GA: Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide

Georgia Schoolyard Wildlife
Habitat Planning Guide
Schoolyard Wildlife Habitats are a part of a larger
movement to use the natural environment as a teaching Schoolyard Wildlife Habitats
Improve Academic Achievement
tool. This guide is intended to help develop, use and
maintain school grounds for hands-on, minds-on edu- National research shows that Schoolyard
cation and conservation. It includes some good ideas Wildlife Habitats work and are highly bene-
ficial. Data collected in 60 schools in 13
submitted by real persons at real schools states, since 1996, indicates that "using the
in Georgia. environment as an integrating context for
learning" (EIC) has significant positive
effects on academic achievement, classroom
A Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat will: behavior and instructional practices. EIC
provide areas for teaching and learning about nature. students exhibit:

restore habitat for wildlife. improved performance on standardized
decrease mowing maintenance costs. tests in reading, writing, math, science
and social studies.
provide alternative classroom setting.
create beautiful places on campus. greater academic performance in stu-
enhance biodiversity. dents in EIC programs than peers in
traditional programs in 92% of
the schools.

This guide was made possible reduced discipline and classroom man-
agement problems in some cases by as
through the generosity of much as 95%.
Georgia Power, Southern
increased engagement and enthusiasm
Company, US Fish and Wildlife for learning, resulting in substantially
Service, and the National Fish improved attendance.
and Wildlife Foundation.
heightened contributions to their com-
munities through effective service-
Written and compiled by Georgia Wildlife Federation, learning projects.
11600 Hazelbrand Rd., Covington, GA 30014
Ph: 770-787-7887 To learn more about EIC in Georgia, visit
www.eeingeorgia.org/eic.
Fax: 770-787-9229
Website: www.gwf.org

Thanks to all those who helped in the creation of this guide: the
Georgia Forestry Commission, Callaway Gardens, Zoo Atlanta,
Atlanta Botanical Garden, National Wildlife Federation, and all the
GWF volunteers, administrators, teachers, parents and students who
shared their great ideas. Photography by Hank Ohme.
2006

Table of Contents
Planning First to Make Your Outdoor Classroom Last .......................................................................................... 1
What is a Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat? ................................................................................................................... 2
Getting Started: Planning & Organizing Your Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat ......................................................... 3
Form Your Wildlife Habitat Committee .................................................................................................................. 5
Evaluate Your Campus .............................................................................................................................................. 7
Making A Plan: How Can We Enhance Our Campus For Education And Wildlife Habitat? .............................. 8
Beginning the Design Process .................................................................................................................................. 11
Getting Buy-in Before You Build .............................................................................................................................. 12
Basic Elements Of Habitat ........................................................................................................................................ 15
Raised Bed Gardening: Nature Right Outside Your Door ...................................................................................... 16
How To Create A Butterfly Garden: A Special From Callaway Gardens ............................................................... 17
Butterflies And Plants ............................................................................................................................................... 18
Shrubs And Vines That Attract Hummingbirds ..................................................................................................... 19
More on Birds ............................................................................................................................................................ 20
Birdhouse Specifications ........................................................................................................................................... 21
How To Properly Plant Trees: A Special From The Georgia Forestry Commission ............................................ 22
Native Trees ............................................................................................................................................................... 23
Wildflower Meadows: The No-Mow Alternative .................................................................................................... 24
Theme Gardens: A Special From Zoo Atlanta and Atlanta Botanical Garden ..................................................... 25
Rain Gardens & Water in Your Habitat: A Special from www.cleanwatercampaign.org....................................... 26
Pond Plants ................................................................................................................................................................ 29
Courtyards: Creatively Using Small Spaces ............................................................................................................ 30
Composting: Recycling Nature's Way ...................................................................................................................... 31
Make An Earth Window and Tracking Box ............................................................................................................. 32
Miscellaneous Features For Your Habitat ................................................................................................................ 33
Developing Your Nature Trails ................................................................................................................................. 34
Raising Funds In Your Community ......................................................................................................................... 36
Grants: Tips For Successful Proposal Writing ......................................................................................................... 38
Getting More Help: Spotlight On Other Resources Available To Assist You ......................................................... 40
Evaluating the Success of Your Outdoor Classroom ............................................................................................... 42
Best Management Practices: How To Create A Sustainable Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat .................................... 43
Habitat Calendar ....................................................................................................................................................... 45
Nature Glossary: Speaking The Language Of The Environment ........................................................................... 46
Appendix A: Outdoor Classroom Needs and Interests Survey for Teachers ......................................................... 48
Appendix B: Schoolyard Site Inventory Checklist .................................................................................................. 50
Appendix C: Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Resources Inventory ............................................................................ 51
Appendix D: Curriculum Connections Chart ......................................................................................................... 52
Appendix E: Possible Sources for Volunteers, Donations and Funding ................................................................ 53
Appendix F: Recommended Resources for Habitat and Natural Gardening ........................................................ 54
Appendix G: Recommended Online Resources for Habitat and Natural Gardening ........................................... 56
Appendix H: Additional Outdoor Classroom Resources ....................................................................................... 58
Appendix I: Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat - Case Studies ........................................................................................ 59

