Georgia Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide

Georgia Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide 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 education 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.

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.

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

Schoolyard Wildlife Habitats Improve Academic Achievement National research shows that Schoolyard Wildlife Habitats work and are highly beneficial. 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: w improved performance on standardized tests in reading, writing, math, science and social studies. w greater academic performance in students in EIC programs than peers in traditional programs in 92% of the schools. w reduced discipline and classroom management problems in some cases by as much as 95%. w increased engagement and enthusiasm for learning, resulting in substantially improved attendance. w heightened contributions to their communities through effective servicelearning projects.

To learn more about EIC in Georgia, visit www.eeingeorgia.org/eic.

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 ........................................................................................

1 2 3 5 7 8 11 12 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 29 30 31 32 33 34 36 38 40 42 43 45 46 48 50 51 52 53 54 56 58 59

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

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n 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 Top 5 Reasons Listed by Schools: is an impressive number of outdoor classroom projects, follow-up inquiries into the current staWhy Outdoor Classrooms Fail tus of these projects presented a troubling trend.

1. Continued maintenance and upkeep The study revealed that 41% of outdoor class2. Teachers unsure or unable to incorporate usage into lessons rooms were no longer in use and were usually 3. Inadequate funding abandoned by their second year1.

4. Vandalism (especially at high schools) 5. School expansion or relocation

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.

Why Outdoor Classrooms Succeed 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Community support Student involvement Funding Teacher training Administrative support

It is our hope that this guide will help outdoor classroom enthusiasts avoid common pitfalls and Source: GWF survey, 2004. promote outdoor classrooms that are both longterm, effective teaching tools and sustainable habitat 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 students 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

1See

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

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What is a Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat?

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Schoolyard 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 crucial 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 affiliate 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 ProgramÂŽ 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 ingenuity 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 agencies 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 Georgia Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide

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Getting Started

Planning & Organizing Your Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat

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reate 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 additional buildings; play fields, parking lots and portables; routine maintenance program; potential for funding/inkind 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 community. 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 necessary 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: utilize 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 volunteers 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 representatives. 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.

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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 easily maintained by one person or class. Here are some suggestions: w 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. w 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 necessary, 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. w 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 survival. 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 support for each element. e Georgia Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide

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Form Your Wildlife Habitat Committee

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he 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 positions 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 committee

and 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

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Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Committee Members Date: _______________________________ 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 bookkeeper 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: Name: Grade/Teacher: 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.

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Evaluate Your Campus

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

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he 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: w the buildings, parking lots, play fields, and retention ponds. w underground utilities, drains, sewer and septic lines. w planned and unofficial patterns of traffic including: cars, bikes, pedestrians and delivery and maintenance vehicles. w litter, erosion and drainage problems. w access to water. w parcels of land not being used.

County Extension Agents w locations for future building plans. often are tremendous resources

Evaluate good and bad features of these sites as potential outdoor classrooms. Consider: w distance from the school building. w access from building to grounds. w security of the site. w 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

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 possible, 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?�

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ow that you have a clearer understanding of your site, you can begin to create a plan. Some schools prefer 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 reforestation 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 outcroppings, 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 surveying teachers to find out their needs and obstacles in regards to outdoor 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 education 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 different for each species, but you can plan a habitat which will support a variety of wildlife.

The Project Leader At Jackson Middle School in Commerce

began 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 information 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.

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.

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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 central folder for future reference! Better yet, create an outdoor classroom binder or shelf in your media center for easy access.

Maintenance

When 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. w Don't take on too much. w Always keep maintenance requirements in mind including repairs that may be necessary.

Note that vandalism is often an unfortunate fact of w life in schoolyards. w Break the project down into small steps and share it. w Create a maintenance manual as you go so future caretakers of the schoolyard habitat don't have to reinvent 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 success 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 important 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 volunteers, maintenance of the new outdoor classroom is almost always a volunteer task as well. School system grounds personnel 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 implemented 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 educational habitat stations.

