TREE WELLS TO PROTECT TREES

2015, CINCINNATI, OH, UNITED STATES
TREE WELLS TO PROTECT TREES-1

There is a hillside on the east side of Withrow High School’s campus, just above the parking lot that has had several trees struggling to grow. This hillside had many erosion problems in the past and one student decided enough was enough. Chadwick George was close to graduation, but wanted to improve his school before leaving for college. Chadwick proposed to build very small retaining walls on the slope below each tree. These walls, which he called tree wells, would help to slow the rainwater and runoff from above so that it can more naturally soak into the ground and help the trees grow.

After placing third at the Caring For Our Watersheds final competition, Chadwick worked with his teacher, Jody McOsker, over the summer to level out and place tree wells on over 20 trees on the hillside. This project has certainly helped to not only improve water quality and runoff at Withrow High School, but Chadwick has completed his mission of improving his alma mater and leaving a great legacy.

Tree Wells to Protect Trees

Landscape for Water Conservation

2015 Sacramento, California, USA

Colusa High School Students Gabriel Garcia and Jennifer Pulido identified an area of their campus that was in need of improvement. It was a large area of bare ground that, in the event of a storm, would become a source of excess sediment due to surface runoff from the school. It was also a highly visible spot that would make an excellent gathering place for students during lunch or outdoor learning opportunities.

Their idea was to implement a landscaping project in this area with native, drought tolerant species. Their project would demonstrate the use of native species that require less watering, and do not need fertilizers and pesticides, thus addressing issues of water quantity and quality.
They hoped to beautify their campus, reduce sediment delivery, and create habitat, but also to inspire other members of their community to landscape with water conservation in mind as well.

After Gabriel and Jennifer took 6^th place in the Caring for Our Watersheds Final Competition, they wanted to make their idea come to life. With the help of the students of their school’s Environmental Science Academy, their project was accomplished. With the help of Caring for Our Watersheds project funds, high traffic areas of the site were covered with fabric and gravel, landscape beds were built around the perimeter, drip irrigation installed, and native species planted.

Tree Planting at Pony Express Elementary School

2015 Sacramento, California, USA

The MET Sacramento students Allison Goi, Mianna Muscat, and Justin Yu wanted to improve their watershed, while also providing a needed service to an elementary school is their area. As they reached out to local elementary schools, they found that Pony Express Elementary had formal plans to create a Nature Area, which would both provide habitat for birds, insects, and small mammals, as well as serve as an outdoor learning space for the students. To support and start the first phase of the project, Allison, Mianna, and Justin planted four different native species of trees in the designated area on campus. Caring for Our Watersheds project funds allowed them to purchase the trees and tools necessary for the work. As they planted while school was in session, they were able to interact with and answer questions from the elementary students and staff about the tree species and the benefit they will provide the campus and watershed. The were happy to be able to enhance their community in this way and kick-off a great project at a nearby school.

Bee Boxes

2015 Sacramento, California, USA

As Noah Crockette, Jack Gumbiner, William Neves, and Jacob Reynolds, students at the MET Sacramento High School, researched environmental issues in the agricultural landscape surrounding Sacramento, they became concerned with the threats pollinators were facing. In many places, pollinators, and their essential service of pollination, are at risk from habitat loss, pesticide use, and introduced diseases. They also found that since the 1990’s, bee biologists started to notice a decline in the abundance and distribution of several wild bumblebee species. These students decided to focus their efforts on bumblebee conservation by creating habitat for this particular species group. With Caring for Our Watersheds project funds, they were able to build four bumblebee boxes and install them on a farm located near Dry Creek in the Sacramento River Watershed.

Native Pollinator Project – Plantings and Information Kiosk

2015 Auburn, California, USA

Antelope High School student Emma Forester partnered with Placer Land Trust to complete a project focused on increasing habitat for native pollinators. As Emma researched pollinators and the essential service they provide to agriculture and natural vegetation, she learned of issues and threats to their survival from habitat loss, pesticide use, and introduced diseases. She decided she could help by planting native species to increase pollinator habitat and with the help of Placer Land Trust, found a perfect location at Auburn School Park, adjacent to a community garden. By providing nectar sources to forage in, she would encourage bees and other pollinators to help pollinate the plants in the community garden. Her plantings would also help stabilize the slope next to the garden that was weedy and prone to erosion.

After clearing the weeds and prepping the area, Emma planted several pounds native flowering plant seeds. As she returned the following season, she saw that “the flowers bloomed beautifully and there were tons of little black bumble bees that are buzzing around!” After the initial seed planting, Caring for Our Watersheds project funds allowed Emma and volunteers to terrace
another slope and plant small shrubs and forbs there. Emma, with her dad’s help, built a kiosk to hold information about her pollinator project and other garden information. She also built a bee box for native burrowing bees like carpenter bees and bumble bees that will be mounted in a far corner of the garden where it won’t be disturbed.

