Willow Staking

2023, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
group of students by river
Jade’s project was on reducing erosion of riverbanks after seeing the consequences of flooding in the Bow River. They decided on willow staking along banks that have little to no vegetation. Willows can survive in wet environments and their root system can prevent erosion while filtering pollutants. Some of the other benefits to their project is improving biodiversity and providing habitat and food for wildlife.

The Sustainable Development Goals Jade focused on were #6 Clean Water and Sanitation, #13 Climate Action, #14 Life Below Water, and #15 Life on Land.

They partnered with Friends of Fish Creek to learn how to properly willow stake. There was a call for volunteers and funding from the community to be able to complete this project. Jade chose a location with little vegetation and where other projects had already been implemented to ensure better results. Her target was to plant 100 stakes along 50m of stream bank. With the help of the volunteers, she was able to complete their first planting.

riverbank

Bat Boxes

2023, Claresholm, Alberta, Canada
logo of bat box

Mary-Ann wanted to increase the population of bats residing in her town, so she built bat boxes. With human populations growing and taking away natural habitat for bats, they have limited options. Bat boxes provide a place to roost and provide protection from predators and the elements. Mary-Ann designed a three-chamber bat box to provide room for larger colonies. The benefit of having more bats in the area is decreased insect populations without having to use harmful chemicals. They wanted to educate the community about the importance of bats by leaving posters with information

Their Sustainable Development Goal was #15 Life on Land.

Mary-Ann approached her local councilors about her project to get permission for putting bat boxes in the community. With the approval of the council, they put boxes up in local parks and campgrounds. They also got the help of their construction teacher and students to help build the boxes. A bat box building club has been formed in their school because of this project.

Thrifty Tote Bags

2023, GREELEY, COLORADO, USA

Lida, a student at Greeley West High School, tackled the pressing issue of plastic pollution by designing and producing reusable shopping bags. After discovering the alarming statistic that 92 million tons of clothing find their way into landfills worldwide each year, she was inspired to make a difference. Lida took a creative approach by repurposing used shirts into tote bags, which she distributed to her peers and members of the local community. Each bag included an informative tutorial, enabling recipients to understand the gravity of the issue and learn how to create their own upcycled bags. By empowering others to participate in this sustainable solution, Lida aims to contribute to the improvement of their local watershed. Her initiative not only helps reduce plastic waste but also promotes awareness and encourages others to take similar actions in their daily lives. This solution contributed to Targets 14.1 and 15.5 of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Shed Ed

2023, LOVELAND, COLORADO, USA

Mackenzie and Ryan from Resurrection Christian School created a fun, educational board game to educate peers and community members about their watershed. They surveyed students in 3rd – 5th grade. The surveys included the question “What is a watershed?” and “What are things that help/harm the watershed?” These students did not have a good basic understanding of the watershed and therefore could not answer the questions. Ryan and Mackenzie decided to create a board game with the concept of having fun but also showing the students what they can do to improve their watershed. The game was able to keep the kids entertained while also teaching them valuable lessons. This solution addressed Targets 4.1 and 15.1 of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Reducing Litter and Trash in School Parking Lots

2023, JOHNSTOWN, COLORADO, USA

Alexa and Jonathan, students from Roosevelt, took decisive action to address the issue of excessive trash in the school parking lots by implementing effective solutions such as trash cans and nets on school grounds. Recognizing the lack of accessible trash cans in their school parking lots, which resulted in litter scattered across the school grounds, Alexa and Jonathan decided to conduct a comprehensive survey of the junior parking lot. Their survey revealed an alarming count of over 350 pieces of trash dispersed throughout that particular lot. To tackle this ongoing problem, they took proactive measures by strategically placing trash cans at light posts and installing nets in areas prone to wind-blown litter. These initiatives are expected to significantly reduce the amount of trash making its way into the local watershed, thereby safeguarding animals and vegetation from harm caused by environmental pollution. This solution addressed Targets 14.1 and 15.5 of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Helping Our Watershed One Bioreactor at a Time

2023, LOVELAND, COLORADO, USA

Ella Corrigan and Reagan McWhinney from Resurrection Christian School addressed the use of toxic chemical fertilizers by creating 7 compost systems, specifically John-Su Bioreactors. Improper use of chemical fertilizers adds high amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus into the environment causing eutrophication. Food waste also generates methane gas, contributing to climate change. With the help of the Johnson-Su bioreactors, microorganisms and nutrients can be added to the soil without the use of harmful chemicals. Furthermore, local food waste will be limited by this new composting opportunity. Throughout this semester, Ella and Reagan built and filled the bioreactors which are now on the RCS farm. In merely 9-12 months, the nutrients will be ready for farming and gardening use. This solution addressed Targets 12.5 and 15.4 of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Bat Boxes

2023, GREELEY, COLORADO, USA

The Intense Functional Learning class from Greeley Central High School addressed the decreasing population of endangered bats by building bat boxes. There are several species of endangered bats that are native to Colorado. With fewer trees in the cities and along trails, it is increasingly dangerous for them to live. The class built bat boxes to give bats a safe place to live. This will help bats survive and repopulate the area. Placing bat boxes along the Poudre River Trail gives bats a place to stay safe and warm near water so they can survive through any condition. The boxes will be monitored for use and if any endangered species take up residence within them. This solution addressed Targets 15.1 and 15.5 of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Students Launch Awareness Campaign to Protect Native Species

2023, Arlington, VA, USA

Fifth Grade students launched a campaign to educate people on native and invasive plants to increase planting of native plants and understanding of the precautions to take against invasive plants.

After consulting with their school’s Master Naturalist and learning that he removed the invasive species in the area, they realized that many people do not understand how to protect the area against invasive plant species. They decided to create 23 informative signs about plant species and created a stepping stone path for visitors to follow along and learn more. This path is now used by the school’s science specialist to teach lessons on seasons and native plants.

SDG: 15: Life on Land

Targets: 15.8, 15.5

Virginia Students Reduce Spread of Invasive Species

2023, Arlington, VA, USA

When fifth grade students at Jamestown Elementary conducted an environmental inventory of Jamestown Elementary and Jamestown Park with the Master Naturalist and Park Steward, they found many invasive plant species. These plant species were not native to the area and may have been spread there by seeds stuck on to visitors’ shoes.

To address this problem, students installed boot brushes close to where the invasive plant species were spreading as well as other key areas. They worked with their art teacher to create signs that would educate others on how to use boot brushes and the impact of invasive species. They planned and stocked up on replacement brushes and signs when future grade students notice that they are needed.

Many students have now changed their habits and use the boot brush regularly to protect the local watershed. They understand the impact of invasive plants and know what to look out for in the future.

SDG: 15: Life on Land

Targets: 15.5, 15.8

Creating Animal Habitats for Our Creek

2023, Arlington, VA, USA

5th grade students at Jamestown Elementary studied and investigated the local creek on the school property with the help of a Master Naturalist and park Steward. They discovered that there was a lack of animals around the creek and decided to make a change. Students attracted animals using bird houses and insect hotels. This also included a screech owl box to attract new birds to the area. A flicker nesting box near the creek to attract the local northern flicker population, and snake guards to the blue bird nesting box poles to protect them.

The students were thrilled to see that all 4 boxes were used by the targeted bird population, wrens, and the nests were kept and shown to science students.

The creek became a valuable learning tool for all ages to understand the unique role each organism plays in the overall health of an ecosystem.

SDG: 15: Life on land, 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

Targets: 15.5, 6.6