: the

Georgia Forestry Commission, Callaway Gardens, Zoo Atlanta,

Atlanta Botanical Garden, National Wildlife Federation, and all the

GWF volunteers, administrators, teachers, parents and students who

shared their great ideas. Photography by Hank Ohme.

2006

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This guide was made possible

through the generosity of

Georgia Power, Southern

Company, US Fish and Wildlife

Service, and the National Fish

and Wildlife Foundation.

Table of Contents

Planning First to Make Your Outdoor Classroom Last ..........................................................................................

What is a Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat? ...................................................................................................................

Getting Started: Planning & Organizing Your Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat .........................................................

Form Your Wildlife Habitat Committee ..................................................................................................................

Evaluate Your Campus ..............................................................................................................................................

Making A Plan: How Can We Enhance Our Campus For Education And Wildlife Habitat? ..............................

Beginning the Design Process ..................................................................................................................................

Getting Buy-in Before You Build ..............................................................................................................................

Basic Elements Of Habitat ........................................................................................................................................

Raised Bed Gardening: Nature Right Outside Your Door ......................................................................................

How To Create A Butterfly Garden: A Special From Callaway Gardens ...............................................................

Butterflies And Plants ...............................................................................................................................................

Shrubs And Vines That Attract Hummingbirds .....................................................................................................

More on Birds ............................................................................................................................................................

Birdhouse Specifications ...........................................................................................................................................

How To Properly Plant Trees: A Special From The Georgia Forestry Commission ............................................

Native Trees ...............................................................................................................................................................

Wildflower Meadows: The No-Mow Alternative ....................................................................................................

Theme Gardens: A Special From Zoo Atlanta and Atlanta Botanical Garden .....................................................

Rain Gardens & Water in Your Habitat: A Special from www.cleanwatercampaign.org.......................................

Pond Plants ................................................................................................................................................................

Courtyards: Creatively Using Small Spaces ............................................................................................................

Composting: Recycling Nature's Way ......................................................................................................................

Make An Earth Window and Tracking Box .............................................................................................................

Miscellaneous Features For Your Habitat ................................................................................................................

Developing Your Nature Trails .................................................................................................................................

Raising Funds In Your Community .........................................................................................................................

Grants: Tips For Successful Proposal Writing .........................................................................................................

Getting More Help: Spotlight On Other Resources Available To Assist You .........................................................

Evaluating the Success of Your Outdoor Classroom ...............................................................................................

Best Management Practices: How To Create A Sustainable Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat ....................................

Habitat Calendar .......................................................................................................................................................

Nature Glossary: Speaking The Language Of The Environment ...........................................................................

Appendix A: Outdoor Classroom Needs and Interests Survey for Teachers .........................................................

Appendix B: Schoolyard Site Inventory Checklist ..................................................................................................

Appendix C: Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Resources Inventory ............................................................................

Appendix D: Curriculum Connections Chart .........................................................................................................

Appendix E: Possible Sources for Volunteers, Donations and Funding ................................................................

Appendix F: Recommended Resources for Habitat and Natural Gardening ........................................................

Appendix G: Recommended Online Resources for Habitat and Natural Gardening ...........................................

Appendix H: Additional Outdoor Classroom Resources .......................................................................................

Appendix I: Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat - Case Studies ........................................................................................

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Planning First to Make Your Outdoor Classroom LastAn Introduction to the Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide

In 2004, Georgia Wildlife Federation (GWF) received funding support from Georgia Power, Southern

Company, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and National Fish & Wildlife Foundation to begin the Urban

Conservation and Education Initiative (UCEI) to improve and increase the number of schoolyard wildlife

habitats in Georgia. GWF reviewed nearly 2000

records of outdoor classroom projects in Georgia

from the years between 1989 and 2003. While this

is an impressive number of outdoor classroom

projects, follow-up inquiries into the current sta-

tus of these projects presented a troubling trend.

The study revealed that 41% of outdoor class-

rooms were no longer in use and were usually

abandoned by their second year1.

Given the amount of time and resources invested

in these outdoor classroom projects, it is troubling

that so few seem to attain long-term sustainability.

This guide is designed to combat this trend as well

as offer general planning advice.

It is our hope that this guide will help outdoor

classroom enthusiasts avoid common pitfalls and

promote outdoor classrooms that are both long-

term, effective teaching tools and sustainable habi-

tat for Georgia's wildlife. While many teachers

and volunteers are often eager to "get their hands in the dirt" as

quickly as possible, GWF urges that some careful planning

be done before investing significant amounts of time,

energy and money on outdoor classrooms.

We also urge educators to remember that taking stu-

dents outside to explore the pre-existing schoolyard

is already available and free of cost. Students

themselves can begin their outdoor classroom

experience by assisting in the planning process,

such as conducting site surveys and research on

local wildlife as a class project. e

Top 5 Reasons Listed by Schools:

Why Outdoor Classrooms Fail

1. Continued maintenance and upkeep

2. Teachers unsure or unable to incorporate usage into lessons

3. Inadequate funding

4. Vandalism (especially at high schools)

5. School expansion or relocation

Why Outdoor Classrooms Succeed

1. Community support

2. Student involvement

3. Funding

4. Teacher training

5. Administrative support

Source: GWF survey, 2004.

Georgia Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide 1

1See http://www.gwf.org/resources/wildlifehabitats/bmpindex.html for a complete explanation of this project.

What is a Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat?

ASchoolyard Wildlife Habitat is an outdoor laboratory alive with learning opportunities for all ages across

the curriculum. Schoolyard Wildlife Habitats are designed to attract wildlife by providing elements cru-

cial to wildlife survival: food, water, cover and places to raise young.

The Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat (SWH) Program is a mission-based education outreach of the Georgia

Wildlife Federation, the oldest and largest non-profit conservation organization in Georgia and the state affili-

ate of the National Wildlife Federation. Georgia Wildlife Federation volunteers began working with schools in

the early eighties on creating campus-based versions of the Backyard Wildlife Habitat Program® developed in

1973 by the National Wildlife Federation. Schools can qualify for certification as part of a national registry

through the National Wildlife Federation at www.nwf.org/schoolyard.

In 1989, GWF President Jerry McCollum officially established the Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Program and

made it a focus of the organization's conservation education efforts statewide. Since that time, GWF staff and

volunteers have worked with hundreds of Georgia schools in developing Schoolyard Wildlife Habitats.

How long will it take to develop a Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat at our school?

Many schools have found it most effective to develop habitats in phases. It is important to remember that the

habitat project offers teaching opportunities from the minute it is considered. The most successful projects are

those that have moved slowly, but have taken advantage of a variety of teaching opportunities every step of

the way.

What will the project cost?

Costs vary and depend on your plans, but your project can be very inexpensive. Part of the educational value of

a Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat project is the inherent opportunity to be creative and resourceful. A little ingenu-

ity goes a long way in showing a child the power of "reuse and recycle."

Who will do the work?

A habitat project offers a great chance to involve the community. Parents,

students, educators, grandparents, scouts, local garden clubs, and other

groups have worked together to transform campuses into exciting

places to learn about nature. In addition to the assistance provided

by the Georgia Wildlife Federation, there are other resource agen-

cies which will help schools working on habitats.

How will we develop a plan?

Go visit other habitats. Talk to teachers and volunteers involved

in ongoing projects. Habitats reflect the personality of each

school and yours will be unique, but learning from the experience

of other schools will help you get started.

For help on finding other schools that are involved with Schoolyard

Habitats, read about the Georgia Green and Healthy Schools program

at www.eeingeorgia.org. e


Getting StartedPlanning & Organizing Your Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat

Create a Schoolyard Habitat Project Notebook and Folder

The first step towards creating your schoolyard habitat will be to create a Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat

notebook and folder. Use this folder to keep track of all documents, photographs, lists, ideas and other

important information for your project. Make sure this notebook stays at the school and is stored somewhere

central, such as the media center. Keeping records of what you are doing now will greatly assist others who

come after you to keep the project ongoing.

Consult with the Principal

No Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat project should be undertaken without the support of the principal and the

approval of the school system. The principal can give a broad overview of issues related to the school facility.

Troubleshooting might include discussion of the following points: future plans by the school system for addi-

tional buildings; play fields, parking lots and portables; routine maintenance program; potential for funding/in-

kind donations from the community, PTA and Partners in Education; special considerations for neighboring

properties; access for disabled and other special need students; and liability issues.

Survey and Inform Key People

All teachers should be encouraged to give input. This will help to ensure that the Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat is

used regularly and is incorporated into all curriculum areas. It will be well-worth the time to find out what is

important to teachers, students and other users of the outdoor classroom. Also, get help from your local com-

munity. Publicize your project to the PTA, the Board of Education, Partners in Education, student clubs and

various community organizations.

Don't forget to discuss your plans with the school system maintenance department and apply for any neces-sary permits from the county. Otherwise, your project might get "cleaned up," mowed over or graded.

Form a Committee

You're going to need some help. Involving absolutely everybody might slow things down, but, after all, it's one

of the main reasons (and rewards) for doing the Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat project. A permanent committee

should be organized soon after consideration is given to developing the habitat, open to all interested persons,

and, most importantly, headed by a project coordinator to oversee all committee tasks. A committee will: uti-

lize the various backgrounds and talents of the community; spread the workload; and create a solid foundation

and help ensure that the project continues year after year. The committee should include as many stakeholders

in the project as possible, including: principal, several teachers, and custodian or grounds personnel; PTA vol-

unteers and other interested parents and family members; local natural resource professionals and hobbyists;

and students.

Involve Students

It is strongly recommended that your committee either have a student body equivalent or include student rep-

resentatives. Some committee positions can be student equivalents such as publicity, historian, and volunteer

coordinator. Don't miss this opportunity to build students' life skills. Student involvement in planning and

implementing the Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat will build ownership and help prevent problems with vandalism.


No Help? Try this

Quick-and-Easy School Gardens for the Lone Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Crusader

The best Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat is one that engages the whole school, and endures the test of time in order

to provide long term habitat for wildlife and learning opportunities for students. However, students, faculty,

administration and academic policy are very often in flux. It can be overwhelming to have to organize a large

project with so many variables.

If you are a lone teacher or parent who is facing insurmountable difficulties with organizing a Schoolyard

Wildlife Habitat with your whole school, it may be best to scale back your project to something that can be eas-

ily maintained by one person or class. Here are some suggestions:

Create a small habitat outside a classroom window or near a door

Use this small, manageable space to: install nesting boxes or wildlife feeders; maintain a small vegetable,

flower or herb garden; create a small raised bed garden that contains native plants that provide habitat;

or plant small trees or shrubs. Be sure to check with the maintenance staff about regulations regarding

how close plantings can be to the building.

Create container gardens.

Use a large planting pot or drill multiple holes in a trash barrel, wooden barrel, plastic wading pool or

other large container and fill with potting soil for planting. Move container gardens whenever neces-

sary, eliminating the problem of location conflicts. A container garden can even be hauled to your home

during the summer for watering and maintenance

needs! Know that container gardens are often

better for people with disabilities, because

they can be accessed from chair level.

Avoid big, costly projects.

Assess for yourself how much you

can realistically accomplish

alone and start there. It will be

more rewarding to keep one

small garden bed alive for a

year with your students than

to spend endless hours

organizing a bigger project

that has little chance of sur-

vival. Think in terms of

phases. You may begin with a

very simple and inexpensive

project that includes only you

and your students. However, as

other teachers and parents see

your success, they may become

more willing to emulate your efforts.

Gradually introduce more SWH elements

to your schoolyard at a rate that equals sup-

port for each element. e


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Form Your Wildlife Habitat Committee

The committee positions and responsibilities listed on the following page have provided an effective

organization for some Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat projects. Your habitat committee may have more

positions, more than one person sharing tasks or may, in some cases, combine positions. It is important

to give volunteers very clear and limited tasks for a specific period of time (i.e., historian for one school year

only, or even one half of the year). Indefinite or vague tasks will wear down volunteers. Rotate leadership posi-

tions annually or on another regular and reasonable schedule. This will bring in fresh perspectives and keep

your leaders from burning out. Work to achieve buy-in from the entire school. You may not be able to get every

person involved, but seek to involve at least one representative from all aspects of the school community.

Survey parents annually to find out what skills and resources they would be willing to donate to an outdoor

classroom project. Make copies of the chart on the following page and use it to keep track of your committeeand their responsibilities.

"Let Them Do It!" - Student participation in Schoolyard

Wildlife Habitats from start to finish

Many teachers and volunteers feel overwhelmed

when they realize the amount of research and work

creating an outdoor classroom can include.

However, students can take on a substantial

amount of the work as a classroom project,

and, with some careful planning, teachers

can simultaneously meet

academic requirements.

Researching Wildlife

Students can survey their schoolyards to

find out what wildlife is already there.

The instructor at Seaborn Lee

Elementary suggests creating a Rolodex

file or spreadsheet specifically for your

habitat project. This will keep

you organized. e



Habitat Project Leader: Phone:

Email:

He/she should be an effective organizer, have vision, be able to delegate responsibilities and communicate

effectively. Responsibilities: oversee development of the habitat plan.

Historian: Phone:

Email:

Responsibilities: document project progress with “before and after” photos, scrapbooks, and/or video journals.

Publicity: Phone:

Email:

Responsibilities: write press releases for local newspapers, take photos, create a newsletter, or submit articles to

PTA newsletter.

Volunteer Coordinator: Phone:

Email:

Responsibilities: promote volunteer involvement, match volunteers to tasks, coordinate workdays and send

thank you cards or notes.

Budget/Donations: Phone:

Email:

Responsibilities: maintain receipts, records of donated goods and services, discounts, invoices to school book-

keeper or PTA treasurer for payment.

Grants Writing: Phone:

Email:

Responsibilities: seek and prepare grant proposals and maintain information for writing reports. You don’t

have to have a professional, just someone who can write clearly.

Teacher Liaison: Phone:

Email:

Responsibilities: help teachers to use the habitat for class lessons. Activities can include compiling resources,

putting together file of ideas to be shared, creating habitat-related bulletin boards and scheduling trainings, etc.

Student Representative(s):

Name: Grade/Teacher:



Responsibilities: represent the student body on each of the sub-committees.

Grounds Maintenance: Phone:

Email:

Responsibilities: communicate the project with other maintenance staff/custodians (who perform grounds

maintenance in and around the Habitat) and implement and maintain a regular maintenance schedule.

Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Committee Members

Date: _______________________________

Evaluate Your Campus“What Have We Got To Work With On Campus and How Does It Support Wildlife?”

The best way to start a Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat is to thoroughly investigate the land on campus and its

current and potential uses. Get a copy of the plat from the principal, custodian or school system office.

Trace it and make a copy you can mark on. Contact a natural resource professional or knowledgeable

volunteer to walk the site with you and give advice. (See contact information under "Getting More Help".)

Invite a small group to accompany you such as an interested teacher, a parent and, of course, a student or two.

As you walk on the site, note:

the buildings, parking lots, play fields, and retention ponds.

underground utilities, drains, sewer and septic lines.

planned and unofficial patterns of traffic including: cars, bikes, pedestrians and delivery and mainte-

nance vehicles.

litter, erosion and drainage problems.

access to water.

parcels of land not being used.

locations for future building plans.

Evaluate good and bad features of these sites as potential outdoor

classrooms. Consider:

distance from the school building.

access from building to grounds.

security of the site.

existing features of wildlife habitat including food, water, cover

and places to raise young.

Keep your discoveries in mind as your committee decides where to

focus Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat project activities. (See Appendix B for

site inventory checklist.) Don't forget to take your "before" photos. Now

is the time! e

County Extension Agents

often are tremendous resources

for plant identification.

Be sure to include points of

interest and unusual facts

about plant material in a guide

to the SWH.

Ahead of the game: If possi-

ble, meet with administrators,

teachers and county officials to

plan a SWH on new schools as

they are being built.


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Making A Plan“How Can We Enhance Our Campus For Education and Wildlife Habitat?”

