In 2003, teachers and students from Discovery School adopted an exclosure area and surrounding acre at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge that could not be maintained due to budget cuts. The area had been damaged by fire when a prescribed burn accidentally went through the area, killing the native aspen, hawthorn, and other plants. Invasive weeds, scotch thistle and reed canary grass took over, choking the creek and surviving trees. Eastern Washington was suffering from a drought so the trees also needed to be watered.

For the past 3 1/2 years, our 3rd and 4th grades students have weeded the area, planted, watered and monitored trees that were planted to replace the burned out trees. They have assisted refuge staff in cutting branches of native red osier dogwoods and willows for rooting and planting. They learned about the four major habitats of Turnbull: riparian, wetlands, grasslands, and ponderosa pine forests. The students took ownership of these tasks by measuring trees, keeping field journals, learning to read and making maps. Our second graders adopted a bluebird trail. Students learned how to monitor and clean the nests and collect data on the bluebirds for the refuge staff. They repaired nesting boxes damaged by wind.

The children earned money to host the volunteer barbecue by having a bake sale as part of the community tree planting at Turnbull in May for 80 volunteers from the community. Students have used the leftover monies to purchase pond nets for the school.

They also gave money for the taxidermy of a snowy owl to use in Turnbull's education room, which serves five to seven thousand students from Eastern Washington. The children have learned to give back to the community in a very real way.

PARTNER STATEMENT

WWF takes a local to global approach to protecting nature in targeted regions around the world. WWF applauds the Pine Creek Restoration Project for providing a dynamic model for a comprehensive and effective local approach to conservation.

The project exemplifies a powerful synthesis of student learning, leadership development, community service, and meaningful conservation on the ground. We congratulate the Discovery School on its well-earned recognition through receiving the Environmental Excellence Award.