2013 Sacramento, California, USA
As students in the Watershed Biology class as Christian Brothers High School, Scott Sturges, Ty Patrick, and Dominick Tullo studied several issues and concerns with their local watershed. They were especially concerned about the loss of riparian habitat for wood ducks and other bird and wildlife species. Their proposal, which made the finals, was to restore habitat by planting native species of trees and shrubs and building nesting boxes for birds.
Christian Brothers students worked with Putah Creek Council to plant several native species of trees and shrubs both along the banks of Putah Creek and in an upland area adjacent to the creek. An implementation grant from Nutrien helped pay for transportation for the students to the project site.
In addition to improving wildlife habitat and the increasing the diversity of native plants along the creek, their plantings will help to stabilize the stream banks and strengthen the riparian buffer, which acts to filter pollutants before entering the creek. The diversity of natives can also serve as habitat for pollinators, which are essential to the surrounding agricultural area. Theirs is truly a project that will have positive benefits for the watershed for years to come.