Now that you have a clearer understanding of your site, you can begin to create a plan. Some schools pre-

fer to create a master plan for the whole campus to be implemented in stages. Some schools prefer to

identify a small area for a small-scale project which can lead to a large-scale project. It is up to your

committee to decide the best approach for your school. Above all, involve students!

Look for opportunities provided by your campus.

For example, if you are facing a bare campus, you might try a succession study area. Simply stop mowing and

see what appears. Within a season, grasses and wildflowers will create rich habitat for small wildlife. A mowed

trail through the meadow will bring the lessons up close. Or, your committee might decide to begin a refor-

estation project by planting native tree saplings and native shrubs in part of the meadow.

If your campus has an existing natural water feature such as a stream, lake, wetlands or even a retention pond

with standing water, you might focus on aquatic studies projects. If it has a small wooded area, you might want

to create an interpretive nature trail. Whatever the case, don't overlook any interesting features! Granite out-

croppings, endangered plants, threatened wildlife, bogs and even eroded hillsides provide useful teaching

stations.

Find out what teachers want!

Make sure that your vision for your habitat project matches what your

teachers will find useful in meeting curriculum objectives. Begin by sur-

veying teachers to find out their needs and obstacles in regards to out-

door classroom use. A sample survey form is provided in Appendix A.

A Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat will certainly enhance the appearance of

the campus, but it is not primarily a beautification project: it is for edu-

cation and habitat. It is imperative that your project supports teachers

reaching academic requirements. If it doesn't , it will not be used!

Think about how to attract and support wildlife.

All wildlife requires four basic elements to survive: food, water, cover

and places to raise young. Combinations of these four elements are dif-

ferent for each species, but you can plan a habitat which will support a

variety of wildlife.

Evaluate what resources you currently have available.

Before you invest in classroom materials and curricula for using the schoolyard habitat, investigate what is

already available to you. For example, other teachers or staff members may already have books, curricula and

tools that you can use. Past teachers may have already stocked the school library with good resources on

wildlife. Save money for building habitats and training teachers by doing a quick inventory before you plan

your budget. For a sample inventory list, see Appendix C.

The Project Leader At JacksonMiddle School in Commercebegan her project by using a

GWF's teacher survey to find

out the needs and wishes of

other teachers in regards to an

outdoor classroom. She was

able to gather important infor-

mation such as where, when

and how teachers would be

most likely to use a schoolyard

habitat. She then used this

information to create a basis

for the schoolyard

habitat design.


Establish a project schedule and budget.

Break down the habitat project into steps: develop a materials

list, budget, and a reasonable time frame for accomplishing

your objectives. Identify volunteers and delegate tasks. Be

realistic about what can be accomplished in one school year.

Keep long term maintenance in mind!

Remember to keep all your plans and budgets in a centralfolder for future reference! Better yet, create an outdoorclassroom binder or shelf in your media center for easy access.

MaintenanceWhen creating a plan, be sure to include a section on

Maintenance. You can start off using your traced copy of the

plat bearing the information that you gathered in your site

analysis or draw a simple plat of your campus.

Don't take on too much.

Always keep maintenance requirements in mind

including repairs that may be necessary.

Note that vandalism is often an unfortunate fact of

life in schoolyards.

Break the project down into small steps and share it.

Create a maintenance manual as you go so future

caretakers of the schoolyard habitat don't have to re-

invent the wheel.

Much of the planning for institutionalizing the use and

maintenance of your outdoor classroom should begin before

any significant construction is done. And because schools are

places of constant change, periodic assessment of your suc-

cess in these efforts should be conducted to meet your

school's evolving needs.

Yet your design should also possess the unique characteristics

of your schoolyard and your school community. It is impor-

tant to allow for some "messiness" in the design. Children

and youth often prefer gardens that appear less formal and

that contain diverse elements for them to explore with their

different senses. Low maintenance will help to sustain an

appropriate "messiness" in your habitat design.

Just as the development of a habitat is usually done by volun-

teers, maintenance of the new outdoor classroom is almost

always a volunteer task as well. School system grounds per-

sonnel and custodial crews rarely have the time to provide

more than minimal levels of care for these specialty areas.

Habitat design should reflect this reality and call for low

maintenance over the long term.

Some schools prefer to create a master

plan for the whole campus to be imple-

mented in stages. Some schools identify a

small area for a small-scale project, which

can lead to future projects. It is up to

your committee to decide the best

approach. Above all, involve students.

The Master Plan Approach: Rebecca

Minor Elementary, Lilburn

The Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat at

Rebecca Minor Elementary began when a

member of a local garden club brought

together GWF staff and school faculty,

including the principal, to consider a

plan. Following visits to other schoolyard

habitats, the committee recommended a

master plan which included a variety of

habitat features.

Teachers at the school were then surveyed

and asked to rank the features in order of

priority. The survey results were used to

guide development of the habitat project

as it progressed in stages. Their habitat is

now enhanced yearly with various educa-

tional habitat stations.

The Small Project Approach: SeabornLee Elementary, College ParkThe principal says that if she had been

approached about creating a master plan

for a Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat at

Seaborn Lee Elementary, she would have

balked. It would have seemed too much

for their limited resources. Instead, their

habitat began with one simple goal: to

forge a path to the creek that runs

through the property. Teachers envisioned

using the creek for hands-on aquatic

studies with their science students.

Under the leadership of creative teachers,

their habitat is now one of the most excit-

ing and ingenious in Georgia and has

won state and national awards. It was cre-

ated almost entirely by students and has a

track record free of vandalism.


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Many schools successfully assign responsibility for maintenance of outdoor classrooms to an existing PTA com-

mittee such as the Environmental or Grounds Committee and student clubs such as 4-H or the Ecology Club.

Providing a line item on the PTA budget for annual maintenance assures a dependable source of revenue to

address needed renovations. Endowing outdoor classrooms with this sort of volunteer and financial legacy will

help ensure their viability over a long period of time.

In addition to volunteers and financial support for any upgrade and future renovations of your Schoolyard

Habitat, proper maintenance of an outdoor classroom also requires its continual use by teachers and students.

To maintain continual use of your Schoolyard Habitat, it is important

to do the following:

Incorporate student activities into maintaining the outdoor

classroom. Have different classes adopt different areas of the

outdoor classroom to maintain.

Divide up maintenance by age groups to help keep working in

the outdoor classroom popular with students. For example,

third graders who are in charge of reseeding the wildflower

patch can look forward to maintaining the pool in fourth grade.

To further divide the labor, individual students in a class can "adopt" a tree or plant to study and main-

tain. This will encourage student ownership of the outdoor classroom.

Host an environmentally-based teacher training on how to use the outdoor classroom for all teachers

within your school annually.

Create a curriculum team to plan for how you will institutionalize the use of the outdoor classroom

into your school's curriculum (see Appendix D).

Keep school administrators and school district planning and

construction offices informed of your Schoolyard

Wildlife Habitat plans to prevent future land-

use conflict.

Keep your school and your community

regularly informed on events surround-

ing your Schoolyard Habitat.

Invite community groups to assist

with workdays or special projects.

Contact your local natural center

or environmental education

provider to arrange for a demon-

stration of activities for your out-

door classroom.

Avoid relegating the outdoor class-

room to just one academic subject.

If possible, create different areas that

facilitate specific topics. e

At Haynes Bridge MiddleSchool in Alpharetta, project

leaders created an "adoption

list" as a way to delegate various

parts of their habitat project.


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Beginning the Design Process

The next step is to create a design for your schoolyard habitat. In order to accomplish this you first need to

complete the needs assessment and site survey (see Appendix A and Appendix B). The actual layout and

physical characteristics of your schoolyard, along with the needs of the teachers, administrators, students

and local wildlife will become the basis for your outdoor classroom design.

Once you have determined the teachers’ needs, consider doing the following:

Host a teacher training that will help ensure all teachers will know how to use the outdoor classroom.2

It is more important that teachers know how to teach a lesson outdoors using the natural environment

than to have a fully outfitted outdoor classroom that teachers are unsure of how to use.

Create a curriculum team to plan for how you will institutionalize the use of the outdoor classroom

into your school's curriculum.3 Remember that planning for the use of your outdoor classroom is as

important as the actual design of the outdoor classroom itself.

Keep school administrators and school district planning and construction offices informed of your

plans to prevent future land-use conflict.

Key Points to Remember

Your specific outdoor classroom design should reflect the unique characteristics of your schoolyard and your

school community. However, a few key points to keep in mind are:

How will habitat gardens be maintained through the summer?

Is what you are designing interesting enough to pique students' curiosity and sturdy enough to with-

stand their exploration?

Does your outdoor classroom provide at least some of the elements of habitat for wildlife: food, shelter,

water and space to raise young? A plant that produces food, such as seeds, nuts or berries is less expen-

sive, more reliable and better for wildlife, than a feeder made by humans.

Native plants, if placed in the right location, are often far hardier and easier to maintain than standard

ornamental hybrids. They also provide more elements of habitat for native wildlife making them better

for the environment.

Will you have the future time, money and resources to maintain the outdoor classroom you

are designing?

Is your outdoor classroom accessible to all of your students, including not only students with physical

disabilities, but also those with mental or emotional challenges, and English Speakers of Other

Languages (ESOL) students?

How will the outdoor classroom meet the needs of your school's teachers to keep their students safe,

comfortable and on task to meet academic standards?

Will your outdoor classroom meet the standards for appearance required by school administrators?

But most importantly…Design outdoor classrooms that encourage students to explore and interact with the natural environment.

Create habitat gardens that appeal to different senses and allow for some "messiness" in the design. Children

often prefer gardens that appear less formal and that contain diverse elements for them to explore. e

2There are several good multi-disciplinary environmentally based curricula with lessons designed to meet academic requirements. Commonly avail-

able curricula and teacher trainings are: Projects WET, WILD and Learning Tree and National Wildlife Federation's Schoolyard Habitats® Program.

Check www.EEinGeorgia.org for more information on curricula and trainings available in your area.3See Appendix D for a worksheet to help guide you through using the outdoor classroom to teach performance standards.

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Getting Buy-in Before You Build

Creating an outdoor classroom is often an exciting prospect to teachers, students and volunteers alike and

many want to leap directly to the point of construction as soon as possible. However, because you want

the time, money and effort you will invest in creating an outdoor classroom to be well spent, it is impor-

tant to generate support from the many users of outdoor classrooms from the very beginning of the project.

Listed below are key groups to consider, as well as some hints on how to win their support.

AdministratorsAsk your school's administration about their specific concerns for having an outdoor classroom at their

school. Keep them informed on how you will address these concerns.

Create a safety protocol4 for using the outdoor classroom in order to minimize liability concerns.

Animal bites and stings, diseases such as West Nile virus and rabies and safety issues around water are

common school liability concerns. Learn the facts about these concerns and inform administrators how

you will address them. 5

Show your principal that an outdoor classroom is not just an "extra". Provide examples of research

showing how an outdoor classroom can improve academic performance across disciplines. The State

Education and Environment Roundtable (SEER) provides one of the most comprehensive studies to

this effect.6

If possible, try to get outdoor classroom plans incorporated into your School Improvement Plan.7

Invite your principal or other school administrators to observe a lesson taught outdoors. In this way, he

or she can be assured that academic requirements are being met and that you are confident in your abil-

ities to teach outside. Even if they are unable to observe, principals will still be impressed that you are

confident enough to invite them to observe.

Show the potential for overall school improvement that an outdoor classroom can bring. For example,

outdoor classrooms can offer beautification, bring in community support in the form of volunteers and

make the school more attractive to parents.

TeachersSurvey teachers to find out their needs and obstacles in regards to outdoor classroom use. Remember,

the outdoor classroom will not be used if it doesn't support teachers reaching academic requirements!8

Schedule a Professional Learning Unit (PLU) accredited environmental education training for teachers.

The Web site www.EEinGeorgia.org maintains a directory of several excellent multi-disciplinary curric-

ula and training programs that meet state and national learning standards.9

4Consult your school's already established protocols for student safety. Also, other organizations that conduct outdoor youth programs may have

good examples of protocols to draw from. For example, the Boy Scouts offer the online guide Guide to Safe Scouting at

www.scouting.org/nav/enter.jsp?s=ba.5The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has information on the risks associated with diseases such as West Nile and rabies on their website at

www.cdc.gov. Also, contact your local Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to find more information about venomous animals found in your

area and the actual level of risk they pose.6Summaries of the study, Closing the Achievement Gap; Using the Environment as an Integrating Context for Learning (EIC), can be downloaded at

www.seer.org.7The Georgia Department of Education provides information on School Improvement Plans at www.doe.k12.ga.us/support/improvement/about.asp.8See Appendix D "Outdoor Classroom Needs and Interests Survey for Teachers".9The Georgia Department of Education provides information on Teacher Professional Development at

www.doe.k12.ga.us/support/improvement/about.asp.

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Incorporate environmental education training into the Teachers' Professional Learning Plan offered at

your school.10

Invite a local environmental education provider to lead a lesson or activity in the outdoor classroom so

that teachers can see a first hand example of how exciting and successful teaching outdoors can be.

Many environmental education providers can provide customized activities that correlate to cross-cur-

ricular state academic requirements.

Recruit parent or community volunteers who are willing to help chaperone

students outside.

Provide teachers with a clearly written safety protocol for the outdoor classroom. See the safety protocol

listed for administrators earlier in this chapter.

Offer pre-made, tried and true lesson plans that are correlated to state academic standards for teachers

to "grab and go." Some schools have centrally-located backpacks that have all materials ready for leading

an outdoor excursion.

GroundskeepersDesign your outdoor classroom with minimal maintenance needs in mind.

Survey groundskeepers to assess their interest and the skills and resources they are willing to share for

the success your outdoor classroom.

Discuss your outdoor classroom plans with your school's groundskeepers to negotiate and clarify any

responsibilities they are willing to assume in regards to the outdoor classroom.

Assist your groundskeepers by scheduling regular workdays for volunteers to do maintenance on the

outdoor classroom.

StudentsRecruiting students to help with the initial site assessment outlined in the previous chapter "Starting

Where You Are" can be an excellent way to build interest in creating an outdoor classroom. As stated

before, the site assessment can be easily adapted to meet academic standards across a variety of disci-

plines. It is also an excellent way to start the experience of teaching outdoors before the actual outdoor

classroom has been built.

Make sure students have some input in the design of the outdoor classroom and that they participate in

its construction. This will foster feelings of ownership, which will in turn help prevent possible vandal-

ism in the future.11

ParentsConduct an annual survey of parents' resources and skills that they are willing to donate to the outdoor

classroom project.

Inform parents about the educational benefits of an outdoor classroom. Please refer to this point under

the "Administrator" section of this chapter for more information on how to do this.

10In partnership with Georgia Department of Education's Georgia Learning Connections Program, the website www.EEinGeorgia.org offers free

environmentally-themed lesson plans that are designed to address and assess Georgia's academic standards.11Try holding a contest to have students name the outdoor classrooms, plus each of its components.

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Community Members and VolunteersMake an easily accessible maintenance guide for your outdoor classroom as you go. In this way, future

outdoor classroom leaders and volunteers will know how and when to perform maintenance tasks. Keep

this guide, along with other outdoor classroom records, in a central location such as the media center

and make sure others know where it is. Update it regularly.

Create a centrally located calendar of workdays and events for the outdoor classroom. Advertise this cal-

endar to the local community as well as the school. Bring volunteer sign-up sheets to school open hous-

es and other school events where parents and community members are present. As much as possible,

choose a regular day and time for the workday, such as every third Saturday from 10-12. Plan ahead for

possible rain dates.

Gather and organize an annually updated skill bank of parents and volunteers.

Vary the activities for volunteers. No one wants to weed every time they volunteer!

Recognize your volunteers in school and community newsletters, at awards banquets or special events

such as a volunteer breakfast hosted by your school.

Create a volunteering schedule for summer maintenance. For exam-

ple, an individual or family can sign up to take turns caring

for the outdoor classroom for one week each during the

summer. Avoid making summer maintenance one per-

son's responsibility.