Planning First to Make Your Outdoor Classroom Last
An Introduction to the Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide

I
n 2004, Georgia Wildlife Federation (GWF) received funding support from Georgia Power, Southern
Company, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and National Fish & Wildlife Foundation to begin the Urban
Conservation and Education Initiative (UCEI) to improve and increase the number of schoolyard wildlife
habitats in Georgia. GWF reviewed nearly 2000
records of outdoor classroom projects in Georgia
from the years between 1989 and 2003. While this Top 5 Reasons Listed by Schools:
is an impressive number of outdoor classroom
projects, follow-up inquiries into the current sta- Why Outdoor Classrooms Fail
tus of these projects presented a troubling trend.
The study revealed that 41% of outdoor class- 1. Continued maintenance and upkeep
2. Teachers unsure or unable to incorporate usage into lessons
rooms were no longer in use and were usually
3. Inadequate funding
abandoned by their second year1. 4. Vandalism (especially at high schools)
5. School expansion or relocation
Given the amount of time and resources invested
in these outdoor classroom projects, it is troubling Why Outdoor Classrooms Succeed
that so few seem to attain long-term sustainability.
1. Community support
This guide is designed to combat this trend as well 2. Student involvement
as offer general planning advice. 3. Funding
4. Teacher training
It is our hope that this guide will help outdoor 5. Administrative support
classroom enthusiasts avoid common pitfalls and
promote outdoor classrooms that are both long- Source: GWF survey, 2004.

term, effective teaching tools and sustainable habi-
tat for Georgia's wildlife. While many teachers
and volunteers are often eager to "get their hands in the dirt" as
quickly as possible, GWF urges that some careful planning
be done before investing significant amounts of time,
energy and money on outdoor classrooms.

We also urge educators to remember that taking stu-
dents outside to explore the pre-existing schoolyard
is already available and free of cost. Students
themselves can begin their outdoor classroom
experience by assisting in the planning process,
such as conducting site surveys and research on
local wildlife as a class project.

1See http://www.gwf.org/resources/wildlifehabitats/bmpindex.html for a complete explanation of this project.

Georgia Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide 1

What is a Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat?

A
Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat is an outdoor laboratory alive with learning opportunities for all ages across
the curriculum. Schoolyard Wildlife Habitats are designed to attract wildlife by providing elements cru-
cial to wildlife survival: food, water, cover and places to raise young.

The Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat (SWH) Program is a mission-based education outreach of the Georgia
Wildlife Federation, the oldest and largest non-profit conservation organization in Georgia and the state affili-
ate of the National Wildlife Federation. Georgia Wildlife Federation volunteers began working with schools in
the early eighties on creating campus-based versions of the Backyard Wildlife Habitat Program® developed in
1973 by the National Wildlife Federation. Schools can qualify for certification as part of a national registry
through the National Wildlife Federation at www.nwf.org/schoolyard.

In 1989, GWF President Jerry McCollum officially established the Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Program and
made it a focus of the organization's conservation education efforts statewide. Since that time, GWF staff and
volunteers have worked with hundreds of Georgia schools in developing Schoolyard Wildlife Habitats.

How long will it take to develop a Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat at our school?
Many schools have found it most effective to develop habitats in phases. It is important to remember that the
habitat project offers teaching opportunities from the minute it is considered. The most successful projects are
those that have moved slowly, but have taken advantage of a variety of teaching opportunities every step of
the way.

What will the project cost?
Costs vary and depend on your plans, but your project can be very inexpensive. Part of the educational value of
a Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat project is the inherent opportunity to be creative and resourceful. A little ingenu-
ity goes a long way in showing a child the power of "reuse and recycle."