The Small Project Approach: Seaborn Lee Elementary, College Park

The 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 exciting and ingenious in Georgia and has won state and national awards. It was created 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 committee 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:

At Haynes Bridge Middle School in Alpharetta, project

w Incorporate student activities into maintaining the outdoor leaders created an "adoption classroom. Have different classes adopt different areas of the list" as a way to delegate various outdoor classroom to maintain. parts of their habitat project. w 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. w To further divide the labor, individual students in a class can "adopt" a tree or plant to study and maintain. This will encourage student ownership of the outdoor classroom. w Host an environmentally-based teacher training on how to use the outdoor classroom for all teachers within your school annually. w 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). w Keep school administrators and school district planning and construction offices informed of your Schoolyard w Wildlife Habitat plans to prevent future landuse conflict. w Keep your school and your community regularly informed on events surrounding your Schoolyard Habitat. w Invite community groups to assist with workdays or special projects. w Contact your local natural center or environmental education provider to arrange for a demonstration of activities for your outdoor classroom. w Avoid relegating the outdoor classroom to just one academic subject.

If possible, create different areas that facilitate specific topics. e

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Beginning the Design Process

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he 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: w 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. w 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. w 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: w How will habitat gardens be maintained through the summer?

Is what you are designing interesting enough to pique students' curiosity and sturdy enough to withstand their exploration?

Does your outdoor classroom provide at least some of the elements of habitat for wildlife: food, shelter, w water and space to raise young? A plant that produces food, such as seeds, nuts or berries is less expensive, more reliable and better for wildlife, than a feeder made by humans. w 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. w Will you have the future time, money and resources to maintain the outdoor classroom you are designing? w 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? w 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? w 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 available 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

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reating 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 important 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.

Administrators

w Ask 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. w Create a safety protocol4 for using the outdoor classroom in order to minimize liability concerns. w 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 w 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 w Education and Environment Roundtable (SEER) provides one of the most comprehensive studies to this effect.6 w If possible, try to get outdoor classroom plans incorporated into your School Improvement Plan.7 w 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 abilities 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. w 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.

Teachers

w Survey 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 w Schedule a Professional Learning Unit (PLU) accredited environmental education training for teachers. w The Web site www.EEinGeorgia.org maintains a directory of several excellent multi-disciplinary curricula 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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w Incorporate environmental education training into the Teachers' Professional Learning Plan offered at your school.10 w 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. w Many environmental education providers can provide customized activities that correlate to cross-curricular state academic requirements.

Recruit parent or community volunteers who are willing to help chaperone w students outside. w Provide teachers with a clearly written safety protocol for the outdoor classroom. See the safety protocol listed for administrators earlier in this chapter. w 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.

Groundskeepers

w Design your outdoor classroom with minimal maintenance needs in mind. w Survey groundskeepers to assess their interest and the skills and resources they are willing to share for the success your outdoor classroom. w 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. w Assist your groundskeepers by scheduling regular workdays for volunteers to do maintenance on the outdoor classroom.

Students

w Recruiting students to help with the initial site assessment outlined in the previous chapter "Starting w 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 disciplines. 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 w its construction. This will foster feelings of ownership, which will in turn help prevent possible vandalism in the future.11

Parents

w Conduct an annual survey of parents' resources and skills that they are willing to donate to the outdoor classroom project. w 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.

Georgia Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide

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Community Members and Volunteers

w Make 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. w Create a centrally located calendar of workdays and events for the outdoor classroom. Advertise this calendar to the local community as well as the school. Bring volunteer sign-up sheets to school open houses 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. w Gather and organize an annually updated skill bank of parents and volunteers. w Vary the activities for volunteers. No one wants to weed every time they volunteer! w Recognize your volunteers in school and community newsletters, at awards banquets or special events such as a volunteer breakfast hosted by your school. w Create a volunteering schedule for summer maintenance. For example, 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 person's responsibility. w 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 difference.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.