Make volunteering for the outdoor classroom fun!

Provide refreshments and good places to rest.

Provide sitters (such as older students, parents

or teacher volunteers).Use themes, such as

seasons, planting and harvesting to make

working in the outdoor classroom feel more

like a festival than a chore. Sometimes just

phrasing it right can make all the differ-

ence.12 e

12One school has declared that they never weed; instead they "feed the chickens."

Volunteers and students love pulling up weeds out of the habitat gardens to feed to

their school's small flock of domestic birds. If your school can't have domesticated

animals, consider feeding a compost bin of earthworms and keeping track of how fast it

takes for your weed pile to be composted.

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Basic Elements of Habitat

Begin your Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat with some easy steps. You can address all habitat elements- food,

water, cover and places to raise young- in some small way in the initial stages of your project.

The features listed below are very basic, but highly visible, and will help teach students about meeting the needs

of wildlife while actually benefiting wildlife in your schoolyard. Students can both construct and maintain all of

these features.

Brush piles

Brush piles provide cover for small mammals, birds and insects. You can start one with a discarded Christmas

tree or yard clippings. Be sure that the materials provided as cover have not been treated with pesticides and

other hazardous chemicals.

Rock piles

Rock piles provide cover for beneficial reptiles and amphibians. Lizards and butterflies can bask in the sun.

Feeders

There are many types of feeders which are easy and inexpensive to build. While feeders

ensure maximum bird activity when stocked, remind students that these are only sub-

stitutes for natural food sources such as berry and nut-producing trees or seed-bear-

ing flowering plants. Since feeders can be expensive and labor-intensive to maintain,

you might want to limit feeding stations to one or two key areas in your Schoolyard

Wildlife Habitats.

Water dishes or birdbaths

A clean, dependable source of water is an essential part of your habitat. An inex-

pensive terra cotta dish, an upside-down garbage can lid or a birdbath will serve

well. It helps to add several flat stones in it as a perch so birds can gradually wade

into the water. Locate the water source in a protected spot away from shrubbery

which could harbor predators. Make sure that the water feature is near a hose or

faucet, or arrange a "bucket brigade" of students for filling it on a regular basis.

Nesting boxes

Students and/or scouts can easily build bluebird, bat, and owl or wood duck boxes

for your habitat. Students should be aware that nesting boxes are only substitutes for

tree cavities. If your campus does have a dead tree, called a snag, which does not pose

a threat, keep it. Snags can also be cut to a height of 6 -10 feet, limiting the possibilities

of danger. Snags provide extremely important cover and nesting sites for many species.

Make sure that these habitat elements are apparent to students. Signs at many schools label

such features as brush piles, rock piles and snags. The signage reinforces the concept of habitat to students and

opens their eyes to these valuable "wildlife homes." e


Raised-Bed GardeningNature Right Outside Your Door

Araised-bed garden is simply a raised area of soil framed by boards, logs, landscape timbers, stones, bricks or other

materials. Raised-bed gardening calls for the use of organic matter or amendments resulting in improved soil

structure and fertility. The raised-bed method of gardening is easy and lends itself well to Schoolyard Wildlife

Habitat projects for several reasons: you can start from scratch; small, contained beds are ideal for experimenting and can

be adopted by various classes; and raised beds can be situated so that all sides are easily accessible.

Construction and Soil AmendmentsRemove all weeds and grass from the area and till about a foot deep. Work into the soil some potting soil, compost or

shredded leaves. A healthy soil contains organic matter and is loose (feels soft when you crumble it in your hands) and

well-drained. One-third of the final mix should be organic matter. The more time you put into this initial bed prepara-

tion, the better results you will have.

A good material for borders is the 4"x 8' landscape timbers which are inexpensive and can be purchased at most lumber

supply stores or garden centers. Please use untreated lumber. Recent studies indicate that treated lumber may leach dan-

gerous chemicals into the surrounding soil. Some woods, such as cedar and redwood are naturally decay-resistant. You

can also use plastic lumber, bricks or cement blocks.

Garden areas should have clearly defined paths for maintenance personnel, volunteers and students to be able to access

plantings for maintenance and study. Paths should be as level as possible and not mulched, as mulching makes paths less

accessible for people with motor disabilities.

PlantingsConsult a landscape architect or Master Gardener to help you place plantings in the best possible locations in regards to

sun and shade, levels of moisture, and types of soil and slope. You should be able to tell from your completed site survey

what the growing conditions are for different areas of your schoolyard. "Putting the right plant in the right place" will

help ensure the time and money you invest in planting will be well spent.

Remember, fall is the best time to begin your garden because plant roots have several months to grow strong while leaves

and flowers are resting (dormant). Choose plants that will mature or bloom between the fall and spring so that your stu-

dents get to see the plantings when they are the most interesting.

Do your best to use native plants. The reason for stressing the use of native plants in landscaping for wildlife is simple:

Georgia plants and Georgia wildlife coexist in communities supporting one another. They are interdependent and each

plant and animal species has a place in native ecosystems. Additionally, native plants are suited to the soil and climate

conditions of the state.

SignageCreate signage not only to identify plantings, but also to help explain what is happening during seasons when your plants

are dormant. Consider signs that tell viewers that the wildflower patch is currently "sleeping through the winter but will

be back with a surprise in the spring".

Garden signs make an excellent art project for students. The more interesting in design and information your

signs are, the more people, especially your students, will want to read them. Signs that incorporate images will

help young students, students who have trouble reading or ESOL students understand your garden as well. e


How To Create a Butterfly GardenA Special from Callaway Gardens

Creating a butterfly garden is an exciting and rewarding endeavor! It is easy to invite butterflies to your

area by gardening with their needs in mind. These beautiful insects will add bright colors and entertain-

ing antics to your garden display. Use the following techniques to produce a delightful butterfly garden

in your own backyard.

Locate the garden in a sunny area.

Butterflies and most butterfly-attracting plants require bright sunshine.

Plant nectar-producing flowers.

Butterflies visit flowers in search of nectar, a sugary fluid, to eat. Many native

butterflies seem to prefer purple, yellow, orange, and red-colored blossoms.

Clusters of short, tubular flowers or flat-topped blossoms provide the ideal

shapes for butterflies to easily land and feed.

Select single flowers rather than double flowers.

The nectar of single flowers is more accessible and easier for butterflies to

extract than the nectar of double flowers which have more petals per flower.

Use large splashes of color in your landscape design.

Butterflies are first attracted to flowers by their color. Groups of flowers are

easier for butterflies to locate than isolated plants.

Plan for continuous bloom throughout the growing season.

Butterflies are active from early spring until late fall. Plant a selection of flowers that will provide nectar

throughout the entire growing season (e.g. spring- azaleas, summer- milkweeds, fall- eupatoriums).

Include host plants in the garden design.

Host plants provide food for caterpillars and lure female butterflies into the garden to lay eggs.

Include damp areas or shallow puddles in the garden.

Some butterflies drink and extract salts from moist soil. Occasionally large numbers of male butterflies congre-

gate around a moist area to drink, forming a "puddle club." You can create your own "butterfly puddle" by plac-

ing a shallow pan on the ground to collect rainwater. Include flat stones that allow butterflies and other small

animals to perch at the water's edge safely.

Place flat stones in the garden.

Butterflies often perch on stones, bare soil or vegetation, spread their wings and bask in the sun. Basking raises

their body temperature so they are able to fly and remain active.

Do not use pesticides in or near a butterfly garden.

Most traditional garden pesticides are toxic to butterflies. Use predatory insects, insecticidal soap or hands to

remove the pests if problems occur. e

Callaway Gardens' mis-

sion is to "provide a bet-

ter understanding of the

living world." To com-

municate that under-

standing, the Callaway

Gardens Education

Department introduces

and interprets the won-

ders of nature to visitors.

For more information

about programs and

resources at Callaway

Gardens, visit www.call-

awaygardens.com.



Butterflies and Plants

Butterflies depend on plants in many ways. The most successful butterfly gardens include plants which

meet the needs of butterflies during all four stages of their life cycle: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and adult.

After mating, female butterflies search for a specific kind of "host plant" on which to lay eggs. For exam-

ple, monarchs lay eggs on milkweed, black swallowtails on dill, and Eastern tiger swallowtails on tulip poplar or

wild cherry. Some butterflies lay eggs on more than one type of plant while others only use one particular kind

of host plant.

In a few days, caterpillars emerge from the eggs and begin to eat. Caterpillars are selective eaters and only feed

on specific kinds of plants. If the desired plants aren't available, the caterpillars will starve rather than eat

another type of vegetation. Usually female butterflies lay eggs on or near the plants their caterpillars prefer to

eat. Most butterfly caterpillars feed on native plants and are not considered agricultural or ornamental pests.

In a few weeks when the caterpillars are fully grown, they shed their skin for the final time and change into

chrysalises. Inside each chrysalis the body of an adult butterfly is formed. Often chrysalises are attached to plant

stems and protected by surrounding vegetation.

After emerging from the chrysalis, the adult butterfly soon begins to search for nectar-rich flowers to feed.

Plants are important to butterflies during each stage of their life cycle. A garden designed with this in mind

attracts the largest number and greatest variety of butterfly visitors!

Plants for a Butterfly Garden

Where To Get More Information About ButterfliesMonarchs Across Georgia (MAG) is a collaboration of the Environmental Education Alliance (EEA), teachers,

students, families, communities, businesses and others, all working together to study Monarch butterflies and

restore butterfly habitat across the state. The mission of MAG is to engage schools and families in learning

experiences involving Monarchs and other native butterflies. The MAG program promotes stewardship of the

natural environment through multi-disciplinary exploration and scientific investigation. For educational mate-

rials, programs and workshops, visit the MAG website at www.monarchsacrossga.org. e

NECTAR PLANTS

Herbaceous Perennials and Annuals

Blue Azure Sage (Salvia azurea)

Heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens)

Joe-Pye Weed (Eupatorium spp.)

New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae)

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

Rose Vervain (Verbena canadensis)

Sunflower (Helianthus spp.)

Yellow Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis)

Woody Shrubs, Trees and Vines

Blueberry (Vaccinium spp.)

Bottlebrush Buckeye (Aesculus parviflora)

Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)

Climbing Hydrangea (Decumaria barbara)

New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus)

Piedmont Azalea (Rhododendron canescens)

HOST PLANTS AND BUTTERFLIES ATTRACTED

Herbaceous Perennials and Annuals

Blue Wild Indigo (Baptisia australis) - Frosted Elfin

Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa) - Monarch

Cutleaf Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata) - Silvery Crescentspot

Maypop (Passiflora incarnata) - Gulf Fritillary

Pussytoes (Antennaria plantaginifolia) - American Painted Lady

Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium) - E. Black Swallowtail

Turtlehead (Chelone glabra) - Baltimore

Violets (Viola spp.) - Variegated Fritillary

Woody Shrubs, Trees and Vines

Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) - Red Spotted Purple

Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - Spring Azure

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) - Zebra Swallowtail

Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) - Spicebush Swallowtail

Tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera) - Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) - Long-tailed Skipper

Shrubs and Vines That Attract Hummingbirds

Vines and shrubs provide food as well as natural cover and nesting habitat. Plan for year-round availabili-

ty of berries and seeds. In addition to growing nectar producing plants, hummingbird feeders are a sure

way to enjoy watching the hummers. To make the nectar, combine four parts water to one part sugar

and bring to a boil. DO NOT use honey, sugar substitutes or red food coloring. Feeders should be cleaned every

three to five days using a brush, hot water and vinegar. e


Shrubs

American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)

Blackberry (Rubus spp.)

Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosom)


Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)

Plums (Prunus spp.)

Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia)

Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia)

Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)

Sumac (Rhus spp.)

Viburnum (Viburnum spp.)

Waxmyrtle (Myrica cerifera)

Vines

Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens)

Greenbrier (Smilax spp.)

Passion-flower (Passiflora incarnata)

Trumpetcreeper (Campsis radicans)

Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)

Wild Grape (Vitis spp.)

Perennials

Beebalm (Monarda didyma)

Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)

Canada Lily (Lilium canadense)

Cross Vine (Anisostichus capreolata)

Eastern Red Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)

Indian Pink (Spigelia marilandica)

Mountain Rosebay (Rhododendron catawbiense)

Scarlet Morning Glory (Ipomoea coccinea)

Spotted Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis)

Swamp Mallow (Hibiscus coccineus)

More on Birds

Feeders

The ideal Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat includes plants which provide food all year. However, this is not

always possible. Supplemental winter feeding can help birds when available food supply is the scarcest.

Feeders also provide opportunities for observing birds close-up.

Tips for feeding birds

Separate food types and leave enough space between feeders. Birds are generally very territorial.

Keep the area around and under your feeders clean. Rake up the peanut shells, sunflower hulls and gen-

eral debris on a regular basis.

Make sure there are no sharp edges or points of wire sticking out on feeders that might injure the

bird visitors.

Regularly clean and disinfect feeders with a stiff brush and a vinegar/water solution. Rinse well and

place in the sun to dry before filling.

Use containers with resealable lids to keep out rodents which can contaminate feed and spread a host of

diseases.

Nesting Boxes

While birds are using their boxes, discourage pets or loud, unusual activity near the box. This may cause the

nesting pair to abandon the nest. Once young birds leave the nestbox, they enter a “fledging” stage. These young

birds will be closely supervised by their parents for the 2-3 days, until they learn how to fly. Fledglings may hop

along low shrubbery or even onto the ground. Remember this is a normal part of being a bird! The best way

you can help is by loose pets indoors during this crucial stage in the birds’ life.

Tips for using nesting boxes

Follow exact specifications established by wildlife professionals for dimensions of each bird house inte-

rior size, depth, entrance size, entrance above floor, and height above ground. See Appendix J for speci-

fications.

Choose the correct habitat to match the type of bird you are trying to attract.

Provide a predator guard to ensure safety from cats and other tree-climbing predators.

Allow plenty of time for painted birdhouses to become free of odors by hanging them outside several

weeks before the nesting season.

Place the entrance hole in a southerly direction to protect against cold northerly winds.

Provide a slightly rough inner surface to the birdhouse to provide a means for nestlings to fledge by

climbing out of the birdhouse.

Securely fasten the birdhouse with wire or nails to ensure against motion by high winds.

Have an adult inspect the house occasionally for invasion by fire ants and wasps.

Use woods which have natural weather resistant properties such as cedars.

Move a house that has remained unoccupied for more than one season to a different location.

Attempt to place birdhouses as early as February and March for the advent of mating season.

Allow adequate ventilation and drainage holes.

Check the nest and nestlings occasionally. Clean a house after each season.

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Bird Interior

Size (in.)

Depth

(in.)

Entrance

Hole (in.)

Entrance Hole

Above Floor (in.)

House Height

Above Ground (ft.)

Preferred Habitat

Eastern

Bluebird

5 x 5 8 x 11 1½ 6 - 7 5 - 10 Open areas with no tall under-

growth.

Carolina

Chickadee

4 x 4 8 - 10 1 - 1½ 6 - 8 6 - 15 Brushy borders.

Wood Duck 10½ x 10½

to 12 x 12

24 3 x 4 ellip-

tical hole

18 - 20 10 - 25 Near margins of pond waters.

American

Kestrel

8 x 8 to

9 x 9

12 - 15 3 9 - 12 10 - 30 Brushy borders and open areas.

White-Breasted

Nuthatch

4 x 4 to

5 x 5

8 - 10 1 - 1½ 6 - 7 5 - 20 Semi-shaded woody areas.

Brown-Headed

Nuthatch

2 x 3 8 - 10 1 6 - 8 5 - 20 Pine woods and mixed pine-hard-

wood forests.

Carolina Wren 4 x 4 to

5 x 5

6 - 8 1 - 1½ 1 - 6 6 - 10 Brushy areas near closed canopy of

trees.

Tufted

Titmouse

4 x 4 to

5 x 5

8 - 10 1 - 1½ 6 - 8 6-15 Brushy areas near closed canopy of

trees.