Who will do the work?
A habitat project offers a great chance to involve the community. Parents,
students, educators, grandparents, scouts, local garden clubs, and other
groups have worked together to transform campuses into exciting
places to learn about nature. In addition to the assistance provided
by the Georgia Wildlife Federation, there are other resource agen-
cies which will help schools working on habitats.

How will we develop a plan?
Go visit other habitats. Talk to teachers and volunteers involved
in ongoing projects. Habitats reflect the personality of each
school and yours will be unique, but learning from the experience
of other schools will help you get started.

For help on finding other schools that are involved with Schoolyard
Habitats, read about the Georgia Green and Healthy Schools program
at www.eeingeorgia.org.


Getting Started
Planning & Organizing Your Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat

C
reate a Schoolyard Habitat Project Notebook and Folder
The first step towards creating your schoolyard habitat will be to create a Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat
notebook and folder. Use this folder to keep track of all documents, photographs, lists, ideas and other
important information for your project. Make sure this notebook stays at the school and is stored somewhere
central, such as the media center. Keeping records of what you are doing now will greatly assist others who
come after you to keep the project ongoing.

Consult with the Principal
No Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat project should be undertaken without the support of the principal and the
approval of the school system. The principal can give a broad overview of issues related to the school facility.
Troubleshooting might include discussion of the following points: future plans by the school system for addi-
tional buildings; play fields, parking lots and portables; routine maintenance program; potential for funding/in-
kind donations from the community, PTA and Partners in Education; special considerations for neighboring
properties; access for disabled and other special need students; and liability issues.

Survey and Inform Key People
All teachers should be encouraged to give input. This will help to ensure that the Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat is
used regularly and is incorporated into all curriculum areas. It will be well-worth the time to find out what is
important to teachers, students and other users of the outdoor classroom. Also, get help from your local com-
munity. Publicize your project to the PTA, the Board of Education, Partners in Education, student clubs and
various community organizations.

Don't forget to discuss your plans with the school system maintenance department and apply for any neces-
sary permits from the county. Otherwise, your project might get "cleaned up," mowed over or graded.
Form a Committee
You're going to need some help. Involving absolutely everybody might slow things down, but, after all, it's one
of the main reasons (and rewards) for doing the Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat project. A permanent committee
should be organized soon after consideration is given to developing the habitat, open to all interested persons,
and, most importantly, headed by a project coordinator to oversee all committee tasks. A committee will: uti-
lize the various backgrounds and talents of the community; spread the workload; and create a solid foundation
and help ensure that the project continues year after year. The committee should include as many stakeholders
in the project as possible, including: principal, several teachers, and custodian or grounds personnel; PTA vol-
unteers and other interested parents and family members; local natural resource professionals and hobbyists;
and students.

Involve Students
It is strongly recommended that your committee either have a student body equivalent or include student rep-
resentatives. Some committee positions can be student equivalents such as publicity, historian, and volunteer
coordinator. Don't miss this opportunity to build students' life skills. Student involvement in planning and
implementing the Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat will build ownership and help prevent problems with vandalism.


No Help? Try this
Quick-and-Easy School Gardens for the Lone Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Crusader
The best Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat is one that engages the whole school, and endures the test of time in order
to provide long term habitat for wildlife and learning opportunities for students. However, students, faculty,
administration and academic policy are very often in flux. It can be overwhelming to have to organize a large
project with so many variables.

If you are a lone teacher or parent who is facing insurmountable difficulties with organizing a Schoolyard
Wildlife Habitat with your whole school, it may be best to scale back your project to something that can be eas-
ily maintained by one person or class. Here are some suggestions:

Create a small habitat outside a classroom window or near a door
Use this small, manageable space to: install nesting boxes or wildlife feeders; maintain a small vegetable,
flower or herb garden; create a small raised bed garden that contains native plants that provide habitat;
or plant small trees or shrubs. Be sure to check with the maintenance staff about regulations regarding
how close plantings can be to the building.

Create container gardens.
Use a large planting pot or drill multiple holes in a trash barrel, wooden barrel, plastic wading pool or
other large container and fill with potting soil for planting. Move container gardens whenever neces-
sary, eliminating the problem of location conflicts. A container garden can even be hauled to your home
during the summer for watering and maintenance
needs! Know that container gardens are often
better for people with disabilities, because
they can be accessed from chair level.

