Loving the Land

One of the most unique things about our school is the rare and important partnership we have with Riveredge Nature Center. We simply could not exist without the hard work and dedication of years of Riveredge naturalists to return farmland to the thriving, biodiverse sanctuary that it is today. Unlike most schools – whose facilities are their own – we are guests here, working closely with this special host to make an innovative dream come true.

Carefully selected “sit spots” allow students to study changes in nature over time.

When school began, students dedicated time to learning how to respect and care for the trail and the natural spaces where we do so much of our learning. Staying on the trail, limiting removal of natural items, leaving most found creatures be, resisting the urge to pull and pick plants, and staying within boundaries to reduce impact in our play spaces are all ways we can care for the land.

As the weeks progressed we’ve become more acquainted with this place, we look on certain trails and spaces with comforting familiarity. This comfort is great – it opens us up to adventure, responsible risk taking, and wonder. However, comfort can also cause that care and awareness we have for our surroundings to slip away. It is vital to remember that we are not the only people using this land, it serves many purposes and has many communities relying on it.

An impromptu chance to learn from Mary Holleback, Riveredge Nature Center’s Senior Naturalist., as she monitored water quality in the Riveredge Creek.

These words from the Riveredge Nature Center Land Management Department inspire us to keep stewardship in the conversation with our students, year round: “The Riveredge wildlife sanctuary is the cornerstone of Riveredge’s education, research, and land stewardship programming. . . . Prized by educators, naturalists, and biologists for its exceptional biotic diversity, Riveredge is a regional resource for scientific research, hosting more than 40 studies, projects, inventories, monitoring programs, surveys, and other types of scientific investigations. It is habitat for endangered and threatened species such as the swamp metalmark butterfly, forked aster, goldenseal and the red-shouldered hawk. Also, Riveredge adds to the vitality of the community by providing ongoing recreational opportunities for adults, families, and children, as well as opportunities for citizen scientists to conduct ongoing scientific research.”

It is of the utmost importance that we continue to care for our school. Not only to preserve the positive relationship we have with the Nature Center community, but to preserve the decades long efforts that thousands of people have put into this space to make it what it is. A place where we can establish a connection to and affection for the environment around us.

A place where we can be inspired by the wonders of the natural world found just outside our backdoor.