Tree Swallow 4 x 4 to

5 x 5

6 1½ - 1¼ 5 - 7 10-15 Semi-open areas near ponds or

lakes

Purple Martin 6 x 6 6 2 - 2½ 1 15-20 Bungalow-type colony house in

open areas near low brush.

Prothonotary

Warbler

4 x 4 8 1½ 5 4-7 Swampy areas in hardwood forests

near water.

Screech Owl 8 x 8 12 - 15 3 9 - 12 10-30 Widely spaced tree areas and

meadow edges

Barred Owl 13 x 15 16 8 9 - 12 10-30 In or near forested areas

Barn Owl 10 x 18 15 - 18 6 4 12-18 In or near forested areas, farm-

yards, or fields.

Common

Flicker

7 x 7 16 - 18 2½ 14 - 16 6-20 Large trees in open woodlands,

fields and meadows.

Pileated

Woodpecker

8 x 8 12 - 30 3 - 4 10 - 20 12-60 Mature trees in wooded areas.

Red-Bellied

Woodpecker

6 x 6 12 - 14 2½ 10 - 12 12-20 Mature trees in wooded areas.

Red-headed

Woodpecker

6 x 6 12 - 15 2 9 - 12 12-20 Open areas of woodland edges.

Hairy

Woodpecker

6 x 6 12 - 15 1½ 9 - 12 12-20 Opend woodlands and forests.

Downy

Woodpecker

4 x 4 8 - 10 1¼ 6 - 8 6-20 Open woodlands near fields and

urban areas.

Birdhouse Specifications For Common Georgia Cavity-Nesters

How To Properly Plant TreesA Special From The Georgia Forestry Commission

Site Selection for Tree Planting

The survival and growth of your trees will depend on what you do before the trees are even planted. All

trees have basic requirements of air, water, sunlight and sufficient soil space to grow. Limit any one of

these and your trees will die or never reach expected results. Find out where these trees grow in nature

and then try to supply those requirements. Check with your local Georgia Forestry Commission or Extension

Service personnel for a possible site visit to help with the all important task of selecting an appropriate site to

plant your trees.

Sources of trees

Local garden centers and nurseries are potential sources

along with the Georgia Forestry Commission and

University of Georgia Extension Service.

Tree Planting Procedures

No matter how healthy the tree, if you do not plant itcorrectly, success will be minimal.

Prepare your planting hole in advance of getting the

tree. Dig a hole about twice as large (diameter) as

the size of the container or root ball of the tree to

be planted.

Dig the hole only to the depth of the container or

root ball. Planting too deep will cause the tree to

grow poorly or not survive.

After planting, water thoroughly and put at least

three to four inches of mulch (straw or bark)

around the tree, but no closer than three inches to

the trunk.

A wooden stake beside the tree may be needed to

hold it upright and protect it from lawnmowers.

Allow for two inches of lateral movement.

Mulch the tree yearly and let the leaves or pine needles remain for additional protection of the tree's roots.

Mulch helps reduce the need for additional watering.

Water is the most critical factor for new tree survival. Deep watering is recommended and can be done in a

number of ways: using garden hose with water running slowly, at a trickle; positioning a soaker hose above

the root ball and allowing water to soak through the soil profile; and positioning a five-gallon bucket with a

small hole tapped into the bottom next to the tree and fill the bucket with water.

Watering is necessary in summer months. Make sure that you have a maintenance plan in place BEFORE

summer. Recruit several people to take turns in taking care of your schoolyard habitat, especially watering

new plantings. Families and volunteers can sign-up to adopt plantings on a rotating basis. Avoid delegating

responsibility for summer maintenance to just one person.

Too much water is harmful to trees. Have a natural resource professional help you choose suitable planting

sites with adequate drainage. e


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Native TreesYear-round Food and Cover For A Variety of Wildlife Species

Note: Create a living history tree library. Imagine an arboretum with such trees as the Dwight D. Eisenhower Sycamore or trees with significance to

the American Revolution, Black history, poets and artists and more. For more information, visit www.historictrees.org.


Schools with minimal space available might choose to use container gardens to grow wildlife-attracting plants.

See the lists of native shrubs for good alternatives to trees. e

Large Trees

American Beech (Fagus grandifolia)

American Holly (Ilex opaca)

Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum)

Basswood (Tilia americana)

Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)

Blackgum (Nyssa slyvatica)

Cucumbertree (Magnolia acuminata)

Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)

Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana)

Loblolly, Longleaf and Shortleaf Pine (Pinus spp.)

Loblolly Bay (Gordonia lasianthus)

Live Oak (Quercus virginiana)

Pignut, Bitternut Hickories (Carya spp.)

Post Oak (Quercus stellata)

Red Maple (Acer rubrum)

River Birch (Betula nigra)

Sweetbay (Magnolia virginiana)

Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)

Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandifloria)

Southern Red Oak (Quercus falcata)

Southern Sugar Maple (Acer barbatum)

Swamp Chestnut Oak (Quercus michauxii)

Tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera)

White Ash (Fraxinus americana)

White, Red and Chestnut Oak (Quercus spp.)

Willow Oak (Quercus phellos)

Small Trees

Devilwood (Osmanthus americanus)

Florida Anise (Illicium floridanum)

Redbay (Persea borbonia)

Wax Myrtle (Myrica cerifera)

Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria)

Wildflower MeadowsThe No-Mow Alternative

Creating a meadow on your campus is as simple as stopping mowers in an area not needed for other activities.

Within a season, a rich variety of native, naturalized and introduced grasses will crop up. Insect activity will

increase and birds will follow.

A wildflower meadow should be planted in the fall.

A small, intensively planted meadow can be started from scratch. Choose a sunny spot of manageable size for mainte-

nance with decent soil and access to water. Measure the area and observe conditions carefully. Seed in the fall when tem-

peratures are cooler and rain fall is abundant. Some plants germinate in the fall and produce small tops and establish root

systems. Other seeds wait to germinate the following spring.

First, clear the site of grass and seeds which will compete with the flowers you plant. One easy way to do this is by solariz-

ing. Simply cover the area you wish to turn into meadow with clear plastic sheeting at the beginning of summer. Weight

the sheeting down with cement blocks or logs. The sheeting will magnify the heat of the sun, and kill off the grass and

weeds underneath. When you return in the fall, the grass should be dead and easy to remove. You may also wish to till the

area first and then solarize. This will expose seeds and roots to the intensified heat, and will help prevent future infesta-

tions of weeds. Repeated light cultivation and removal of growth in advance of seeding will prepare the site. Submit a soil

sample to the County Extension Service for information on soil fertility and levels. Fertilizing at the time of planting is

generally discouraged because of weed seeds which would been encouraged.

Seeding

Choosing the right seeds is a critical step. Seeding is expensive but costs can be justified by reduced mowing and mainte-

nance costs over the long term. Many ready-made meadow mixes contain seed of exotic plants not well suited to

Georgia's climate. You might prefer to purchase seeds of individual native plants selected for suitability to your conditions

and climate. Many seed companies will advise you on selection.

Seeding rates should be 5 oz. per 1,000 feet or 10 pounds per acre. Amounts can be increased for more color. The proper

mix of grasses to wildflower should reflect a natural ratio of 80% grasses to 20% wildflowers. Application of the seed can

be done by hand, hydroseed, or drill depending upon the size of the meadow. Newly planted seeds should be kept moist

for 4-6 weeks. A light mulch will conserve soil moisture and protect the seeds from birds. Choices for a light mulch

include pine straw, pine bark, or wheat straw.

Maintenance

As seeds germinate, familiarize yourself with the appearance of the young

meadow plants. Weed out undesirable intruders which will rob the mead-

ow plants of nutrients and water. Do not be discouraged at the slow pace

of growth. Many meadow plants spend the first season growing roots with

very little top plant growth. Many perennial species do not bloom in the

first year. In fact, establishing a meadow may take 3 to 5 years!

Maintenance of the meadow will include intensive weeding and care dur-

ing establishment followed by an annual mowing to a height of 4-8" in late

winter or early spring. The litter should be ground and allowed to fall to

the ground to permit reseeding. Some reports compare the costs of main-

tenance for a turf grass lawn at $1,500 per acre per year and a managed

meadow at $100 per acre per year. e


Flowering Plants for Meadows

Aster (Aster spp.)

Blackeyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)

Blazing Star (Liatris spp.)

Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)


Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)

Ironweed (Vernonia spp.)

Lanceleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)

Native Sunflower (Helianthus spp.)

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

Verbena (Verbena spp.)

Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)

Theme GardensA Special From Zoo Atlanta and the Atlanta Botanical Garden

As you and your students plan your garden, you may want to consider theme gardens rather than just

compiling a list of desirable plants. What is a theme garden? The best way to answer that is with exam-

ples. Several are listed below. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination!

Rainforest Study Garden from Zoo AtlantaThough it is not possible to create an actual rainforest at your school, it is possible to landscape with native

plants that mimic the design of those found in such areas. This will allow up-close study of the characteristics

of rainforest plants.

The following plants recommended by the Horticulture Department of Zoo Atlanta have been used to create

simulated rainforest exhibits for African and Asian wildlife species at the zoo. These plants possess characteris-

tics of rainforest plants, i.e., large-surfaced leaves with deep channel and drip tip for water runoff: Southern

magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), Bigleaf Magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla), Tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipfera),

Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), Red Mulberry (Morus rubra), Spider Lily (Hymenocallis occidentalis), and

Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia)

Theme Gardens from the Atlanta Botanical Garden

Theme: Animal Garden. All of the plants in the garden have animal names. Plant examples: Turtlehead

(Chelone lyonii), Cranesbill (Geranium maculatum), Spider Lily (Hymenocallis occidentalis) and Monkey Flower

(Mimulus ringens).

Theme: Dinosaur Garden. The garden includes plants that grew in prehistoric times when dinosaurs roamed

the earth. (Note: an existing garden in Virginia contains a dinosaur footprint pond and a large egg-shaped

rock.) Plant examples: Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides), Ginkgo tree (Ginkgo biloba) and Horsetail

(Equisetum hyemale).

Theme: Storybook Garden. Students select a story and include plants in their garden that are mentioned in

the book. This in a fun way to incorporate language arts into your garden. Example: Br'er Rabbit or Joel

Chandler Harris garden including okra and collards.

Theme: Wild Salad Garden. Plant wild salad greens and other tasty spring and fall vegetables that can be

found in the wild. Plant Examples: Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), Chicory (Cicharium intybus), Jerusalem

artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus), Lambs Quarters (Chenopodium album) and Asparagus

(Asparagus officinalis).

Theme: History Garden. Choose plants from certain historical periods such as the American Revolution, or

linked to historical figures such as American Presidents. Plant Examples: White Oak (Quercus alba), for the

Charter Oak; Washington Hawthorn (Crataegus phaenophrum) for President George Washington.

Other Ideas: A music garden, for example, might feature wind chimes and natural plant materials used to

make musical instruments. e



All About Rain GardensA Special from www.cleanwatercampaign.org

What Is a Rain Garden?

Rain gardens are beautiful natural landscape features that

require less maintenance and fewer chemicals than lawns.

Rain gardens capture runoff from impervious areas such as

roofs and driveways and allow it to seep slowly into the

ground. Most importantly, rain gardens help preserve near-

by streams and lakes by reducing the amount of runoff and

filtering pollutants.

Why Plant a Rain Garden?

Rain gardens provide for the natural infiltration of rainwa-

ter into the soil. This helps to filter out pollutants including

fertilizer, pesticides, oil, heavy metals and other chemicals

that are carried with the rainwater that washes off your

lawn, rooftop and driveway. Rain gardens also reduce peak

storm flows, helping to prevent stream bank erosion and

lowering the risk for local flooding. By collecting and using

rainwater that would otherwise run off your yard, rain gar-

dens allow you to have an attractive landscape with less

watering.

How Do Rain Gardens Work?

A rain garden receives runoff water from roofs or other

impervious (hard) surfaces such as driveways. The rain gar-

den holds the water on the landscape so that it can be taken

in by plants and soak into the ground instead of flowing

into a street and down a storm drain or drainage ditch. The

plants, mulch and soil in a rain garden combine natural

physical, biological and chemical processes to remove pollu-

tants from runoff. Many pollutants will be filtered out and

break down in the soil over time.

Water should stand in a rain garden no longer than 24

hours after the rain stops. Mosquitoes cannot complete

their breeding cycle in this length of time, so a rain garden

should not increase mosquito populations.

Where Are The Best Places to Locate Rain Gardens?

Rain gardens are best located in natural depressions

(low lying areas where water flows naturally). They

should be sited at least 10 feet from a house or building.

Water and Your Habitat

Water is a vital landscape element

in a successful wildlife habitat.

Some school campuses are fortu-

nate enough to have a natural source of

water such as a stream, lake or wetlands

and need only to provide safe access to

these areas. Some schools without natural

water features meet this all-important

requirement by the simple addition of a

birdbath or small dish. When it comes to

constructing larger water features, there are

a number of options, from "dry streams" to

rain gardens to bogs and ponds. It is

important to choose a water feature that

does not require more funding and mainte-

nance than you can supply. Be sure to real-

istically evaluate your school's resources

before deciding on a kind of water feature.

Clairmont Elementary in Decatur has a

large but shallow pond built under the

direction of a volunteer parent. One end is

only six inches deep with sand on the bot-

tom, allowing the area to be filled with a

diversity of bog plants.

Teacher's note from Knight Elementary:"As our habitat has evolved from trash can

lids to our present ponds, the children have

learned from the successes and failures of

each stage of development. As a teacher, I

have loved the ponds at their 'grungiest.'

We have found that, in order to have a vari-

ety of organisms, you need a little dirt! My

last class found tadpoles, snails, backswim-

mers, water spiders, a living dragonfly

nymph, etc." e

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While they should not be next to building founda-

tions, rain gardens near impervious surfaces such as

driveways, patios and sidewalks help capture the

runoff from these areas.

Sites with steep slopes (an elevation change of more

than 12 feet down per 100 feet in length) may not

be suitable for rain gardens. Further, if you have a

septic system, avoid planting a rain garden over the

top of the drain field. It is recommended that a

landscape professional be consulted if you plan to

build a rain garden larger than 300 square feet.

Where Are Rain Gardens Not Beneficial?

Rain gardens are not appropriate where the seasonal

high water table is within 24 inches of the soil sur-

face because the water table will prevent infiltration.

Rain gardens should not be placed over a septic sys-

tem.

Rain gardens should not be located next to

building foundations.

How to Create a Rain Garden

1. Locate a site for a rain garden in a natural

depression in the landscape.

2. Determine the size and shape of the rain garden.

To calculate the size, consider the area draining to a

rain garden, including the roof area or impervious

area that drains to the downspout and the area of

land between the downspout and the rain garden.

The larger the roof or impervious (hard) area and

the slower that water infiltrates into the soil, the

more area of rain garden needed.

An effective rain garden depends on water infiltrat-

ing into the soil of the garden. Soils with a lot of

clay will infiltrate water very slowly, so the size of a

rain garden in clay soils should be 60 percent of the

total drainage area. Sandy soils infiltrate water more

quickly, so a rain garden in a sandy location does

not need to be as large. For sandy soils, the rain gar-

den size should be about 20 percent of the area

draining to it. Loamy soils can be sized somewhere

between 20 and 60 percent, keeping in mind that

the slower the infiltration, the larger the area should

be. It is important to know your soil before you

start a rain garden project. To test the infiltration of

your soil, dig a hole 6-8 in deep in the area that the

rain garden will be located. Fill the hole with water.


Plants for a Rain Garden

Finding plants for your rain garden is not diffi-

cult. Many well-suited plants are available at

your nearest landscaping supply store. Here are

some suggested plants (common and scientific

names):

TREESTrees are effective in rain gardens that are larger than 150

square feet. Plant trees at least eight feet apart.