Georgia Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide

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Basic Elements of Habitat

B

egin 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 substitutes for natural food sources such as berry and nut-producing trees or seed-bearing 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 inexpensive 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 Georgia Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide

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Raised-Bed Gardening

Nature Right Outside Your Door

A

raised-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 Amendments Remove 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 preparation, 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 dangerous 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.

Plantings Consult 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 students 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.

Signage Create 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 Georgia Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide

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How To Create a Butterfly Garden A Special from Callaway Gardens

C

reating 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 entertaining 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.

Callaway Gardens' mission is to "provide a better understanding of the living world." To communicate that understanding, the Callaway Gardens Education Department introduces and interprets the wonders of nature to visitors.

For more information about programs and resources at Callaway Gardens, visit www.callawaygardens.com.

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 congregate around a moist area to drink, forming a "puddle club." You can create your own "butterfly puddle" by placing 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 Georgia Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide

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Butterflies and Plants

B

utterflies 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 example, 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 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

Where To Get More Information About Butterflies

Monarchs 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 materials, programs and workshops, visit the MAG website at www.monarchsacrossga.org. e Georgia Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide

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Shrubs and Vines That Attract Hummingbirds

V

ines and shrubs provide food as well as natural cover and nesting habitat. Plan for year-round availability 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) Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) 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)

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)

Vines Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) Greenbrier (Smilax spp.)

Passion-flower (Passiflora incarnata) Trumpetcreeper (Campsis radicans) Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) Wild Grape (Vitis spp.)

Georgia Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide

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More on Birds Feeders

T

he 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 w Separate food types and leave enough space between feeders. Birds are generally very territorial. w Keep the area around and under your feeders clean. Rake up the peanut shells, sunflower hulls and general debris on a regular basis. w Make sure there are no sharp edges or points of wire sticking out on feeders that might injure the bird visitors. w 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. w 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 w Follow exact specifications established by wildlife professionals for dimensions of each bird house interior size, depth, entrance size, entrance above floor, and height above ground. See Appendix J for specifications. w Choose the correct habitat to match the type of bird you are trying to attract. w Provide a predator guard to ensure safety from cats and other tree-climbing predators. w 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. w w Provide a slightly rough inner surface to the birdhouse to provide a means for nestlings to fledge by climbing out of the birdhouse. w Securely fasten the birdhouse with wire or nails to ensure against motion by high winds. w Have an adult inspect the house occasionally for invasion by fire ants and wasps. w Use woods which have natural weather resistant properties such as cedars. w Move a house that has remained unoccupied for more than one season to a different location. w Attempt to place birdhouses as early as February and March for the advent of mating season. w Allow adequate ventilation and drainage holes. w Check the nest and nestlings occasionally. Clean a house after each season.

Georgia Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide

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Birdhouse Specifications For Common Georgia Cavity-Nesters Bird

Interior Size (in.)

Depth Entrance Entrance Hole House Height Preferred Habitat (in.) Hole (in.) Above Floor (in.) Above Ground (ft.)

Eastern Bluebird

5x5

8 x 11 1½

6-7

5 - 10

Open areas with no tall undergrowth.

Carolina Chickadee

4x4

8 - 10 1 - 1½

6-8

6 - 15

Brushy borders.

Wood Duck

10½ x 10½ 24 to 12 x 12

10 - 25

Near margins of pond waters.

American Kestrel

8 x 8 to 9x9

3 x 4 ellip- 18 - 20 tical hole

12 - 15 3

9 - 12

10 - 30

Brushy borders and open areas.

White-Breasted 4 x 4 to Nuthatch 5x5

8 - 10 1 - 1½

6-7

5 - 20

Semi-shaded woody areas.

Brown-Headed 2 x 3 Nuthatch

8 - 10 1

6-8

5 - 20

Pine woods and mixed pine-hardwood forests.

Carolina Wren 4 x 4 to 5x5

6-8

1 - 1½

1-6

6 - 10

Brushy areas near closed canopy of trees.