Avoid big, costly projects.
Assess for yourself how much you
can realistically accomplish
alone and start there. It will be
more rewarding to keep one
small garden bed alive for a
year with your students than
to spend endless hours
organizing a bigger project
that has little chance of sur-
vival. Think in terms of
phases. You may begin with a
very simple and inexpensive
project that includes only you
and your students. However, as
other teachers and parents see
your success, they may become
more willing to emulate your efforts.
Gradually introduce more SWH elements
to your schoolyard at a rate that equals sup-
port for each element.


Form Your Wildlife Habitat Committee

T
he committee positions and responsibilities listed on the following page have provided an effective
organization for some Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat projects. Your habitat committee may have more
positions, more than one person sharing tasks or may, in some cases, combine positions. It is important
to give volunteers very clear and limited tasks for a specific period of time (i.e., historian for one school year
only, or even one half of the year). Indefinite or vague tasks will wear down volunteers. Rotate leadership posi-
tions annually or on another regular and reasonable schedule. This will bring in fresh perspectives and keep
your leaders from burning out. Work to achieve buy-in from the entire school. You may not be able to get every
person involved, but seek to involve at least one representative from all aspects of the school community.
Survey parents annually to find out what skills and resources they would be willing to donate to an outdoor
classroom project. Make copies of the chart on the following page and use it to keep track of your committee
and their responsibilities.
"Let Them Do It!" - Student participation in Schoolyard
Wildlife Habitats from start to finish
Many teachers and volunteers feel overwhelmed
when they realize the amount of research and work
creating an outdoor classroom can include.
However, students can take on a substantial
amount of the work as a classroom project,
and, with some careful planning, teachers
can simultaneously meet
academic requirements.

Researching Wildlife
Students can survey their schoolyards to
find out what wildlife is already there.
The instructor at Seaborn Lee
Elementary suggests creating a Rolodex
file or spreadsheet specifically for your
habitat project. This will keep
you organized.


Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Committee Members
Date: _______________________________

Habitat Project Leader: Phone:
Email:
He/she should be an effective organizer, have vision, be able to delegate responsibilities and communicate
effectively. Responsibilities: oversee development of the habitat plan.
Historian: Phone:
Email:
Responsibilities: document project progress with “before and after” photos, scrapbooks, and/or video journals.
Publicity: Phone:
Email:
Responsibilities: write press releases for local newspapers, take photos, create a newsletter, or submit articles to
PTA newsletter.
Volunteer Coordinator: Phone:
Email:
Responsibilities: promote volunteer involvement, match volunteers to tasks, coordinate workdays and send
thank you cards or notes.
Budget/Donations: Phone:
Email:
Responsibilities: maintain receipts, records of donated goods and services, discounts, invoices to school book-
keeper or PTA treasurer for payment.
Grants Writing: Phone:
Email:
Responsibilities: seek and prepare grant proposals and maintain information for writing reports. You don’t
have to have a professional, just someone who can write clearly.
Teacher Liaison: Phone:
Email:
Responsibilities: help teachers to use the habitat for class lessons. Activities can include compiling resources,
putting together file of ideas to be shared, creating habitat-related bulletin boards and scheduling trainings, etc.
Student Representative(s):
Name: Grade/Teacher:
Responsibilities: represent the student body on each of the sub-committees.
Grounds Maintenance: Phone:
Email:
Responsibilities: communicate the project with other maintenance staff/custodians (who perform grounds
maintenance in and around the Habitat) and implement and maintain a regular maintenance schedule.


Evaluate Your Campus
“What Have We Got To Work With On Campus and How Does It Support Wildlife?”

T
he best way to start a Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat is to thoroughly investigate the land on campus and its
current and potential uses. Get a copy of the plat from the principal, custodian or school system office.
Trace it and make a copy you can mark on. Contact a natural resource professional or knowledgeable
volunteer to walk the site with you and give advice. (See contact information under "Getting More Help".)
Invite a small group to accompany you such as an interested teacher, a parent and, of course, a student or two.