Baldcypress (Taxodium distichum)

Blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica)

Fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus)

Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

Musclewood (Carpinus caroliniana)

Red Maple (Acer rubrum)

River Birch (Betula nigra)

Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)

Willow Oak (Quercus phellos)

Witchhazel (Hamamelis virginiana)

SHRUBSAmerican Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)

Bottlebrush Buckeye (Aesculus parviflora)


Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata)

Inkberry (Ilex glabra)

Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia)

Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia)

Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica)

Waxmyrtle (Myrica cerifera)

PERENNIALS, GRASSES & GROUNDCOVERSAsters (Aster spp.)

Blackeyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)

Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica)

Riveroats (Chasmanthium latifolium)

Broomsedge (Andropogon virginicus)


Cinnamon Fern (Osmunda cinnamomea)

Goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis)

Ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis)

Joe-Pye Weed (Eupatorium fistulosum)

Liatris (Liatris pycnostachya)

Narrowleaf Dragonhead (Physotegia angustifolia)

New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae)

Red Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)

Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis)

St. Johnswort (Hypericum fasciculatum)

Swamp Hibiscus (Hibiscus coccineus)

Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

Swamp Sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius)

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)

Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense)

Yellow Stargrass (Hypoxis spp.)

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Observe how long it takes for the water to move (infiltrate) into the soil. If any water stays in the hole for 12

hours or longer, then the soil is not suitable for a rain garden.

If you determine that your rain garden area needs to be greater than 300 square feet and you wish to plan

the site without outside assistance, divide the drainage area between two or more rain gardens, and build

each so you can easily manage them both.

A rain garden should be curvy in shape and is best situated with the longest length perpendicular to the

slope of the land.

Use rope to lay out the boundary of the rain garden.

3. Once the rain garden is laid out, you can start digging.

Begin by removing soil in the rain garden so that the deepest part is about 8 -10 inches deep.

The bottom of the rain garden should be as level as possible so some minor grading may be necessary.

The extra soil removed from the rain garden should be used on the downhill side of the garden to create a

berm, an earthen dam or barrier that will keep the water in the rain garden. The top of the berm should

not be higher than the uphill edge of the rain garden (no more than 12 inches high). The rain garden

should be designed to hold no more than 6 inches of water above the ground surface.

4. Mix organic matter into the soil within the rain garden by spreading 2 to 4 inches of compost over the

area and mixing the organic matter in with the existing soil.

If the soil is acidic (has a low pH), add lime to neutralize the pH of the soil. Contact a local University of

Georgia Cooperative Extension Service office for a soil sampling test by calling 770-228-7274 or go online

to www.ces.uga.edu.

For soils with high clay content, it may be beneficial to remove about 1-2 feet of the soil and replace it with

a more porous "rain garden soil." A soil mix suitable for rain gardens is 50-60 percent sand, 20-30 percent

topsoil, and 20-30 percent compost. The clay content in the rain garden soil replacement mix should be no

more than 10 percent.

5. A shallow swale or corrugated drain pipe should be set up to carry the water from the roof downspout to

the rain garden.

Make sure that the ground slopes away from the house so that water does not collect around

the foundation.

6. Establish a grass or groundcover border along the upper edge of the rain garden to slow down the runoff

water as it enters the rain garden, and do the same over the berm to stabilize it as a border of the

rain garden.

7. Select and plant drought tolerant, wet tolerant and hardy plants. A mix of ornamental grasses, shrubs and

self-seeding perennials are good choices. See chart of plants.

8. Once plants are in place, cover the garden with a 3" layer of mulch. Lighter mulches such as pine bark and

straw will float in water and may be washed away to the edges of the rain garden. Better mulch choices for

a rain garden are more dense materials such as pine straw, wood chips or shredded wood.

9. To maintain your rain garden, remove weeds on a regular basis as the landscape plants grow, and replenish

mulch as needed.

As the plants in the rain garden mature, there will be less need for mulch and weeding.

Rain gardens should be relatively low maintenance if the correct plants are chosen.

10. Plan on providing an "overflow" path for water to take if the rain garden fills and more rain comes. This

path should be stabilized with a hardy grass or groundcover. e

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Pond Plants

Basic Types of Pond Plants

There are three basic types of pond plants that can be used in a

schoolyard pond. Each type of pond plant is categorized by its

function and position in the pond.

1. Submerged Oxygenators

are rooted to the bottom and are totally covered by water.

purify water by absorbing mineral salts and carbon dioxide

produced by animal waste and decaying plant material.

are the first plants to add to your pond.

Examples: Anacharis (Elodea canadensis), Cabomba (Cabomba

caroliniana), Coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum).

2. Floaters

may be rooted to the bottom, but leaves float freely on the

water surface.

purify water by filtering wastes, absorbing nutrients and

adding oxygen.

shade the water, depriving algae of the sunlight needed

to grow.

Examples: Carolina mosquito fern (Azolla caroliniana),

Duckweed (Lemna minor), Fragrant Water lily

(Nymphaea odorata).

3. Marginals

live near the edges, or margins, of water.

grow well when planted 3"-6" deep so they can hold their

leaves and flowers high above the water surface.

will also grow in moist, well drained soil on the bank of a stream or pond.

offer colorful flowers and foliage to ponds.

Examples: Sedges (Carex spp.), Goldenclub (Orontium aquaticum), Arrowheads (Sagittaria spp.),

American lotus (Nelumbo lutea), Seedbox (Ludwigia alternifolia), Green

needle rush (Juncus effusus).

Around the Pond

Landscape around your pond to create a lush, natural netting and contribute to wildlife habitat. Good

choices of native plants include: Winterberry (Ilex verticillata), Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)

and Waxmyrtle (Myrica cerifera).

Some native wildflowers thrive with wet feet and provide nectar for hummingbirds and butterflies:

Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis), Joe-Pye Weed (Eupatorium fistulosum) and Smartweed (Polygonum

spp.).

Choose from varieties of native irises and other interesting native plants such as: Copper or Red Iris

(Iris fulva), Virginia Iris (Iris virginiana), Lizardtail (Saururus cernuus), Cattail (Typhia latifolia). e

Lee County Primary in Leesburgcreated a safety fence around

their pond that doesn't detract

from the landscape by using posts

strung through with nylon rope.

All of the following are perenni-al in Georgia: Arrowhead

(Sagittaria latifolia), Pickerelweed

(Pontederia cordata), Swamp

Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata).

Requirements: 3-6 hours of sun-

light per day; 1"-6" of water

above soil level; fertilization once

a year

Moisture-loving plants for shadyconditions: Sweetflag (Acorus

calamus), Jack- in-the-Pulpit

(Arisaema triphyllum), Bee Balm

(Monarda didyma)


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CourtyardsCreatively Using Small Spaces

The Georgia Wildlife Federation and National Wildlife Federation created a Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat

exhibit garden at the 1994 Southeastern Flower Show in Atlanta. The garden demonstrated ways schools

with little land and funds can develop an innovative wildlife habitat and learning laboratory. The garden

was met with enthusiasm from audience and judges alike, winning the Bulkley Medal from the Garden Club of

America, the Horticultural Society of New York Medal and an Atlanta Botanical Garden Certificate.

The design of the garden was subject to the reduced space, root zone, air, and light of a courtyard. Native plants

that thrive well in such an environment

were chosen. Such plants either provide

food, shelter, or space

for wildlife.

Ideas for a Courtyard:

Amphitheater - a small three-sided

trellis structure supported by a

base of raised bed gardens. Plants

on trellis: Smilax vine with berries

for birds

Curved raised-bed hedge to

enclose amphitheater. Plants:

Waxmyrtle to provide food

and cover.

Border of painted concrete blocks

turned on the side (lined with plastic or masonry sealer as the concrete is highly absorbent and will dry

plants out). Plants: Johnny Jump-ups and Violas for seasonal color and nectar.

Old wheelbarrow container garden. Plants: Fothergilla to attract pollinators and creeping blueberry for

summer fruit.

Perch and plant. Plants: Various wildflowers including Joe-Pye-Weed, Purple Coneflower and Black-

eyed Susan for summer bloom and autumn seed.

Pond with sandy area for tracking and rock pile for cover. Plants: Dwarf Cattail and Pickerelweed

Semi-circle bed. Plants: Redbay for evergreen cover and food sources.

Parallelogram bed with butterfly plants. Plants: Spicebush, Dotted Horsemint and Skullcap - host and

nectar plants

Cubic meter bed with root-viewing window. Plants: Yellowroot, Witchhazel

Cold frame built from recycled lumber and plastic. Plants: Pricklypear

Compost heap

Cable spool for table

Bamboo "tent" frame with hummingbird - attracting vines. Plants: Trumpetcreeper, Crossvine,

Red Woodbine e


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CompostingRecycling Nature’s Way

From the Latin word meaning "to bring together," composting is an excellent way to experience cycling of

nutrients up close. Composting is recycling at its best.

What can be composted?

Yard clippings, spent plants, leaves, kitchen waste including egg

shells, coffee grounds, fruit and vegetable peelings, potassium

rich wood ash from the fire place, newspaper, paper towels

Building A Compost Bin

You can use any mechanism that collects the compost materials

in a convenient stack while providing air and space to turn the

pile. One of the easiest ways to make a bin is by rolling a few feet

of fence wire into a tube. Another approach is to construct old

shipping pallets into a box with one side hinged for ease of

opening and turning. Locate the bin in a convenient, protected

place with filtered light and access to water.

How to build the pile

Layer carbon materials (brown stuff) such as straw, sawdust, dead leaves, chipped twigs with nitrogen materials

(green stuff) such as grass clippings, kitchen waste and worm castings. Then moisten the stack with a little

water to the consistency of a damp sponge. This will create a habitat for microorganisms ready to start the

process of decomposition, converting the compost materials to humus. Turn the pile frequently to keep it aerat-

ed and watch the community of decomposers develop within. Nematodes, mites, springtails, spiders, cen-

tipedes, pill bugs, beetles, and earthworms will join fungi and microbes already present in the pile. An active

pile will turn into humus within three to six months. This humus can then be applied to your garden as a fer-

tile soil or natural fertilizer. e

Troubleshooting

Symptom: unwanted pests.

Cause: addition of waste such as meat, bones, dairy products, grease.

Solution: remove such items from the pile; bury any food scraps

deep within the pile to discourage raiding. Insect pests

such as flies or maggots can be controlled by turning

the pile to encourage high temperatures to kill larvae.

Symptom: unpleasant odor.

Cause: not enough oxygen, too much nitrogen, or too much water.

Solution: turn the compost pile to aerate. Add carbon.

Symptom: won't heat up.

Cause: many causes.

Solution: change the mix ratio; turn to aerate; moisten; add manure or soil to introduce microorganisms.

Spotlight on Sope Creek Elementary,Marietta: Vermicomposting

Fifth graders at Sope Creek

Elementary have one of the most thor-

ough and successful composting proj-

ects around. Student monitors use

their vermicomposting station to recy-

cle leftovers from the school cafeteria.

The students have even put together a

fully illustrated manual explaining

their project step by step.


Make An Earth Window & Tracking Box

Make an Earth Window

Create a window into the earth for students to see soil strata, plant root systems, seed germination, forma-

tion of topsoil, and insect tunnels. Seeing into a slice of earth has applications across the curriculum.

Materials Needed

two 2" x 6" x 8' wood board, untreated

two 2" x 4" x 8' wood board

four 80-pound bags of mortar mix

nails

waterproof labels to identify interesting features

3' x 4' x 3/4" piece of lexan (clear heavy-duty plastic)

one 4' x 6' x 3/4" wood board

21 square feet of granite stone

four hinges

Select a site for your window. The USDA Natural Resources

Conservation Service (NRCS) can assist by taking soil core sam-

ples to locate an area with undisturbed layers. Next, excavate the

area to a depth recommended from the soil samples. A landscape

drain installed at the base of the excavation will assist drainage.

Frame in a panel of lexan creating the window. Drill several deep

holes to prevent condensation. Edge with granite for an optional

support wall. Construct shutters with hinges to conceal and pro-

tect the window. A padlock is recommended to reduce vandalism.

Credits: Chris Patrick, Stone Mountain, Eagle Scout.

Make a Tracking Box

Looking for evidence of wildlife is one method of determining the types of animals that occur in the

Schoolyard Habitat. Signs such as burrows, nests, droppings or food litter can be identified, but the easi-

est signs to interpret are animal tracks. By creating a tracking box, you will provide a tool for educating

students of wildlife present, even though they may not actually see or hear them.

Credits: Grant Duffy, Stone Mountain, Eagle Scout.

To build a 5'X 5' Tracking Box

Locate a level well-worn area near water if possible.

Cut four 5-ft landscape timbers or logs of similar size.

Nail the corners together or use wood-joiners.

Fill with sand, smooth and level, creating a clean "palette"

Optional

Add hinged top door to prevent use of the tracking area as a litter box.

Build benches or place stumps nearby for observations or class lessons.

Place a layer of plastic on the ground first to avoid weeds. e

A word of advice: As mentioned previ-

ously in "Raised Bed Gardening: Nature

Right Outside Your Door", the use of

treated wood in your Schoolyard

Habitat can not only be hazardous to

wildlife (including soil organisms that

nourish the soil) but to students and

visitors as well. Therefore, we encourage

you to use untreated wood such as pine,

oak or cedar. If you decide to treat or

seal untreated wood at any time, use

alternative non-toxic timber treatments

such as linseed oil, limewash, baking

soda or SafeCoat sealers (see www.afm-

safecoat.com) etc. to slow down wood

decay. Or simply use wood alternatives

such as boards of recycled timber, recy-

cled plastic, brown vinyl and composite.


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Miscellaneous Features For Your Habitat

Perch and plant: Under a wire bird perch, you can clear a strip of ground and observe what grows from the

seeds "planted" by bird droppings. You can also inventory plants along a fencerow, a popular bird perching site.

Erosion study area: Leave one part of a small slope bare. Plant a second part of the slope a groundcover (i.e.

native grasses and wildflowers) and mulch the third part. Then compare the amount of soil that has eroded on

each part of the slope.

Amphitheater: An amphitheater is simply a semi-circular area of outdoor seating. Schools often put in benches

to seat classes or clubs. An amphitheater should be located in a shady area in a quiet part of campus.

Litter bins: Bins for both litter and recyclables should be at entrances and gathering areas in the SWH.

Rules: Rules are important to maintain cleanliness, respect and order in your SWH. You can formulate a list of

simple rules for good conduct in your habitat and post them at entrances and gathering areas.

Weather Station: A weather station can include a rain gauge, windsock, anemometer, barometer, minimum-

maximum and simple thermometers, hygrometer, sundial and weather vane.

Coldframe: A mini-greenhouse can be easily constructed from old window panels. Contact your local exten-

sion agent for more directions on constructing a greenhouse; also go to www.caes.uga.edu/extension for other

related greenhouse publications.

Weatherproof Blackboard: A great addition to an outdoor classroom to use as a teaching tool! Be sure to have

chalk or a marker on hand.

Geology Station: You can mount Georgia rocks and minerals into a permanent display in your habitat with

interpretive information included.

Rain Garden: Building a rain garden (or a couple of rain gardens) in your own yard is probably the easiest and

most cost efficient thing you can do to reduce your contribution to stormwater pollution. To learn more, visit

www.raingardennetwork.com.

Entrance Arbor: You can set aside an outdoor classroom as a special place and lend design integrity to the

space by constructing an entrance arbor. Simply use durable materials such as 4"x4" or 6"x6" posts embedded

in concrete, a lattice trellis, or even hardwood tree trunks fashioned into a rustic entrance.

Stepping Stones: Make special stepping stones for your SWH by collecting natural objects found at your school

and then pressing them into wet concrete forms.

Insect Pit Traps: Make simple insect pit traps by embedding several glass bottles in the ground to their tops

and bait each with different food items (i.e. a piece of fatty meat, fruit, or vegetable). Prop the bottle tops at

ground level leaving a small gap. Return the next morning to compare insect visitors in each bottle.