Tufted Titmouse

4 x 4 to 5x5

8 - 10 1 - 1½

6-8

6-15

Brushy areas near closed canopy of trees.

Tree Swallow

4 x 4 to 5x5

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

4x4

8

1½

5

4-7

Swampy areas in hardwood forests near water.

Screech Owl

8x8

12 - 15 3

9 - 12

10-30

Widely spaced tree areas and meadow edges

Barred Owl

13 x 15

16

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, farmyards, or fields.

Common Flicker

7x7

16 - 18 2½

14 - 16

6-20

Large trees in open woodlands, fields and meadows.

Pileated Woodpecker

8x8

12 - 30 3 - 4

10 - 20

12-60

Mature trees in wooded areas.

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

6x6

12 - 14 2½

10 - 12

12-20

Mature trees in wooded areas.

Red-headed Woodpecker

6x6

12 - 15 2

9 - 12

12-20

Open areas of woodland edges.

Hairy Woodpecker

6x6

12 - 15 1½

9 - 12

12-20

Opend woodlands and forests.

Downy Woodpecker

4x4

8 - 10 1¼

6-8

6-20

Open woodlands near fields and urban areas.

8

Georgia Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide

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How To Properly Plant Trees

A Special From The Georgia Forestry Commission Site Selection for Tree Planting he 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.

T

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 it correctly, success will be minimal.

w 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. w 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 w three to four inches of mulch (straw or bark) around the tree, but no closer than three inches to the trunk. w 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. w Mulch the tree yearly and let the leaves or pine needles remain for additional protection of the tree's roots. w Mulch helps reduce the need for additional watering. w 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. w 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. w Too much water is harmful to trees. Have a natural resource professional help you choose suitable planting sites with adequate drainage. e Georgia Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide

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Native Trees

Year-round Food and Cover For A Variety of Wildlife Species 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)

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

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.

Georgia Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide

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Wildflower Meadows The No-Mow Alternative

C

reating 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 maintenance with decent soil and access to water. Measure the area and observe conditions carefully. Seed in the fall when temperatures 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 solarizing. 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 infestations 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 maintenance 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 meadow 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 during 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 maintenance 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) Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) 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)

Georgia Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide

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Theme Gardens

A Special From Zoo Atlanta and the Atlanta Botanical Garden

A

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

Rainforest Study Garden from Zoo Atlanta Though 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 characteristics 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 Georgia Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide

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All About Rain Gardens

A 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 nearby 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 rainwater 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 gardens 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 garden 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 pollutants 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? w 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

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ater is a vital landscape element in a successful wildlife habitat.

Some school campuses are fortunate 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 maintenance than you can supply. Be sure to realistically 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 bottom, 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 variety of organisms, you need a little dirt! My last class found tadpoles, snails, backswimmers, water spiders, a living dragonfly nymph, etc." e Georgia Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide

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While they should not be next to building foundations, rain gardens near impervious surfaces such as driveways, patios and sidewalks help capture the runoff from these areas. w 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? w Rain gardens are not appropriate where the seasonal high water table is within 24 inches of the soil surface because the water table will prevent infiltration.

Rain gardens should not be placed over a septic sysw tem. w 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. w 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. w An effective rain garden depends on water infiltrating 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 garden 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 difficult. Many well-suited plants are available at your nearest landscaping supply store. Here are some suggested plants (common and scientific names): TREES Trees 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)

SHRUBS American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) Bottlebrush Buckeye (Aesculus parviflora) Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata) Inkberry (Ilex glabra) Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia) Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica) Waxmyrtle (Myrica cerifera)

PERENNIALS, GRASSES & GROUNDCOVERS Asters (Aster spp.)

Blackeyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica) Riveroats (Chasmanthium latifolium) Broomsedge (Andropogon virginicus) Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) 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. w 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. w A rain garden should be curvy in shape and is best situated with the longest length perpendicular to the slope of the land. w Use rope to lay out the boundary of the rain garden.

3. w w w

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. w 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. w 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. w 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. w 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 Georgia Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide

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Pond Plants Basic Types of Pond Plants here 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.