As you walk on the site, note:
the buildings, parking lots, play fields, and retention ponds.
underground utilities, drains, sewer and septic lines.
planned and unofficial patterns of traffic including: cars, bikes, pedestrians and delivery and mainte-
nance vehicles.
litter, erosion and drainage problems.
access to water.
parcels of land not being used. County Extension Agents
locations for future building plans. often are tremendous resources
for plant identification.
Evaluate good and bad features of these sites as potential outdoor
classrooms. Consider: Be sure to include points of
distance from the school building. interest and unusual facts
access from building to grounds. about plant material in a guide
security of the site. to the SWH.
existing features of wildlife habitat including food, water, cover
and places to raise young. Ahead of the game: If possi-
ble, meet with administrators,
Keep your discoveries in mind as your committee decides where to teachers and county officials to
focus Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat project activities. (See Appendix B for plan a SWH on new schools as
site inventory checklist.) Don't forget to take your "before" photos. Now they are being built.
is the time!


Making A Plan
“How Can We Enhance Our Campus For Education and Wildlife Habitat?”

N
ow that you have a clearer understanding of your site, you can begin to create a plan. Some schools pre-
fer to create a master plan for the whole campus to be implemented in stages. Some schools prefer to
identify a small area for a small-scale project which can lead to a large-scale project. It is up to your
committee to decide the best approach for your school. Above all, involve students!

Look for opportunities provided by your campus.
For example, if you are facing a bare campus, you might try a succession study area. Simply stop mowing and
see what appears. Within a season, grasses and wildflowers will create rich habitat for small wildlife. A mowed
trail through the meadow will bring the lessons up close. Or, your committee might decide to begin a refor-
estation project by planting native tree saplings and native shrubs in part of the meadow.

If your campus has an existing natural water feature such as a stream, lake, wetlands or even a retention pond
with standing water, you might focus on aquatic studies projects. If it has a small wooded area, you might want
to create an interpretive nature trail. Whatever the case, don't overlook any interesting features! Granite out-
croppings, endangered plants, threatened wildlife, bogs and even eroded hillsides provide useful teaching
stations.

Find out what teachers want!
Make sure that your vision for your habitat project matches what your The Project Leader At Jackson
teachers will find useful in meeting curriculum objectives. Begin by sur- Middle School in Commerce
veying teachers to find out their needs and obstacles in regards to out- began her project by using a
door classroom use. A sample survey form is provided in Appendix A. GWF's teacher survey to find
out the needs and wishes of
A Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat will certainly enhance the appearance of other teachers in regards to an
the campus, but it is not primarily a beautification project: it is for edu- outdoor classroom. She was
cation and habitat. It is imperative that your project supports teachers able to gather important infor-
reaching academic requirements. If it doesn't , it will not be used! mation such as where, when
and how teachers would be
Think about how to attract and support wildlife. most likely to use a schoolyard
All wildlife requires four basic elements to survive: food, water, cover habitat. She then used this
and places to raise young. Combinations of these four elements are dif- information to create a basis
ferent for each species, but you can plan a habitat which will support a for the schoolyard
variety of wildlife. habitat design.

Evaluate what resources you currently have available.
Before you invest in classroom materials and curricula for using the schoolyard habitat, investigate what is
already available to you. For example, other teachers or staff members may already have books, curricula and
tools that you can use. Past teachers may have already stocked the school library with good resources on
wildlife. Save money for building habitats and training teachers by doing a quick inventory before you plan
your budget. For a sample inventory list, see Appendix C.


