Wild Acres In Action: A Local Outdoor Classroom

Fifth-graders after helping plant six new spice bush and witch hazels (Lindera benzoin and Hamamelis virginiana). Photo by R.M. Greene

Recently we received this correspondence from a Master Naturalist working in Silver Spring at a Middle School, and we wanted to share his inspiring words of wisdom. Thanks Mitch Greene, and keep up the great work caring for Maryland’s wildlife!

“I am the Outdoor Classroom Coordinator at Silver Spring International Middle School and Sligo Creek Elementary School; I am supported by two incredible principals, PTSAs, and a nonprofit organization. The space I manage is located at the Old Blair High School site in a shared courtyard. The Outdoor Classroom is where teachers and students gather for formal and informal education. 

“One of my roles is to manage and maintain the ecosystems we have there. In that capacity, I have begun converting about 700 square feet of weedy, non-native grass and invasive cinquefoil into a native-plant meadow! Despite skipping the step of killing the weeds before I planted the first phase, I’m pleased to say that almost 100% of the new plants thrived; many have reproduced in just two growing seasons. That is not a testament to my skill but a reminder of how well-suited native plants are to the environment in which they evolved.

“Having native grasses, herbs, shrubs and trees in the Outdoor Classroom has provided opportunities for students to observe native wildlife. We have watched American goldfinches devour the seeds of native sunflowers, seen green lacewing adults (hoping to find a camouflaged juvenile), found the easy-to-miss eggs of native true bugs, and even come across a polyphemus moth cocoon! We’ve got potter wasps and garden spiders, grey squirrels, mockingbirds and catbirds. We’ve seen juncos and, soaring overhead, a pair of American bald eagles. There is a pair of red-shouldered hawks who visit in the fall, and cardinals have nested in the chokeberry shrubs at the bottom of the meadow. Moss, lichens, fungi…there is a sense of wonder restored.

“About half of the Outdoor Classroom can be planted, the size of a large suburban yard. Here in the eastern half of the United States, where most land is privately owned, every square foot of potential habitat is important. Ideally, every yard would have oak or hickory trees and the plants that associate with those genera, but in situations where we have a postage stamp or balcony, even a small patch of native grasses and perennial flowers will help other native organisms. I want students and other visitors to learn that life on earth is unique–possibly in the universe!–and every opportunity we have to choose to support it, in all its incredible forms, we must no matter how insignificant the effort may be. Whether we put a pot of native grasses and asters out on the balcony or turn an abandoned farm back into a hardwood forest, habitat is essential.  

“As an informal educator I have benefited greatly from the HabiChat Newsletter; thank you for providing accurate information, fun games and engaging ideas for young naturalists! I get inspiration from and frequently cite and link to HabiChat in emails and letters to parents and teachers. I hope that sharing my successes (and failures!) will help others realize that it doesn’t have to be perfect, expensive, or complex to be effective. A handful of native plant seeds or a few plugs from a reputable source will go a long way.”

Love what you see here and want to get started with your own project?  Check out our article on how to get started with native plants!

Don’t forget to certify your garden; signs that explain why you’ve planted native species can go a long way, helping educate the public about the importance of biodiversity.  Check out our list of free resources at the bottom of the Wild Acres page.

Do YOU want your garden to be featured in an upcoming issue of HabiChat? We love to hear from you!  Email sarah.witcher1@maryland.gov.

All photos by R.M. Greene.

Outdoor classroom meadow site, before planting.

Wellness garden, in planting progress.

Meadow corner with established plantings; Helianthus are planted in this corner in honor of the memory of a previous coordinator’s daughter. Her favorite flowers were sunflowers.

A welcome visitor to the outdoor classroom, a fraternal potter wasp (Eumenes fraternus).

Black and yellow garden spider (Argiope aurantia), a beneficial arachnid that preys on many insects considered pests to humans.

Eleven-spotted cucumber beetle (Diabrotica undecimpunctata) on sunflower (Helianthus sp.); Maryland’s native flowers and plants are uniquely adapted to coexist with this local insect.