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Lee County Primary in Leesburg

created a safety fence around their pond that doesn't detract from the landscape by using posts strung through with nylon rope.

1. Submerged Oxygenators w are rooted to the bottom and are totally covered by water. w purify water by absorbing mineral salts and carbon dioxide produced by animal waste and decaying plant material.

All of the following are perenniw are the first plants to add to your pond. al in Georgia: Arrowhead w Examples: Anacharis (Elodea canadensis), Cabomba (Cabomba (Sagittaria latifolia), Pickerelweed caroliniana), Coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum).

(Pontederia cordata), Swamp 2. Floaters Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata). w may be rooted to the bottom, but leaves float freely on the Requirements: 3-6 hours of sunwater surface. light per day; 1"-6" of water w purify water by filtering wastes, absorbing nutrients and above soil level; fertilization once adding oxygen. a year w shade the water, depriving algae of the sunlight needed to grow.

Moisture-loving plants for shady w Examples: Carolina mosquito fern (Azolla caroliniana), conditions: Sweetflag (Acorus Duckweed (Lemna minor), Fragrant Water lily calamus), Jack- in-the-Pulpit (Nymphaea odorata).

(Arisaema triphyllum), Bee Balm 3. Marginals (Monarda didyma) w live near the edges, or margins, of water. w 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. w w offer colorful flowers and foliage to ponds. w 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 w 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: w Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis), Joe-Pye Weed (Eupatorium fistulosum) and Smartweed (Polygonum spp.). w 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

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Courtyards

Creatively Using Small Spaces

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he 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: w 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 w enclose amphitheater. Plants: Waxmyrtle to provide food and cover. w 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. w Perch and plant. Plants: Various wildflowers including Joe-Pye-Weed, Purple Coneflower and Blackeyed Susan for summer bloom and autumn seed. w Pond with sandy area for tracking and rock pile for cover. Plants: Dwarf Cattail and Pickerelweed w Semi-circle bed. Plants: Redbay for evergreen cover and food sources. w Parallelogram bed with butterfly plants. Plants: Spicebush, Dotted Horsemint and Skullcap - host and nectar plants w Cubic meter bed with root-viewing window. Plants: Yellowroot, Witchhazel w Cold frame built from recycled lumber and plastic. Plants: Pricklypear w Compost heap w Cable spool for table w Bamboo "tent" frame with hummingbird - attracting vines. Plants: Trumpetcreeper, Crossvine, w Red Woodbine e

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Composting

Recycling Nature’s Way

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rom 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.

Spotlight on Sope Creek Elementary, Marietta: Vermicomposting Fifth graders at Sope Creek Elementary have one of the most thorough and successful composting projects around. Student monitors use their vermicomposting station to recycle leftovers from the school cafeteria.

The students have even put together a fully illustrated manual explaining their project step by step.

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 aerated and watch the community of decomposers develop within. Nematodes, mites, springtails, spiders, centipedes, 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 fertile soil or natural fertilizer. e Troubleshooting Symptom: Cause: Solution:

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

unpleasant odor. not enough oxygen, too much nitrogen, or too much water. turn the compost pile to aerate. Add carbon.

Symptom: Cause: Solution:

won't heat up. many causes. change the mix ratio; turn to aerate; moisten; add manure or soil to introduce microorganisms.

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Make An Earth Window & Tracking Box Make an Earth Window

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reate a window into the earth for students to see soil strata, plant root systems, seed germination, formation of topsoil, and insect tunnels. Seeing into a slice of earth has applications across the curriculum.

Materials Needed w two 2" x 6" x 8' wood board, untreated w two 2" x 4" x 8' wood board w four 80-pound bags of mortar mix w nails w waterproof labels to identify interesting features w 3' x 4' x 3/4" piece of lexan (clear heavy-duty plastic) w one 4' x 6' x 3/4" wood board w 21 square feet of granite stone w four hinges

Select a site for your window. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) can assist by taking soil core samples 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 protect the window. A padlock is recommended to reduce vandalism.