Establish a project schedule and budget.
Break down the habitat project into steps: develop a materials
Some schools prefer to create a master
list, budget, and a reasonable time frame for accomplishing
plan for the whole campus to be imple-
your objectives. Identify volunteers and delegate tasks. Be
mented in stages. Some schools identify a
realistic about what can be accomplished in one school year.
small area for a small-scale project, which
Keep long term maintenance in mind!
can lead to future projects. It is up to
Remember to keep all your plans and budgets in a central your committee to decide the best
folder for future reference! Better yet, create an outdoor approach. Above all, involve students.
classroom binder or shelf in your media center for The Master Plan Approach: Rebecca
easy access. Minor Elementary, Lilburn
Maintenance The Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat at
Rebecca Minor Elementary began when a
When creating a plan, be sure to include a section on
member of a local garden club brought
Maintenance. You can start off using your traced copy of the
together GWF staff and school faculty,
plat bearing the information that you gathered in your site
including the principal, to consider a
analysis or draw a simple plat of your campus.
plan. Following visits to other schoolyard
habitats, the committee recommended a
Don't take on too much.
master plan which included a variety of
Always keep maintenance requirements in mind
habitat features.
including repairs that may be necessary.
Note that vandalism is often an unfortunate fact of
Teachers at the school were then surveyed
life in schoolyards.
and asked to rank the features in order of
Break the project down into small steps and share it.
priority. The survey results were used to
Create a maintenance manual as you go so future
guide development of the habitat project
caretakers of the schoolyard habitat don't have to re-
as it progressed in stages. Their habitat is
invent the wheel.
now enhanced yearly with various educa-
tional habitat stations.
Much of the planning for institutionalizing the use and
maintenance of your outdoor classroom should begin before
The Small Project Approach: Seaborn
any significant construction is done. And because schools are
places of constant change, periodic assessment of your suc-
Lee Elementary, College Park
The principal says that if she had been
cess in these efforts should be conducted to meet your
approached about creating a master plan
school's evolving needs.
for a Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat at
Seaborn Lee Elementary, she would have
Yet your design should also possess the unique characteristics
balked. It would have seemed too much
of your schoolyard and your school community. It is impor-
for their limited resources. Instead, their
tant to allow for some "messiness" in the design. Children
habitat began with one simple goal: to
and youth often prefer gardens that appear less formal and
forge a path to the creek that runs
that contain diverse elements for them to explore with their
through the property. Teachers envisioned
different senses. Low maintenance will help to sustain an
using the creek for hands-on aquatic
appropriate "messiness" in your habitat design.
studies with their science students.
Under the leadership of creative teachers,
Just as the development of a habitat is usually done by volun-
their habitat is now one of the most excit-
teers, maintenance of the new outdoor classroom is almost
ing and ingenious in Georgia and has
always a volunteer task as well. School system grounds per-
won state and national awards. It was cre-
sonnel and custodial crews rarely have the time to provide
ated almost entirely by students and has a
more than minimal levels of care for these specialty areas.
track record free of vandalism.
Habitat design should reflect this reality and call for low
maintenance over the long term.

Many schools successfully assign responsibility for maintenance of outdoor classrooms to an existing PTA com-
mittee such as the Environmental or Grounds Committee and student clubs such as 4-H or the Ecology Club.
Providing a line item on the PTA budget for annual maintenance assures a dependable source of revenue to
address needed renovations. Endowing outdoor classrooms with this sort of volunteer and financial legacy will
help ensure their viability over a long period of time.

In addition to volunteers and financial support for any upgrade and future renovations of your Schoolyard
Habitat, proper maintenance of an outdoor classroom also requires its continual use by teachers and students.
To maintain continual use of your Schoolyard Habitat, it is important
to do the following:
At Haynes Bridge Middle
Incorporate student activities into maintaining the outdoor School in Alpharetta, project
classroom. Have different classes adopt different areas of the leaders created an "adoption
outdoor classroom to maintain. list" as a way to delegate various
Divide up maintenance by age groups to help keep working in parts of their habitat project.
the outdoor classroom popular with students. For example,
third graders who are in charge of reseeding the wildflower
patch can look forward to maintaining the pool in fourth grade.
To further divide the labor, individual students in a class can "adopt" a tree or plant to study and main-
tain. This will encourage student ownership of the outdoor classroom.
Host an environmentally-based teacher training on how to use the outdoor classroom for all teachers
within your school annually.
Create a curriculum team to plan for how you will institutionalize the use of the outdoor classroom
into your school's curriculum (see Appendix D).
Keep school administrators and school district planning and
construction offices informed of your Schoolyard
Wildlife Habitat plans to prevent future land-
use conflict.
Keep your school and your community
regularly informed on events surround-
ing your Schoolyard Habitat.
Invite community groups to assist
with workdays or special projects.
Contact your local natural center
or environmental education
provider to arrange for a demon-
stration of activities for your out-
door classroom.
Avoid relegating the outdoor class-
room to just one academic subject.
If possible, create different areas that
facilitate specific topics.


Beginning the Design Process

T
he next step is to create a design for your schoolyard habitat. In order to accomplish this you first need to
complete the needs assessment and site survey (see Appendix A and Appendix B). The actual layout and
physical characteristics of your schoolyard, along with the needs of the teachers, administrators, students
and local wildlife will become the basis for your outdoor classroom design.