As an extension to her project, Emma is working on both an educational pamphlet for the garden and a short awareness video that can be used by Placer Land Trust in their educational tours.

Restoration and Invasive Removal at Consumnes

2015 Galt, California, USA

Students at Christian Brothers High School (CBHS) implemented a project first proposed by their fellow classmate, Tristan Trillo. Tristan originally proposed an invasive species removal and native plant restoration project along Sacramento River.

When it became apparent that the original site would not be possible, we helped connect students with land managers at the Cosumnes River Preserve, who welcomed students’ help with a habitat restoration/ expansion project along a tributary in the preserve.

Students helped to remove invasive species in the restoration area, as well as re-mulching and watering existing trees and replanting if necessary. Their work helped to reduce competition from non-native species in the area and, as the planted trees grow, provide additional habitat for birds and other wildlife.

Caring for Our Watersheds project funding helped support student transportation to the site, food, and other needs for their work in the field.

Batty for Clean Water

2015 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

Erin and Hannah from St. Edward School came up with the idea of installing bat boxes at their school and along the Meewasin Trail to encourage the little brown bat population in the City of Saskatoon. The students felt that bats would prey upon insects, especially mosquitoes, and reduce the need for the city to spray insecticides and therefore reduce chemicals from entering our watershed.

Pesticides enter our watershed each summer. Homeowners use pesticides to kill mosquitos, ants, aphids and many other insects on their lawn and gardens. When it rains, these pesticides can be washed from lawns and gardens into storm drains and into our local river. Once pesticides get into our water it can affect the aquatic life and the Bat House Batty for clean water Saskatchewan Student Action Project quality of our drinking water in the South Saskatchewan River Watershed.

Bats are an important part of our watershed. They prey upon the insects that we use pesticides to control. Bats provide a natural way of controlling insect populations. Many North American bats can eat between 6000-8000 mosquito sized insects in one night!

Erin and Hannah came up with the idea of installing bat boxes at their school and donating bat boxes to Beaver Creek Conservation Area, which has many documented bat sightings. By increasing habitat for the little brown bat, a local species of bat in the Saskatoon area, it meant there would be a reduction in the insect populations in and around Saskatoon. Less insects mean less pesticides being used and a safer and healthier watershed.

The group built bat boxes with their class and developed a curriculum outcome package for teachers to do this activity with younger grades. The curriculum package was circulated around the school so more people can learn about the importance of these intrepid insect eating creatures!

Riparian Repair and Filtration System Project

2015 Gimli, Manitoba, Canada

“Riparian areas act as natural filters for the water going through them,” wrote Gimli High School student Meghan. “My hope is that by creating or enhancing a riparian area in an already existing body of water that leads to the lake I can reduce the negative impact of some of the water entering the lake.”

Meghan’s idea is an important one to the Interlake communities surrounding Lake Winnipeg. Indeed, through partnerships with Nutrien, the East Interlake Conservation District, and Ducks Unlimited Canada, to name a few, over 1500 willows were planted in a riparian area. These willows will play an important role in soil erosion, and the filtration of water going to the lake. Moreover, thanks to Meghan this project demonstrates the power of partnerships!

The Prevention of the Eutrophication and Soil Erosion

2015 Virden, Manitoba, Canada

With the help of fellow students and staff at Virden Collegiate, Ashley and Kelsey proposed a simple and important idea to support their watershed: planting a shelterbelt.

“The issue we would like to focus on is the issue of water quality caused by erosion of soil due to a lack of trees and the eutrophication of lakes due to runoff from fertilized farmer’s fields as well as livestock fields, golf courses, residential homes that use fertilizers on their grass, and improperly treated sewage.”

With such a large list to tackle, the team looked to the power of trees.

“The roots of the trees will prevent soil erosion from the fields surrounding Gopher Creek, as well as protect its banks from collapsing.”

Working with their local conservation district, the Upper Assiniboine River Conservation District, and with the help of Nutrien, the students were able to successfully plant their shelterbelt, improving life for all.

Beautiful Bee Box

2015 Berthoud, Colorado, USA

This duo has installed a pair of Italian honey bee hives near the foothills of Loveland. The reason they chose to implement this idea is to do with both the declining population of the honey bee as well as the recent flooding that has occurred in the Thompson River watershed. Due to the fact that honey bees are responsible for over 80% of vegetation pollination they essentially allow plants to produce and spread faster, thus helping ensure that growth occurs where it was washed near the river. This will prevent the amount of soil erosion around rivers and help keep the water cleaner.
The benefit to raising the bee population in North America, specifically the Midwest, is to ensure a greener landscape with more vegetation, assisting in cleaning both the air as well as the water in the Little Thompson watershed. A large amount of vegetation around a body of water prevents the amount of soil erosion entering the body of water, and keeps the water cleaner.