Credits: Chris Patrick, Stone Mountain, Eagle Scout.

A word of advice: As mentioned previously 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.afmsafecoat.com) etc. to slow down wood decay. Or simply use wood alternatives such as boards of recycled timber, recycled plastic, brown vinyl and composite.

Make a Tracking Box ooking 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 easiest 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.

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To build a 5'X 5' Tracking Box w Locate a level well-worn area near water if possible. w Cut four 5-ft landscape timbers or logs of similar size. w Nail the corners together or use wood-joiners. w Fill with sand, smooth and level, creating a clean "palette" Optional w Add hinged top door to prevent use of the tracking area as a litter box. w Build benches or place stumps nearby for observations or class lessons. w Place a layer of plastic on the ground first to avoid weeds. e

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

Coldframe: A mini-greenhouse can be easily constructed from old window panels. Contact your local extension 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. e Georgia Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide

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Developing Your Nature Trails

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alking 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 naturalist can walk the proposed area and make recommendations about natural amenities to be highlighted 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.

Students at Cousins Middle adopted a certain section of their trail and were responsible for keeping it clean and repaired.

Students at Seaborn Lee Elementary

made 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.

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 constructed for wetland areas.

Borders: To make the trail clearly visible to even the youngest students, the path can be bordered by fallen 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 natural look of a trail.

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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 interpretive 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.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Multi-laminated paper Tree limb slices with painted information Sandblasted or routed signs Vinyl letters on painted marine plywood or plastic Professionally printed plastic or metal 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, widening, weeding, etc. as needed. e

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Raising Funds In Your Community

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he 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 projects 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 newspaper 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.

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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 participating 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 contacts as well. Make fund raising a team effort! e

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Grants

Tips For Successful Proposal Writing Before you apply‌

Identify one or two persons to be responsible for writing grant requests. The persons need not have experience in writing but should have technical writing skills. Writing grant requests is nothing more than communicating 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: w Project purpose/goal: Two or three sentences are enough. w Project description: This summary should be organized so as to reflect the ways in which your project matches the funding objectives of the grantor. w 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). w Timeline: Promise only what you can reasonably achieve, and be specific. Most grants place deadlines on project completion. w 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 weedingout 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 requirements 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 proposal. 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 w Visit www.EEinGeorgia.org and the Outdoor Classroom Council link at www.eealliance.org for an upto-date list of grants available. w Receive monthly updates and news by signing up for the e-news at www.EEinGeorgia.org. w 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 Georgia Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide

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Getting More Help

Spotlight 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 information, 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 volunteer 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" listings in the phone book.

Phone: (770) 918-6400 Website: www.georgiawildlife.org

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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 bluebird boxes and feeders, and have helped build trails, boardwalks and tracking boxes. The opportunities are limitless. 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 growing vegetables on small plots of land and developing good nutritional skills. For technical assistance in organizing and maintaining community-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 community. Local garden clubs have spearheaded some habitat projects 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/

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Evaluating the Success of Your Outdoor Classroom

I

f 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 conduct periodic evaluations. The following are some suggestions for finding out whether your outdoor classroom is successfully meeting your school's needs.

Academic Success w 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. w Keep track of data (anecdotal or actual statistics) that shows a correlation between improved academic performance and use of the outdoor classroom. w 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? w 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 w 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 garden beds; Litter; Vandalism; Nearby safety hazards; Signs of wildlife; and General accessibility. w 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. w Integrate the needed repairs and improvements into the longterm plans for your outdoor classroom. Schedule your workdays and inform others of needed donations accordingly. e Georgia Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide

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Best Management Practices

How To Create A Sustainable Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat

B

est 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. w Assess current school grounds for already existing outdoor classroom possibilities. Consider school expansion and construction plans. w Assess needs and interests of all potential outdoor classroom users and stakeholders. These include administrators, teachers, students, maintenance/facilities staff, parents and community members. w Assess already available curricula.