Take advantage of any existing special features at your school. eGeorgia Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide 33

Developing Your Nature Trails

Walking trails around fields and through woodlands can be designed for long and short excursions. A

natural resource professional such as a forester, extension agent, wildlife specialist, or amateur natu-

ralist can walk the proposed area and make recommendations about natural amenities to be high-

lighted including key plants, evidence of wildlife, geological formations including rock outcroppings, unique

terrain, or water features.

Entrance

A nature trail should be easily accessible from the school

building with an attractive entrance and exit. Create an

arbor and transition zone such as a meadow path leading to

the nature trail to encourage students and visitors to be

receptive and respectful of the special place.

Construction

Route: Design a 4' - 6' wide path winding through

the available land while minimizing changes to the

existing habitat. Avoid steep grades, low wet areas, or

creek banks where foot traffic would create erosion

problems. Plan the path to accommodate large

groups. Allow for gathering places at key points

where a teacher might want to group a class

for discussion.

Access: Add bridges, steps, handrails, and sections of

fencing to improve safe passage. The principal and appropriate school system officials should approve

plans for constructed features. Also, special access needs for physically challenged students should be

carefully considered in the plan.

Surface: Use a variety of materials to surface a trail to keep the traffic of many feet from churning up

mud. Identify natural by-products of local businesses that can generate a supply of free materials such

as pecan and peanut shells or sawdust. Power companies or tree care firms often donate wood chip

mulch. River or granite sand, pine bark, grass clippings, straw, or fall leaves can do the job as well.

Mowed paths through a meadow provide an effective passage. Because it does not wash away easily,

gravel is sometimes used on trails that are subject to occasional flooding. A boardwalk path can be con-

structed for wetland areas.

Borders: To make the trail clearly visible to even the youngest students, the path can be bordered by fall-

en limbs and logs collected from the woods. This involves no cost but will need to be done again each

year as decomposition occurs. Wood borders are an expensive alternative and can interfere with the nat-

ural look of a trail.

Students at Cousins Middle adopted a

certain section of their trail and were

responsible for keeping it clean

and repaired.

Students at Seaborn Lee Elementarymade signs for their trail using pieces of

2"x 4" lumber nailed onto stakes.

At Rebecca Minor Elementary, habitat

volunteers poured cement into cat food

cans to create sturdy bases for their signs.

Barnwell Elementary School recycled real

estate signs from its business partner. A

printing company painted and lettered the

new trail signs.


Signs: Interpreting information on the trail through signs is an important teaching device. Signs can be

used for identification and include only common and botanical plant names or carry additional inter-

pretive information and even illustrations. Signs should be large enough to read from a distance,

durable, weather resistant, and replaceable. Signs are often vandalized and should be installed with this

fact in mind. There are as many approaches to signage as there are habitats from inexpensive signs made

with available or collected materials to expensive professionally manufactured signs:

1. Multi-laminated paper

2. Tree limb slices with painted information

3. Sandblasted or routed signs

4. Vinyl letters on painted marine plywood or plastic

5. Professionally printed plastic or metal

6. Number codes with an interpretive handout

Nature Trail Maintenance

Be sure to maintain your trails on a routine basis. Nature trails

need to be enjoyable and free of

danger (i.e. woody debris, litter,

and other obstacles that could

prove hazardous to students

and visitors such as thorny

blackberry bushes). Basic

trail maintenance often

requires regular checks

and cleaning of trails,

pruning, leveling, widen-

ing, weeding, etc.

as needed. e


Raising Funds In Your Community

The first step in realizing your goal of developing a Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat is projecting or estimating

the project cost. This job requires some quiet time with a pad of paper and pencil. Sit down and make a

list of proposed project objectives including everything from blazing a trail to constructing an arbor or

building a pond. For each of these tasks, make a list of equipment and materials you'll need to get the job done.

Then attach an estimated cost to each item on the list of equipment and materials. Putting this information in

a simple chart displaying tasks, materials, costs, and sources will give you an at-a-glance budget and help you to

organize a strategy in funding the project.

Many schoolyard habitats can be developed with little or no money

thorough the use of recycled and donated materials and fundraisers.

Some Partners-in-Education are willing participants in habitat proj-

ects by donating funds, expertise and/or materials. Check with local

construction companies to see if they have extra building materials

they can donate. Contact your local nature center to find out if there

are any plant rescue groups in your area. These groups dig up native

plants in areas slated for construction and are always on the lookout

for a good place to transplant them.

If you are able to identify specific project needs and accompanying

costs with your chart, you will be prepared to approach a donor with

a need closely matched to their capabilities. Run a regularly updated

wish list for your outdoor classrooms in your school newsletter,

website or community paper. Create a simple brochure and standard

solicitation letter on school letterhead that can be used by anyone to

be able to easily explain your project and ask for donations. Most

donors give when asked because they want to support a cause

important to them, honor their personal relationships, and/or

enhance business goals.

At Lee County Primary, the proj-

ect leader got permission to write

a weekly column in the local news-

paper mentioning the happenings

and needs of their habitat project.

She also recommended using the

local paper to find businesses that

might be receptive to requests

for donations.

At Seaborn Lee Elementary, the

project leader used her students'

poetry and drawings from the

habitat when seeking donations.

They were very persuasive! Many

schools have sold Habitat or Earth

Day t-shirts to raise money for

their projects.


Tips on raising funds

Remember what you have to offer potential donors: valuable publicity through school publications! Let a

potential donor know upfront the kind of publicity that you can provide in return for support. You could

acknowledge the donor in the student newsletter, on the school's reader board on a busy street, on a sign in the

outdoor classroom, or in a flyer sent home. Plant nurseries, lawn and garden centers and hardware stores in

your area are often willing to donate to a good cause in their community, especially if they are acknowledged

publicly for it.

Ask clearly for what you want. A clearly defined, organized wish list is an effective way to get donations. Donors

want to see exactly what their money is supporting and may prefer to fund an entire project such as a butterfly

garden or a weather station that can be clearly identified as their contribution to the school and/or community.

Always follow through on requests from potential donors and fulfill promises made. Send thank you letters,

cards and/or notes promptly. Students can write thank you notes or make posters to place at businesses that

make donations or host fund raisers, etc. The lessons to be learned by par-

ticipating in the fund raising process are important, valuable lessons

in life.

More fund raising advice

You could also host local events for fund raising such as

a run/walk, silent auction, raffle, car wash, a special

banquet for lunch or dinner, contest, concert, etc. Be

creative! There is more than one way to raise funds

for your Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat. Be sure that

your fund raising event complies with applicable

state, federal, and school regulations governing fund

raising activities.

Finally, be sure to ask others to solicit contributions from their own contactsas well. Make fund raising

a team effort! e


GrantsTips For Successful Proposal Writing

Before you apply…

Identify one or two persons to be responsible for writing grant requests. The persons need not have experi-

ence in writing but should have technical writing skills. Writing grant requests is nothing more than communi-

cating ideas in a clear and concise way according to guidelines set out by grantors.

Begin writing about your project. By creating ready-to-use statements, you will not be overwhelmed when

your first grant application arrives in the mail. The following elements correspond generally to the format of

most small grant packages:

Project purpose/goal: Two or three sentences are enough.

Project description: This summary should be organized so as to reflect the ways in which your project

matches the funding objectives of the grantor.

Project detail: Have a numbered list of the activities that you plan to carry out your project. Here you

show your project to be achievable, (i.e., a good investment).

Timeline: Promise only what you can reasonably achieve, and be specific. Most grants place deadlines

on project completion.

Budget: A well thought-out line-item budget shows that the project is a good investment. The grantor

wants to know that funds will be used effectively. Show that you are careful with their money as you

would be with your own. The budget is the test of whether or not what you want to do matches with

what they want to fund. Some grants require matching funds or in-kind donations. You can easily

match a grant in-kind by adding up donated items like plants, building materials, snacks for volunteers,

office supplies for posters, thank you letters and cards, etc. Any professional that lends expertise to your

project, such as a landscape architect, is donating a consultant's fee; have them write you a receipt. If a

parent offers free use of equipment such as a tiller, figure up what that would have cost you in

rental fees.

Let the school community know that you are looking for grants. The

best grants to seek are small, local grants. There will be less competition

for these grants, and you are more likely to have personal contact with

the grantmaker. However, do not hesitate to file for large national

grants that are well-matched to your project. Environmental

Protection Agency, U.S. Small Business Administration, and other

agencies and foundations distribute many thousands of dollars in

grants appropriate to Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Projects. Also

check out the EEinGeorgia website at www.eeingeorgia.org for the

latest grant information.

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Once you have a grant application in front of you...

Follow all directions in the application to the letter. Readers of grants usually go through a series of weeding-

out steps. The first step often involves clearing out applications that did not follow directions. The application

format set out by grantors helps them in their review process. Deviating from that format means making things

difficult for the reader. Make sure that your proposal at least gets read.

Pay attention to the language in the grant application package. Put key words from the application package

right into your proposal. Successful grant writing is really a matchmaking process: the grantor has definite

objectives and you must convince them that your project fits their needs.

Make yourself a checklist from the grant application package. Make sure that you have addressed all require-

ments mentioned in the grant application package. For example, if the grantor prefers to fund projects that

promote community involvement, express clearly how your project will involve the community. Do not neglect

to address any funding goal of the grantor set out in the grant application package.

Have someone read your proposal. Your reader should ideally be someone not closely involved with or

informed about your project. This distance will help them find any gaps or confusing elements in your propos-

al. Any question left unanswered by your proposal for this reader will also be unanswered questions for the

grant reviewer. Make your proposal as clear, readable and complete as possible based on your

reader's comments.

Make sure that your proposal is neat and pleasant to read. Look at it objectively: Is it inviting? Have you used

a type size large enough to read easily? Is the text double-spaced? Have you broken text into small sections with

headings or do you have long, unbroken passages that can turn the reader off?

Finally, meet your deadline! Make sure that you deliver your proposal in a timely fashion. Send your proposal

to grantors in media specified in the grant application package whether by U.S. mail, fax, or email.

More about Grants and Corporate Sponsorship

Visit www.EEinGeorgia.org and the Outdoor Classroom Council link at www.eealliance.org for an up-

to-date list of grants available.

Receive monthly updates and news by signing up for the e-news at www.EEinGeorgia.org.

Many large corporations are resistant to receiving several requests for small sums. Before approaching

corporate funders, contact nearby schools to see if they would be interested in joining you in soliciting

for funding as a group. A corporation may be much more willing to give money for outdoor classrooms

to a block of schools, or a school district, than a single request.

But most importantly…

Keep copies of all your fund raising efforts: parent surveys, grants, fund raising letters, contact information of

donors both small and large, for others to reference later. This will help you keep track of who you have asked

for what, and will make it easier for new outdoor classroom champions to find the resources they need. e

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Getting More HelpSpotlight On Other Resources Available To Assist You

Georgia Master Gardener Program

This is a volunteer gardening training program offered by the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension

Service. The training consists of 40 hours of classroom instruction on horticultural principles and pest control

practices. "Master Gardener Interns" must then provide a minimum of 50 hours of volunteer service to their

community, assisting with gardening related activities such as Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat projects. For infor-

mation, contact your local UGA County Extension Agent. Find your local UGA County Extension Agent at

http://caes.uga.edu/extension/.

Phone: (706) 542-3824

Website: http://extension.caes.uga.edu/mastergardener/

Habitat Stewards

Habitat Stewards is the volunteer training and mentoring arm of the National Wildlife Federation's Backyard

Wildlife Habitat™ program, supported in Georgia by the Georgia Wildlife Federation. As a Habitat Stewards

host, the Georgia Wildlife Federation administers the Habitat Stewards training program at the community

level, acting as the liaison between NWF and individual Habitat Stewards volunteers. A Habitat Stewards volun-

teer is an individual who has a keen interest in the environment, and a willingness to volunteer his or her time

and expertise to assist others in the creation or restoration of wildlife habitat. Habitat Stewards can offer great

assistance in your Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat project. To get assistance from the Georgia Habitat Steward

team, contact the Georgia Wildlife Federation at:

Phone: (770) 787-7887

Website: www.gwf.org

Georgia Forestry Commission

Foresters from the Georgia Forestry Commission provide technical assistance to landowners, homeowners,

builders, schools and government agencies in tree selection, planting, and maintenance. The GFC administers

environmental education and tree planting grant programs. Project Learning Tree workshops are conducted

throughout the state by GFC personnel. Many schools have called on local foresters to help identify trees and

advice on the development of nature trails. Call the Macon headquarters for more information about the

forester serving your community.

Phone: (478) 751-3500

Website: www.gfc.state.ga.us

Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Wildlife Resources Division (WRD)

Contact your local DNR office for wildlife questions and technical assistance. Check under "Georgia state" list-

ings in the phone book.

Phone: (770) 918-6400

Website: www.georgiawildlife.org


Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts

Local scout troops have proven to be valuable resources for schools working on habitat projects. Boy Scouts

often meet requirements for badges by helping out in the development of the habitat. Scouts have built blue-

bird boxes and feeders, and have helped build trails, boardwalks and tracking boxes. The opportunities are lim-

itless. Contact your local Boy or Girl Scouts.

Boy Scouts Website: www.scouting.org

Girl Scouts Website: www.girlscouts.org

Natural Resources Conservation Service (Georgia)

The Natural Resources Conservation Service is a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The

District Supervisor is an elected volunteer position held by persons dedicated to conservation. A District

Supervisor might help map out trails, identify wetlands, or inventory plant species. The NRCS office in your

county can be found by looking in the phone book under USDA.

Phone: (706) 546-2272

Website: www.ga.nrcs.usda.gov

Atlanta Urban Gardening Program (AUGP)

This program works with communities, schools and other groups in grow-

ing vegetables on small plots of land and developing good nutritional

skills. For technical assistance in organizing and maintaining commu-

nity-based gardening efforts, call:

Phone: (404) 730-7000 or (404) 762-4077.

Website: www.co.fulton.ga.us/departments/cooperative_ext.html

Keep Georgia Beautiful Commission

Contact your local commission to find out about the assistance

available to educators in your area. School support ranges from

incentive awards to teacher trainings.

Phone: (404) 679-4853

Website: www.keepgeorgiabeautiful.org

Local garden clubs and civic organizations

Don't overlook resources that are particular to your commu-

nity. Local garden clubs have spearheaded some habitat proj-

ects at schools. These projects give persons a chance to

become directly involved in improving the learning resources

and campus of schools right in their community.

Phone: (706) 227-5369

Website: www.uga.edu/gardenclub/


Evaluating the Success of Your Outdoor Classroom

If you have followed this guide, you will have done a great deal of work to create an outdoor classroom that

will be used as an effective teaching tool for many generations of students and teachers at your school. Of

course, each school is different, as well as a place of constant change. Students and parents pass through,

teachers and administrators transfer locations and educational requirements are constantly revised. One way to

make sure that your outdoor classroom continues to successfully serve your school is to keep records and con-

duct periodic evaluations. The following are some suggestions for finding out whether your outdoor classroom

is successfully meeting your school's needs.

Academic Success

Create an outdoor classroom log for teachers to note use and activities conducted, along with a place to

write suggestions or ideas. Keep this log in a central location so that teachers can easily access it. The log

can also serve as evidence to your school administrators on how the outdoor classroom is being used.

Keep track of data (anecdotal or actual statistics) that shows a correla-

tion between improved academic performance and use of the

outdoor classroom.

Survey teachers annually about their needs and thoughts

regarding the outdoor classroom. Is the outdoor classroom

functioning as an effective teaching tool? Why or why not?

Continue to assess the needs and thoughts of all outdoor

classroom users and make changes accordingly. An easy

way to do this is by putting out a suggestion box.

Site Sustainability

Assess your outdoor classroom once a year for any

needed repairs or improvements. Be sure to check for

the following: Signs of erosion; Health of plantings;

Conditions of structures; Definition of paths and gar-

den beds; Litter; Vandalism; Nearby safety hazards;

Signs of wildlife; and General accessibility.

