WILDLANDS TRUST PARTNERS WITH DUXBURY SCHOOLS

This past month the Duxburrow Path Outdoor Learning Center opened to great fanfare in Duxbury, MA. This community based effort began in 2013 and continues in development currently. 

The goal of the project is to create an outdoor learning area for use by all three of the Alden Street schools as well as the community of Duxbury.  The newly-opened outdoor learning area follows the trails used by Duxbury’s early European settlers to get around Duxbury and travel to Marshfield and Plymouth. 

Phase I including planning, design and preparation for the project has been completed.  Now underway, Phase II focuses on the construction of an outdoor amphitheater by Duxbury High School students.  The school site offers extensive, unique learning opportunities that will help students take full advantage of project based learning through access to ponds, wetlands, wood areas, marshland, tidal rivers and gardens. It will be dedicated to providing hands-on learning experiences in nature that support and enhance current academic goals while also fostering a love for nature and life long learning

Wildlands Trust was a collaborator on the project from the beginning, working with Science Director Cheryl Lewis to help replicate the Trust’s Climate Lab as the model for the Outdoor Leaning Center.

ANOTHER YEAR OF ENVIROTHON SUCCESS!

Thursday, May 12th marked the second time Brockton High SchooL/Wildlands Trust participated in the annual Massachusetts Envirothon Competition. The team of nine Brockton High School students had the chance to compete in the state-wide competition held at the beautiful Hopkinton State Park this year. The team has worked hard since the beginning of the school year, learning the science and social issues behind four key areas of natural resource conservation: soils, water, wildlife, and forestry. 

Our team on competition day at Hopkinton State Park

All our students had a great time preparing the hands-on skills necessary for each section, and our Soils sub-team placed 2nd in the Soils Ecostation category!

Our award winning (2d place) soils sub-team in the pits determining soil qualities

Additionally, every year has a unique Current Issue Topic, around which the students base their community research. This year’s topic was “Invasive Species Management” and the students created a 3-tiered Action Plan. First, they sent out a survey to local environmental professionals to assess the issue of invasive species, which got back almost 70 responses in just two weeks!  Second, they decided to gain hands-on, personal experience by helping to remove a truck-load of invasive Buckthorn and Honeysuckle from Wildlands Trust’s Brockton Audubon Preserve.  Third, they filmed their experience and created a PSA video to share with BHS’s 4,000+ students and on Brockton Public Access Television to educate the public about the problem of invasive species.  Through these efforts, the team earned both the Community Research Award and the Community Action Award and will have letters sent on their behalf detailing their accomplishments to the Brockton Superintendent of Schools, local newspapers and media outlets, and their district’s state representatives. 

Congratulations to our students!  We are so proud of all their hard work and dedication!

Students present their findings about Invasive Species

Discussing a potential invasives with a local gardener

We would like to thank the Brockton Public Schools Transportation Department for providing transportation to the Envirothon Workshops throughout the year and the Competition.

ENVIROTHON IN ACTION TODAY

GOOD LUCK TO OUR WILDLANDS TRUST ENVIROTHON TEAM WHICH IS COMPETING TODAY.

The Envirothon is Massachusetts’ leading natural resource education program for high school students, emphasizing hands-on, team-oriented problem solving and community involvement that prepares young people for environmental careers and active citizenship.  We are so proud of our group of students from Brockton High School who have worked so hard this year.

Check out the video that was made last year about the event.  (Our team members are from Brockton High School)

EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT COMPLETED

Curtis McLellan of Plymouth completed his Eagle Scout service project recently for Wildlands Trust.  He installed a wooden bench, the new sign, and the trail markers on our Emery Preserve in Plymouth.  Wildlands appreciates the research, planning, management, and general hard work that have gone into this project.  The bench is well-built, sturdy, and comfortable.  The trail markers he installed has helped enhance the visitor experience, and the sign that he designed is tasteful and highly visible so that visitors can find this wonderful trail – which is now even more improved by the raking and brush removal that he and his volunteers performed.  These are all significant improvements to the Emery Preserve, and we expect them to last for many years to come.

Curtis has shown great leadership, care, and project management skills throughout his Eagle Scout service project, and his professionalism and good nature made it a pleasure working with him.

We thank Curtis for choosing to work with Wildlands Trust on his project.  We are a small, friendly non-profit organization accomplishing great things.  Our members and volunteers support our efforts and are very important to us – thank you!

If you have a chance, check out the new bench at the Beech tree in our Emery Preserve!

YOUTH UNPLUGGED....

Brockton High School Envirothon Team Trains at Worcester Technical High School

The MA Envirothon Competition invites high school students across the state to test their knowledge on Natural Resource Science and contemporary environmental issues.  Wildlands Trust is proud to sponsor and help coach the Brockton High School Envirothon team.  Last month, the team attended a full day of workshops at the Worcester Technical High School to learn more about the competition, how to use field guides,  invasive species in MA, and more.