Make a plan and keep good records. w Keep it simple!!! w Plan in phases for long term to make project progress realistic. w Keep all information and subsequent information centrally located and organized.

Get buy-in from school/ community before beginning construction. w Make sure school administration is invested in the project. w Inform local community about the project through press releases to generate support.

Support the SWH with fundraisers and sponsors. w 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 w and materials. w Solicit donations or funding at local level firstschool, parents, local community and businesses. w Create a network of schools or a school district to solicit local offices of large corporations to increase the likelihood of donations. w Research and apply for grants (after you have done all of the previous).

Institutionalize the use of your Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat. w Designate an outdoor classroom coordinator. w Arrange annual in-service trainings to train new and refresh or reinspire already trained teachers.

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w Assign specific areas of the outdoor classroom to specific classes to encourage ownership and break-up maintenance responsibilities. w Reward teachers for using/maintaining the outdoor classroom. w Provide resources and support for teachers to integrate using outdoor classroom into curriculum and meeting SDU/GPS. w Emphasize resources and trainings that focus on teaching existing curriculum in outdoor classrooms (e.g. EIC) w Create centrally-located "grab and go" activities or backpacks for teachers to use in outdoor classrooms. w Institutionalize communication about outdoor classrooms. w 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. w Remember that learning how to teach effectively outdoors is more important than building or installing outdoor classroom features. w Keep track of data, anecdotal or actual statistics that show correlation between improved academic performance and use of the outdoor classroom. w 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 previous 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 students. After-school clubs can make maintenance of the outdoor 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 & feeders. 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 scrapbook. Plan for planting in fall, and prepare raised beds.

October Fall planting time. Build bluebird 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; contact 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 feeders, and water trees!

June Weed, keep water fresh, fill feeders, and water trees!

July Weed, keep water fresh, fill feeders, and water trees!

Use this space below for more additions to your calendar and for your own ideas!

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Nature Glossary

Speaking 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.

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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 originating 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.

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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 Explain:

1

2

3

Travel Time to Outdoor Classroom 1 Explain:

2

3

4

5

Teaching My Subject Outdoors Explain:

1

2

3

4

5

Maintaining Control of My Class Explain:

1

2

3

4

5

Being Physically Comfort Outside Explain:

1

2

3

4

5

Knowledge About Natural World Explain:

1

2

3

4

5

Other: Explain:

1

2

3

4

5

4

5

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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 outdoor classrooms to teach my subject Explain:

1

2

3

4

5

Extra chaperones for taking students outside Explain:

1

2

3

4

5

Service learning opportunities for students Explain:

1

2

3

4

5

Curriculums and activities for use in the outdoor classroom Explain:

1

2

3

4

5

Relevant information and resources about nature Explain:

1

2

3

4

5

Outdoor classroom safety protocol Explain:

1

2

3

4

5

Outdoor seating/tables Explain:

1

2

3

4

5

Other: Explain:

1

2

3

4

5

Please circle the types of outdoor classrooms (can be more than one) you would most like to use: nature trail

vegetable garden

meadow

compost or recycling area

wooded area

flower garden

wildlife habitat garden

pond/water feature

wildlife feeders (ex: bird)

gazebo

weather station accessible gardens

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__________________________.

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Appendix B: Schoolyard Site Inventory Checklist Site Inventory Task 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 underground 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 garden(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 system, 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 classroom. Avoid placing classroom next to unappealing areas such as the school dumpster.

1Status:

Completed

Date of Completion Status1

NA = not applicable; A = active; O = ongoing; C = completed Georgia Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide

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Appendix C: Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Resource Inventory

Check 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: Georgia Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide 51

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

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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

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

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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 gardening 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 HabitatÂŽ 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 certified 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 combine to make Gardening with Native Plants of the South a terrific, reader-friendly primer on native southern plants. Look to this book for creative garden designs and easy-to-read plant profiles complete with lists of companion species and notes on wildlife usage.