You will need to change your outdoor classroom as time

passes to accommodate for all of these factors as time

passes. Remain flexible and don't be afraid to change

the plan.

Integrate the needed repairs and improvements into the long-

term plans for your outdoor classroom. Schedule your workdays

and inform others of needed donations accordingly. e

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Best Management PracticesHow To Create A Sustainable Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat

Best Management Practices (BMPs) are simple, effective methods to create a successful, sustainable

Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat. These guidelines are based on continuous learning and experience, and

should be periodically evaluated.

Start where you are.

Assess current school grounds for already existing outdoor classroom possibilities. Consider school

expansion and construction plans.

Assess needs and interests of all potential outdoor classroom users and stakeholders. These include

administrators, teachers, students, maintenance/facilities staff, parents and community members.

Assess already available curricula.

Make a plan and keep good records.

Keep it simple!!!

Plan in phases for long term to make project progress realistic.

Keep all information and subsequent information centrally

located and organized.

Get buy-in from school/ community before beginning con-

struction.

Make sure school administration is invested in

the project.

Inform local community about the project through

press releases to generate support.

Support the SWH with fundraisers and sponsors.

Plan for a zero budget. Remember that just taking

students outside to explore the school grounds is

already free.

Assess already-available sources of funding

and materials.

Solicit donations or funding at local level first-

school, parents, local community and businesses.

Create a network of schools or a school district to

solicit local offices of large corporations to increase

the likelihood of donations.

Research and apply for grants (after you have done all of

the previous).

Institutionalize the use of your Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat.

Designate an outdoor classroom coordinator.

Arrange annual in-service trainings to train new and refresh or re-

inspire already trained teachers.


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Assign specific areas of the outdoor classroom to specific classes to encourage ownership and break-up

maintenance responsibilities.

Reward teachers for using/maintaining the outdoor classroom.

Provide resources and support for teachers to integrate using outdoor classroom into curriculum and

meeting SDU/GPS.

Emphasize resources and trainings that focus on teaching existing curriculum in outdoor

classrooms (e.g. EIC)

Create centrally-located "grab and go" activities or backpacks for teachers to use in outdoor classrooms.

Institutionalize communication about outdoor classrooms.

Create an annual festival that showcases the outdoor classroom. This will ensure an investment in

maintenance and use from school administrators who "want the school to look good" and help recruit

volunteers, donations and other resources from the

greater community.

Evaluate the success of your Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat.

Remember that learning how to teach effectively out-

doors is more important than building or installing

outdoor classroom features.

Keep track of data, anecdotal or actual statistics

that show correlation between improved aca-

demic performance and use of the outdoor

classroom.

Continue to assess the needs of all outdoor

classroom users and make

changes accordingly.

Constructing and maintaining an

outdoor classroom

Do not begin construction without doing the previ-

ous steps! Be willing to be flexible and accommodate

for changes as they are required. Involve all or as

many students as possible to encourage feelings

of ownership.

Create a centrally located maintenance manual as you go.

Divide maintenance tasks into multi-age levels for stu-

dents. After-school clubs can make maintenance of the out-

door classroom their ongoing project. Encourage community

and volunteer groups who can assist with maintenance,

particularly during the summer.

To learn more about implementing Best Management Practices,

see Appendix I: Case Studies. e


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Habitat Calendar

Listed below is a sample maintenance schedule. Use this calendar to plan for the maintenance of your Schoolyard

Wildlife Habitat throughout the year. Thanks to Tiger Creek Elementary in Tunnel Hill for some of the ideas below!

August

Clean and fill birdbaths & feed-

ers. Refill regularly to keep water

fresh. Weed garden areas.

September

Take classes on tour of the SWH

to introduce rules and features.

Show habitat to parents during

open house. Start habitat scrap-

book. Plan for planting in fall,

and prepare raised beds.

October

Fall planting time. Build blue-

bird boxes and install so that

new smell will wear off

by February.

November

Plant wildflower meadow and

raised bed garden and begin

compost pile.

December

Prune shrubs while dormant.

Choose trees for planting; con-

tact the Georgia Forestry

Commission. Water trees before

leaving for the holiday break.

January

Plant tree seedlings but be sure

that ground is not frozen. You

may need to plant earlier or

later. Also prune trees and

shrubs while dormant and clean

out bird feeders.

February

Begin monitoring bluebird

houses. Hang nesting helpers

such as yarn and string on tree

branches. Plant tree seedlings.

March

Plant spring annuals; remember

fundraising.

Mulch and water as needed.

April

Host Habitat dedication or

annual celebration. (Have you

certified your habitat?)

www.nwf.org

May

Plan for summer maintenance.

Weed, keep water fresh, fill feed-

ers, and water trees!

June



July



Use this space below for more additions to your calendar and for your own ideas!


Nature GlossarySpeaking the Language of the Environment

Annual: a plant that completes its life cycle, from seed to fruit, in one year or season.

Biodiversity: the variety of living things in an area, indicated by the numbers of different species of animals

and plants and small microorganisms.

Biotic community: a naturally-occurring assemblage of plants and animals that live in the same environment,

are mutually sustaining and interdependent, and are consistently fixing, utilizing and dispensing energy.

Canopy: a vegetation layer formed by the leaves and branches of trees and shrubs. There can be several layers

of canopy.

Corridors: rivers, trails through woodlands and open fields that connect a number of habitats in a contiguous

manner. Wildlife moves along these paths.

Deadheading: the removal of faded and dead flower blooms from

annuals and perennials to keep plants producing new blossoms.

Deciduous: plants that drop their leaves at the end of the

growing season, as opposed to evergreen species.

Decompose: to break up into basic elements or to rot.

Erosion: the wearing away of land by water or wind.

Bare soil will erode more quickly than soil protected

by plants and root systems.

Ecosystem: a complex self-sustaining natural system

of living organisms existing in an interdependent

relationship with each other and with the nonliving

components of the environment where they

are found.

Ecotone: edge between two different ecosystems.

Edge effect: the tendency of wildlife to use the areas

where two vegetative types come together forming an

edge. Wildlife diversity is usually greatest along this edge

between two habitats.

Environment: the complex factors that act upon an organism or

community and determine its survival.


Evergreen: plants which leaves remain green and on the stem all year long as opposed to deciduous plants.

Exotic: nonnative or foreign plants or animals that are introduced into an area.

Flora: a list of the species of plants that compose the vegetation of an area or region (often incorrectly used

interchangeably with vegetation)

Habitat: the site where a plant or animal normally lives and grows. Also a place that provides food, water, cover,

and appropriate space for reproduction.

Herbaceous: plants that die back to the ground at the end of the growing season such as a wildflower.

Native: local, indigenous; usually grown, produced, or origi-

nating in a particular place or vicinity.

Organic matter: carbon-based compounds, derived

from living organisms.

Perennial: a plant that persists for more than

two years, generally with new herbaceous

growth from the roots with each new

growing season.

Predator: animal that preys, kills and/or

eats other animals.

Prey: animal killed by a predator.

Riparian: located or living along a

stream, river or body of water.

Root zone: area available in soil for a

plant to grow roots.

Snag: a standing tree (usually dead) from

which the leaves and branches have fallen.

Its hollow cavity may be used by wildlife

for nesting.

Understory: a layer of the canopy formed by

smaller trees in a forest.

Wildlife: living things that are neither human

or domesticated.


Appendix A:Outdoor Classroom Needs & Interests Survey For Teachers

Dear Teachers,

Our school is designing an outdoor classroom. This will be a place outside in the schoolyard that has

been enhanced for educational purposes. An outdoor classroom can take many forms. For example, it could be

a garden to study life cycles, a quiet place to inspire writing, a civics project about land use, a simple building

project that uses geometry, or all of the above! In other words, an outdoor classroom is a teaching tool, much

like a computer, that can be used in many different ways.

Please fill out the following 2-page survey and return it to __________________ by this date________

so that we can best meet your needs with our design.

On a scale from 1 to 5, rate how comfortable you feel about using an outdoor classroom around the following

issues. Please also explain any important comments or suggestions.

Issue Uncomfortable Don't Know Comfortable

Student Safety 1 2 3 4 5

Explain:

Travel Time to Outdoor Classroom 1 2 3 4 5

Explain:

Teaching My Subject Outdoors 1 2 3 4 5

Explain:

Maintaining Control of My Class 1 2 3 4 5

Explain:

Being Physically Comfort Outside 1 2 3 4 5

Explain:

Knowledge About Natural World 1 2 3 4 5

Explain:

Other: 1 2 3 4 5

Explain:


On a scale of 1 to 5, please rate how important or useful the following would be for

you for use an outdoor classroom.

Not Important/Useful Don't Know Important/Useful

Training on how to use 1 2 3 4 5

outdoor classrooms to

teach my subject

Explain:

Extra chaperones for 1 2 3 4 5

taking students outside

Explain:

Service learning 1 2 3 4 5

opportunities for students

Explain:

Curriculums and activities 1 2 3 4 5

for use in the outdoor

classroom

Explain:

Relevant information 1 2 3 4 5

and resources about nature

Explain:

Outdoor classroom 1 2 3 4 5

safety protocol

Explain:

Outdoor seating/tables 1 2 3 4 5

Explain:

Other: 1 2 3 4 5

Explain:

Please circle the types of outdoor classrooms (can be more than one) you would most like to use:

nature trail vegetable garden wildlife habitat garden pond/water feature weather station

meadow compost or recycling area wildlife feeders (ex: bird) gazebo accessible gardens

wooded area flower garden arbor

Thank you for taking the time to fill out this survey. If you are interested in getting involved with designing the

outdoor classroom, please contact _____________________________at__________________________.


Appendix B:Schoolyard Site Inventory Checklist

Site Inventory Task Completed Date of Completion Status1

1 Divide and delegate inventory work between subcommittees and

grade levels.

2 Create one central site inventory map or several that note

separate features.

3 Begin with a map of the school grounds that includes all pre-existing

hardscapes (i.e. buildings, paved roads and walkways).

4 Obtain maps of master plans or projected construction plans for

your school.

5 Obtain maps from school maintenance staff about locations of

underground cables, wires and pipes.

6 Contact your local Utilities Protection Center for any other under-

ground hazards at your school.

7 Locate north, south, eat and west on your maps to determine degrees

of exposure to light and heat.

8 Map your school watershed. Search for areas on-site that do and don't

drain well. Locate areas of runoff from buildings/paved areas.

9 Monitor and map areas and hours of sun/shade in your schoolyard.

10 Assess and map the soil quality in the potential areas for your gar-

den(s). Contact your local Cooperative Extension Service or garden

supply center for more information.

11 Map pre-existing walkways and paths.

12 Map the levels of slope in possible outdoor classroom sites.

13 Consider how accessible your outdoor classroom will be.

14 Map sources of water that can be used for irrigation (i.e.sprinkler sys-

tem, downspouts, stream, etc.).

15 Survey pre-existing plants, trees and wildlife that are seen on actual

school grounds and note their habitat.

16 Map nearby distractions (i.e. noise and frequent activities that cause

disturbance while in outdoor classroom.

17 Map any nearby hazards or safety concerns to be avoided.

18 Consider the line of sight and vista offered by your outdoor class-

room. Avoid placing classroom next to unappealing areas such as the

school dumpster.

1Status: NA = not applicable; A = active; O = ongoing; C = completed


Appendix C: Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Resource InventoryCheck if your school already has the following. If the resource is not applicable to your project, check “N/A”.

Resource Accessible or Available for Use? #/Amt. Available N/A

Books

Native Plant Gardening

Wildlife Management

Natural Landscaping & Design

Organic Pest Control

Other:

Gardening Tools

Shovels

Turning Forks/Hoes

Rakes

Hand Trowels

Other:

Irrigation

Spigot

Sprinkler System

Nearby Indoor Water Source (e.g. classroom sink)

Hose

Rain Gutter or Downspout

Nearby Stream or Pond

Other:

Equipment

Clipboards

Hand Lenses

Activity Backpacks

Nets (e.g. Aquatic, Insect, etc.)

Field Guides

Environmental Ed. Curricula or Resources

Monitoring Equipment (e.g. Water, Weather, etc.)

Other:

Already Existing Outdoor Classroom Features

Nature Trails

Outdoor Seating

Flower Gardens

Vegetable/Herb Gardens

Native Plant/ Habitat Gardens

Raised Beds

Trees

Nesting Boxes

Wildlife Feeders

Water Feature (e.g. Pond, Bog, etc.)

Gazebo or Covered Shelter

Amphitheater or Outdoor Stage

Meadow

Forest

Stream or Wetland

Mulch Pile

Compost

Other:


Appendix D:Curriculum Connections Chart

List objectives that you teach. Then brainstorm ways that you can teach those objectives in the

outdoor classroom.

Performance Standard Strategies for Teaching Objective in Outdoor Classroom


Appendix E:Possible Sources for Volunteers, Donations and Funding

Sources of (Free) Resources:

Native Plant Rescue Groups

Native Plant Societies

Local Garden Clubs

Memorial Donations

School Maintenance Department

(Plants, Tools, or Labor)

Corporations (Interns, Employee Volunteers & Services)

Partners in Education

Eagle Scouts

Local Civic Groups

University Landscape Architecture and Design Programs

Local nurseries

Vocational Schools/Horticulture Programs

Master Gardeners (Extension Service)

Habitat Stewards (National Wildlife Federation)

Sources of Funding:

Community Organizations

Civic Organizations

Community Philanthropists

Parents

Environmental Organizations

Foundations

Local Chamber of Commerce

Business Associations

Local Businesses

Corporate Sponsorship

Community and Volunteer Groups:

Parents

AmeriCorps

Corporate Volunteer Groups

Adopt-a-Stream and other citizen science initiatives

National Parks Service

4-H

Local Military (Volunteer Labor on Larger Projects)

Outdoor Enthusiasts Clubs

Home Owners and Neighborhood Associations

Local Businesses

Churches

Scouts

High School & College Student Service Groups

Retirees

Master Gardeners

Habitat Stewards

Master Naturalists

Extension Service

Local Media

Garden Clubs

Junior League


Appendix F:Recommended Resources for Habitat and Natural Gardening

The Natural Habitat Garden by Ken Druse and Margaret Roach. 1994. Hardcover, 248 pages. Through 500

color photographs, The Natural Habitat Garden introduces readers to 35 gardens that re-create the naturally

balanced plant communities found in each of the four main botanical habitats. Druse helps to define a new

horticultural aesthetic while showing gardeners everywhere how they can recreate the natural havens for birds,

butterflies and other wildlife that once made America beautiful. Includes fullcolor photographs.

Butterfly Gardening for the South by Geyata Ajilvsgi. 1990. Hardback, 342 pages. A must-have for the butterfly

gardener, Butterfly Gardening of the South features profiles of 50 southern butterflies and their host and nectar

plants. The profiles are detailed and informative and the photos are exquisite. Also includes garden designs and

butterfly-friendly pest controls.

Southeastern Wildflowers by Jan W. Midgley. 1999. Paperback. Excellent information on identifying and gar-

dening with our native wildflowers. Descriptions also include propagation tips and benefit for wildlife.

Attracting Birds To Southern Gardens by T. Pope, N. Odenwald and C. Fryling. 1993. Hardcover, 164 pages.

With its unique climate, soil and a longer growing season, the South gives its gardeners a singular opportunity

to combine the two most popular outdoor activities in the US: gardening and birding. Covers garden habitats,

seasons, bird and plant dictionaries and resources. Over 300 full-color photos.

Attracting Birds, Butterflies and Other Backyard Wildlife by

David Mizejewski, National Wildlife Federation Backyard

Wildlife Habitat® Program. 2003. Paperback, 128 pages.

This resource will be of use to teachers and others in

developing habitat projects at school and at home,

providing in-depth information about applying

wildlife-friendly gardening techniques and creating

basic habitat elements to any size yard or garden.

Features illustrated projects, checklists and native

plant information and 170 color photos of certi-

fied habitat landscapes and backyard wildlife.

