9th Grade IES Students Plant a Pollinator Hedgerow!
Last week in Integrated Environmental Science (IES), 86 freshmen worked with Karen Ganey from Regeneration Corps to plant native shrubs on campus in order to help transform our outdoor spaces to increase biodiversity, promote ecosystem resilience, and store carbon. The work builds on a design for a pollinator hedgerow created for a 2022 Stewardship Action Project by former Woodstock graduate Wyatt Begin and is one of several service learning opportunities offered in 9th grade. It could not have been possible without our former students or Karen.
Karen has a passion for connecting people to the land and has dedicated her professional life to a variety of organizations including Regeneration Corps, The Upper Valley Apple Corps, Ottauquechee Water Protectors Association, Vt Agroecology School, and the Clifford Park Community Food Forest. Highly energized by work that centers climate solutions and food systems, Karen is currently engaged in various regenerative design consultations, education outreach, and community organizing events.
To prepare for hedgerow planting, students individually researched various herbaceous perennials. Karen also visited our class to raise awareness about the importance of pollinators and stewardship opportunities that create diverse land ecosystems in order to build resilience and increase biodiversity. Our amazing place-based educator Kat Robbins and committed Garden & Greenhouse Manager / CRAFT Teaching Assistant Abbie Castriotta were also integral in preparation efforts by obtaining the tools, equipment and shrubs necessary to complete this project.
In addition to having fun and being outside for the afternoon, our 9th grade students worked to increase the number of pollinator species, the number of interactions and exchanges between organisms, and the health of the ecosystem! Students were highly engaged and reported feeling very successful at the end of the day. When prompted to share a favorite highlight of the day, this is what our students said.
My favorite highlight was…
“Finally getting the plant in the ground and preparing it to flourish under our combined care.” - Luke Hecker
“The vivid green after the storm.” - Tee Miller
“Getting my hands dirty.” - Khloi Bruso
“Learning about how Kat uses the plants.” - Marshall Sommerville
“The feeling of making progress towards a goal.” - Liam Wheeler