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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 landscapes. 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 welcoming 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 working with nature to design a landscape. Detailed instructions for using natureŠs patterns or color schemes in a garden design, gardening for wildlife, landscaping with stones and/or water and using native plants are combined 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, colorful combinations, at-a-glance plant charts and more. Includes regional coverage and plant recommendations.

250 color photos.

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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 workshops 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.

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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 checklists, 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' educational 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.

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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, environmental 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 education (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 HabitatsÂŽ 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.

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Appendix I: Schoolyard Wildlife Habitats - Case Studies

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he 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: w 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. w Outdoor Expressions, LLC donated time and talent of a master designer to refine the master plan created by the school and assisted with the signage and hardscape.

Best Management Practices Incorporated: w Barnwell created an online folder to keep information about the plan and map of the outdoor classroom. Teachers meet regularly to discuss use of the outdoor classroom.

Difficulties Encountered: w 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) 2005 Accomplishments: w Two butterfly gardens and other beds were planted around the perimeter of the campus.

Best Management Practices Incorporated: w 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.

Difficulties Encountered: w The teachers did not have enough time to develop interdisciplinary lesson plans across the curriculum. w A partnership was developed with Stone Mountain Park instructors to assist the teachers in incorporating gardening activities and events into their curriculum.

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Dunwoody Springs Charter Elementary (Dunwoody, Fulton County) 2005 Accomplishments: w 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 classroom committee and sub-committees were formed.

Best Management Practices Incorporated: w 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.

Difficulties Encountered: w 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) 2005 Accomplishments: w 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.

Best Management Practices Incorporated: w East Jackson gained support for the schoolyard habitat from their county supervisors. w They established a partnership with Commerce Hardware to help with funding. w The outdoor area was placed in an area accessible to everyone. w They used plants which required very little maintenance.

Difficulties Encountered: w 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) 2005 Accomplishments: w Gainesville Exploration Academy built 16 raised bed gardens and grew broccoli, flowers, herbs, a dogwood tree, strawberries, onions, and 250 bulbs received from the National Gardening Association. w 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 certification.

Best Management Practices Incorporated: w 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. w An outdoor classroom committee was formed to plan literature-based outdoor activities. The kindergarten 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.

Difficulties Encountered: w 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) 2005 Accomplishments: w During 2005 Huntley Hills built steps to the woodlands behind the school, transferred Monarch caterpillars 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.

Best Management Practices Incorporated: w 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. w They also hosted a teacher training in the school.

Difficulties Encountered: w 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. w It was also difficult to reach a consensus about the details of the essay contest.

Kimberly Elementary School (Atlanta) 2005 Accomplishments: w 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.

Best Management Practices Incorporated: w 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.

Difficulties Encountered: w 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) 2005 Accomplishments: w 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.

Best Management Practices Incorporated: w 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 maintained and managed by each grade level.

Difficulties Encountered: w 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) 2005 Accomplishments: w 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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Best Management Practices Incorporated: w 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. w w Environmental Science classes and AP Environmental Science lessons were taught in the outdoor classroom. Science, Technology and Society classes met regularly in the outdoor classroom to discuss environmental stewardship and conservation. Biology classes used the outdoor classroom to discuss plant structure, reproduction and taxonomy.

Difficulties Encountered: w The teacher originally identified as the lead on the outdoor classroom project was reassigned to a different school. After a relatively long dormant period, a new teacher was assigned. w 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 w 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) 2005 Accomplishments: w 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.

Best Management Practices Incorporated: w Norton Park conducted a parent/teacher survey to assess needs and interests, and created a summer volunteer schedule involving more than one person.

Difficulties Encountered: w The county put the outdoor classroom project on hold due to new construction activity already underway on the campus. This was later resolved.

Oakhurst Elementary (Decatur, Decatur City Schools) 2005 Accomplishments: w 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.

Best Management Practices Incorporated: w 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 principal were involved in the planning and decision making. The students studied native wildlife and their habitats.

Difficulties Encountered: w 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. w 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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