Gardening with Native Plants of the South by

Sally & Andy Wasowski. 1994. Hardback, 196

pgs. The large number of photographs and Sally

Wasowski's fun, conversational writing style com-

bine to make Gardening with Native Plants of the

South a terrific, reader-friendly primer on native

southern plants. Look to this book for creative gar-

den designs and easy-to-read plant profiles complete

with lists of companion species and notes on

wildlife usage.


Landscaping With Wildflowers: An Environmental Approach to Gardening by Jim Wilson. 1993. Paperback. A

practical guide to the newest trend in gardening by the star of The Victory Garden. Gardeners concerned with

conserving nature are increasingly interested in growing wildflowers and saving or recreating natural land-

scapes. Wilson shows how to incorporate wildflowers into gardens in every part of the country. 100

color photographs.

Natural Gardening by John Kadel Boring (Editor), Erica Glasener, Glenn Keator, Jim Knop, R.J. Turner

(Editor). 1996. Hardcover. This richly illustrated, informative guide to gardening explains how to create a wel-

coming habitat for a wide variety of wild creatures through the use of an environmentally friendly collection of

native vegetation.

Landscaping with Nature: Using Nature's Designs to Plan Your Yard by Jeff Cox, Marilyn Cox (Contributor).

1996. Paperback. A garden transformation workbook, this text teaches readers a new way to garden--by work-

ing with nature to design a landscape. Detailed instructions for using nature©s patterns or color schemes in a

garden design, gardening for wildlife, landscaping with stones and/or water and using native plants are com-

bined with basic instruction. 80 color photos. 75 illustrations.

Natural Landscaping: Gardening with Nature to Create a Backyard Paradise by Sally Roth. 1997. Hardcover,

256 pages. Showing readers how to create their own woodland gardens, shade gardens, wildflower meadows,

prairie gardens and songbird gardens, Natural Landscaping is packed with real-life examples, garden plans, col-

orful combinations, at-a-glance plant charts and more. Includes regional coverage and plant recommendations.

250 color photos.


Appendix G: Recommended Online Resources for Habitat and Natural Gardening

Georgia Wildlife Federation (www.gwf.org)

Guides for creating a Backyard Wildlife Habitat, Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide, lists of work-

shops and classes, related articles, grants, and contacts to find volunteers for your project.

KidsGardening (www.kidsgardening.com)

Tips for students, parents, & teachers who spend time in the garden.

Evergreen (www.evergreen.ca)

Canadian site promotes healthier and greener homes, schools and communities, including a

participant registry.

Adventures in Birding (www.birdingadventuresinc.com)

Atlanta-based ornithologist and educator provide excellent information on bird watching, attracting birds to

your garden, and creating a habitat.

American Horticultural Society (www.ahs.org)

Provides a wealth of information and resources on all topics having to do with gardening, including a whole

Youth Gardening section.

Avant-Gardening (www.avant-gardening.com)

Encourages sustainable, creative ways to do organic gardening.

Georgia Native Plant Society (www.gnps.org)

Promotes the appreciation and use of native plants and

habitats; site lists meetings, garden tours and activities, and

reputable native plant sources.

Georgia Perimeter College Botanical Garden

Wildflower Center of Georgia

(www.gpc.edu/~ddonald/botgard/george3.htm)

Features photos from the garden and information on

the college's free lecture series on native plant topics.

Carolina Gardener Magazine

(www.carolinagardener.com)

Monthly publication offering a variety of

gardening topics.

Floating Habitats

(www.members.aol.com/Tjacmc/index.html)

Floating Habitats for ponds and lakes' construction plans

and use instructions.


National Wildlife Federation (www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat)

Information and certification forms for your wildlife habitat; also offers a variety of education materials and a

registry of participating schools.

Project Wildlife (www.projectwildlife.org/gardens.htm)

Provides additional information on creating wild gardens.

National Gardening Association (www.garden.org)

Interactive database of gardening articles, how-to tips and ideas, and dictionary.

Organic Gardening (www.organicgardening.com)

This magazine promotes organic, wildlife-friendly methods and techniques in gardening.

Georgia Organics (www.georgiaorganics.org)

Provides a online directory of retailers and organic farmers that sell supplies and equipment for

organic gardening.

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (www.wildflower.org)

A clearinghouse promoting native plants through education programs.

Native Plant Conservation Initiative (www.nps.gov/plants)

Technical information of native plants and current conservation issues.

USDA PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov)

The PLANTS Database is a single source of standardized information about plants, featuring state plant check-

lists, and plant profiles; also information on native plants, exotic invasives, and wetlands plants.

Wild Ones Natural Landscapers, Ltd

(www.for-wild.org)

Landscaping using native species in

developing plant communities' educa-

tional materials, grants and

conference announcements.

The Foundation Center

(www.fdncenter.org)

Provides education and training

on the grantseeking process, and

disseminates information for

grantseekers through its website.

Council on Foundations

(www.cof.org)

COF provides numerous online links

to publications and resources that

aid grantseekers.


Appendix H:Additional Outdoor Classroom Resources

Georgia Outdoor Classroom Council (OCC)

www.eealliance.org/occ%20symposium/about_occ.htm

OCC, a subcommittee of EEA (see below), is a coalition of organizations and individuals sharing an interest in

the design, development, maintenance and use of outdoor classrooms. Its mission is to serve teachers, parents,

principals and community volunteers as a resource link, providing up-to-date training and literature. Each year,

the OCC organizes an annual symposium aimed at helping schools develop and use their school property as a

teaching area.

The Environmental Education Alliance of Georgia (EEA)

www.eealliance.org

EEA works to promote environmental education by providing opportunities for member organizations,

schools, and the general public to get involved through the annual EEA conference, member newsletter, envi-

ronmental events posted on its Web site, and teacher resource directory.

The Online Guide to Environmental Education in Georgia

www.EEinGeorgia.org

A website designed to build statewide capacity for environmental education by providing: environmental edu-

cation (EE) lesson plans based on Georgia's Performance Standards (GPS), a searchable directory of Georgia's

EE providers and the resources they offer, a statewide calendar of EE events, EE news and easy-to-access facts

about Georgia's environment.

Schoolyard Habitats® Program

www.nwf.org/schoolyardhabitats/educatorresources.cfm

National Wildlife Federation offers curriculums, planning

guides, grants and other resources for turning schoolyards

into wildlife habitat.

EIC

www.eeingeorgia.org/eic

Using the Environment as an Integrating Context

for Learning is a school improvement process

developed by the State Education and

Environment Round Table (SEER). According to

SEER's nation-wide study, EIC results in

improved academic achievement, classroom

behavior and instructional practices. In Georgia,

teams of teachers, administrators, community

organizations representatives and EIC coaches are

selected and trained to implement the EIC Model

in their schools.


Appendix I:Schoolyard Wildlife Habitats - Case Studies

The Georgia Community Greenspace Program identified the 55 fastest growing counties in the state. In

2004, Georgia Wildlife Federation invited teachers from these counties to attend the Schoolyard Ecology

and Greenspace Symposium at the Alcovy Conservation Center. The 12 schools who participated in this

conference guided the GWF in the development of Best Management Practices (BMPs) for creating sustainable

Schoolyard Wildlife Habitats.

In 2005, each of the 12 schools formed teams consisting of parents, teachers, administrators, grounds staff and

community partners. GWF worked with the wildlife habitat teams to create new or enhance existing schoolyard

wildlife habitats, implementing the BMPs developed during the symposium.

After one year, 11 of the 12 schools reported on their accomplishments and challenges. The following case

studies were developed from these reports.

Barnwell Elementary (Alpharetta, Fulton County)

2005 Accomplishments:

Included in the strategic plan for Barnwell Elementary is a mandate for each teacher to use the outdoor

classroom at least once a month. Records are kept and lessons are shared. Two classes were offered for

teachers: Native Seasons and Project Learning Tree.

Outdoor Expressions, LLC donated time and talent of a master designer to refine the master plan creat-

ed by the school and assisted with the signage and hardscape.

Best Management Practices Incorporated:

Barnwell created an online folder to keep information about the plan and map of the outdoor class-

room. Teachers meet regularly to discuss use of the outdoor classroom.

Difficulties Encountered:

Barnwell learned that everything took longer than anticipated. The PTA hired landscaping maintenance

help. This crew did not have knowledge of the master plan.

Dekalb Alternative School (Stone Mountain, DeKalb County)


Two butterfly gardens and other beds were planted around the perimeter of the campus.


The Outdoor Garden team conducted a site assessment and inventory, and drew plans for the outdoor

classroom. Monthly meetings were held to discuss outdoor classroom use.


The teachers did not have enough time to develop interdisciplinary lesson plans across the curriculum.

A partnership was developed with Stone Mountain Park instructors to assist the teachers in incorporat-

ing gardening activities and events into their curriculum.


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Dunwoody Springs Charter Elementary (Dunwoody, Fulton County)


An outdoor classroom was incorporated into the charter proposal for the school. A survey of needs was

done that included teachers, administration, custodial workers, and the community. An outdoor class-

room committee and sub-committees were formed.


Dunwoody Springs involved everyone in the school as well as the community to gain support for their

project. They purchased backpacks and stocked them with field glasses, magnifiers, trowels, bug boxes,

field guides to plants and birds, and other things to be used in an outdoor classroom.


At first it was difficult to get teacher involvement because of their busy schedules. With the support of

parents and others in the community they were able to overcome this.

East Jackson Middle School (Commerce, Banks County)


During 2005, East Jackson constructed and installed 10 bluebird houses. They educated community

members about Georgia native birds, feeding birds and using field guides. A pergola, shaded by red

cedar and trumpet vines, was constructed as a student reading area.


East Jackson gained support for the schoolyard habitat from their county supervisors.

They established a partnership with Commerce Hardware to help with funding.

The outdoor area was placed in an area accessible to everyone.

They used plants which required very little maintenance.


The "call before you dig" staff did not come to mark the territory on the day work was to begin. They

resolved the issue by contacting the county technology director and maintenance supervisor who gave

the school permission to dig.

Gainesville Exploration Academy (Gainesville, Hall County)


Gainesville Exploration Academy built 16 raised bed gardens and grew broccoli, flowers, herbs, a dog-

wood tree, strawberries, onions, and 250 bulbs received from the National Gardening Association.

They put out 6 bird feeders and 2 bird baths, built 8 garden benches and made stepping stones for a

garden walkway. For their efforts they received a National Wildlife Federation Schoolyard Habitat certi-

fication.


Community support was enlisted from Georgia Power who supplied manual labor to build the raised

beds. Even Start parents helped with plantings and GAP (high school girls) planted a butterfly garden.

An outdoor classroom committee was formed to plan literature-based outdoor activities. The kinder-

garten class was put in charge of refilling bird fillers, fifth graders were put in charge of caring for the

atrium plants, and ten classrooms helped to plant bulbs.


They encountered difficulty finding parents who would help with the physical labor. Two garden work

days were planned but no parents showed up. The school then called on Georgia Power volunteers to

get the work done.

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Huntley Hills Elementary and Montessori School (Chamblee, DeKalb County)


During 2005 Huntley Hills built steps to the woodlands behind the school, transferred Monarch cater-

pillars to milkweed plants in the courtyard and conducted lessons on the butterfly life cycle, set up an

environmental committee, developed backpack kits for teachers and volunteers to aid in conducting

outdoor classroom lessons and held a Migratory Bird Festival in the fall.


They conducted a "needs and interests assessment" of teachers and administrators at the end of the

school year and implemented changes based on the results of the survey.

They also hosted a teacher training in the school.


The only difficulties encountered were those of the "first time" nature such as arranging a time when

committee members could meet and deciding on the various activities that would take place during the

Migratory Bird Festival.

It was also difficult to reach a consensus about the details of the essay contest.

Kimberly Elementary School (Atlanta)


The students and faculty at Kimberly Elementary School built raised beds for vegetable plots, weeded

and maintained a butterfly garden, started seeds indoors that were transplanted to outdoor gardens and

conducted schoolyard investigations and observations.


An assessment was done on the existing school areas and resources to determine what could be used in

a schoolyard classroom. Students completed a map and site inventory of the schoolyard.


Teachers were too busy to find time to maintain the gardens. To overcome this, teachers worked with

Hands on Atlanta, parents and community members to form a garden work day.

Mt.Yonah Elementary (Sautee, White County)


Mt. Yonah developed a master plan for six specific garden areas. The initial phase was the construction

of two raised beds for the planting of a small winter garden. Soil samples were taken and a lesson was

conducted on plant needs. Spinach, radishes, collards, mustard and turnips were planted and tended

throughout the fall and winter. Work was begun on a butterfly garden.


A comprehensive site plan was developed with the assistance of several master gardeners, a botanist and

a horticulturist. The entire school was involved in the creation of six specific garden areas to be main-

tained and managed by each grade level.


The incredibly poor soil posed problems. The school contacted the local county extension office to help

break up the soil since the school is new, and the surrounding area had been used as a construction

refuse site.

North Springs High School (Sandy Springs, Fulton County)


North Springs High School formed a partnership with Keep Sandy Springs-North Fulton Beautiful to

implement their vision of a beneficial, project-based learning outdoor classroom. Students identified

specimen trees as a focal point of the classroom. They secured tree information suitable for installation

in the outdoor lab and ordered tree identification plaques. Research was done to choose activities and

experiments for the outdoor classroom and teachers selected appropriate books.

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Students were involved in the process of tree identification and trail clearing. They also planted native

saplings to enhance the outdoor classroom and to prevent erosion down a steep, bare slope near the

classroom.

Teachers incorporated usage of the outdoor classroom as an integral part of their lessons.

Environmental Science classes and AP Environmental Science lessons were taught in the outdoor class-

room. Science, Technology and Society classes met regularly in the outdoor classroom to discuss envi-

ronmental stewardship and conservation. Biology classes used the outdoor classroom to discuss plant

structure, reproduction and taxonomy.


The teacher originally identified as the lead on the outdoor classroom project was reassigned to a differ-

ent school. After a relatively long dormant period, a new teacher was assigned.

A key staff person was on extended medical leave, resulting in a series of miscommunications about the

goals of the outdoor classroom. A key student graduated in 2005 and had to be replaced.

Entirely different classes are taught in the fall and spring. To take advantage of the blooming wildflowers

and leafing of trees, all environmental science classes are taught in the spring. Therefore, the outdoor

classroom was underutilized in the fall and winter.

Norton Park Elementary (Smyrna, Cobb County)


Norton Park Elementary assessed the needs of teachers and students, designed a plan and gathered

materials for an outdoor classroom, set up teams of volunteers and students, and held a Migratory Bird

Festival.


Norton Park conducted a parent/teacher survey to assess needs and interests, and created a summer vol-

unteer schedule involving more than one person.


The county put the outdoor classroom project on hold due to new construction activity already under-

way on the campus. This was later resolved.

Oakhurst Elementary (Decatur, Decatur City Schools)


Nine classes at Oakhurst Elementary conducted site inventories, learned the four elements of habitat,

drew class maps for nine essential elements, established a butterfly habitat garden on school grounds,

and planted 5 native trees. A curriculum committee was formed to link the Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat

to the school system's new strategic plan, earning a $4,000 grant for the project.


Oakhurst began their project by making a topographical map of the school's existing resources. They

next developed a simple piece of the larger plan, the butterfly garden. Students, teachers and the princi-

pal were involved in the planning and decision making. The students studied native wildlife and their

habitats.


One challenge was identifying the boundary between the schoolyard and the adjacent city park. This

problem was resolved through a meeting with Decatur's grounds coordinator.

Another challenge was creating a curriculum committee because teachers could not find time in their

schedules. The school involved a curriculum specialist in linking the state standards. This curriculum

specialist became an ambassador to teachers representing the project. Teachers were encouraged to write

up successful lesson plans and add them to an Outdoor Classroom notebook that was shared by all

other teachers.

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GA: Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide

Documents

seaborn lee

management

national wildlife

grant application

lee county

national gardening

construction

migratory