Norfolk..March 1, 2010
Students from Christ the
King, Model level River Star School in Norfolk, VA
grew and planted wetland grasses
Pop Quiz:
What does 27 students + 160 wetland grass plants
equal?
Answer:
A healthier Elizabeth River....thanks to another
wetlands restoration project!
Earlier this year, these students took over the care of feeding of more
than 150 "plugs" of wetland grasses inside their classroom at Christ the
King school. On March 1st, they moved their charges outside to the
Weyanoke Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary in Norfolk. There they carefully
planted each grass plant so that it will take root, grow and become part
of the habitat that not only supports the wildlife and birds but also
helps clean water that filters through the wetlands as it passes into
the river!
The Wetlands in the Classroom program is funded by the Dollar Tree
Foundation. The program runs from January to March each year. Teacher
training begins in January. Dormant plant plugs are delivered to
participating schools where students nurture them and collect data for
two months. In March, students take a scheduled field trip to one of
several particpating restoration sites in the Elizabeth River basin.
These sites include Hermitage Foundation Museum, Virginia Zoo, Weyanoke
Bird and Wildlife Sanctuary and the Elizabeth River Terminals.
Learn more about what
River Star Schools are doing and how your school can participate!