Once you have determined the teachers’ needs, consider doing the following:
Host a teacher training that will help ensure all teachers will know how to use the outdoor classroom.2
It is more important that teachers know how to teach a lesson outdoors using the natural environment
than to have a fully outfitted outdoor classroom that teachers are unsure of how to use.
Create a curriculum team to plan for how you will institutionalize the use of the outdoor classroom
into your school's curriculum.3 Remember that planning for the use of your outdoor classroom is as
important as the actual design of the outdoor classroom itself.
Keep school administrators and school district planning and construction offices informed of your
plans to prevent future land-use conflict.

Key Points to Remember
Your specific outdoor classroom design should reflect the unique characteristics of your schoolyard and your
school community. However, a few key points to keep in mind are:
How will habitat gardens be maintained through the summer?
Is what you are designing interesting enough to pique students' curiosity and sturdy enough to with-
stand their exploration?
Does your outdoor classroom provide at least some of the elements of habitat for wildlife: food, shelter,
water and space to raise young? A plant that produces food, such as seeds, nuts or berries is less expen-
sive, more reliable and better for wildlife, than a feeder made by humans.
Native plants, if placed in the right location, are often far hardier and easier to maintain than standard
ornamental hybrids. They also provide more elements of habitat for native wildlife making them better
for the environment.
Will you have the future time, money and resources to maintain the outdoor classroom you
are designing?
Is your outdoor classroom accessible to all of your students, including not only students with physical
disabilities, but also those with mental or emotional challenges, and English Speakers of Other
Languages (ESOL) students?
How will the outdoor classroom meet the needs of your school's teachers to keep their students safe,
comfortable and on task to meet academic standards?
Will your outdoor classroom meet the standards for appearance required by school administrators?

But most importantly…
Design outdoor classrooms that encourage students to explore and interact with the natural environment.
Create habitat gardens that appeal to different senses and allow for some "messiness" in the design. Children
often prefer gardens that appear less formal and that contain diverse elements for them to explore.
2There are several good multi-disciplinary environmentally based curricula with lessons designed to meet academic requirements. Commonly avail-
able curricula and teacher trainings are: Projects WET, WILD and Learning Tree and National Wildlife Federation's Schoolyard Habitats® Program.
Check www.EEinGeorgia.org for more information on curricula and trainings available in your area.
3See Appendix D for a worksheet to help guide you through using the outdoor classroom to teach performance standards.


Getting Buy-in Before You Build

C
reating an outdoor classroom is often an exciting prospect to teachers, students and volunteers alike and
many want to leap directly to the point of construction as soon as possible. However, because you want
the time, money and effort you will invest in creating an outdoor classroom to be well spent, it is impor-
tant to generate support from the many users of outdoor classrooms from the very beginning of the project.
Listed below are key groups to consider, as well as some hints on how to win their support.

Administrators
Ask your school's administration about their specific concerns for having an outdoor classroom at their
school. Keep them informed on how you will address these concerns.
Create a safety protocol4 for using the outdoor classroom in order to minimize liability concerns.
Animal bites and stings, diseases such as West Nile virus and rabies and safety issues around water are
common school liability concerns. Learn the facts about these concerns and inform administrators how
you will address them. 5
Show your principal that an outdoor classroom is not just an "extra". Provide examples of research
showing how an outdoor classroom can improve academic performance across disciplines. The State
Education and Environment Roundtable (SEER) provides one of the most comprehensive studies to
this effect.6
If possible, try to get outdoor classroom plans incorporated into your School Improvement Plan.7
Invite your principal or other school administrators to observe a lesson taught outdoors. In this way, he
or she can be assured that academic requirements are being met and that you are confident in your abil-
ities to teach outside. Even if they are unable to observe, principals will still be impressed that you are
confident enough to invite them to observe.
Show the potential for overall school improvement that an outdoor classroom can bring. For example,
outdoor classrooms can offer beautification, bring in community support in the form of volunteers and
make the school more attractive to parents.

Teachers
Survey teachers to find out their needs and obstacles in regards to outdoor classroom use. Remember,
the outdoor classroom will not be used if it doesn't support teachers reaching academic requirements!8
Schedule a Professional Learning Unit (PLU) accredited environmental education training for teachers.
The Web site www.EEinGeorgia.org maintains a directory of several excellent multi-disciplinary curric-
ula and training programs that meet state and national learning standards.9

4Consult your school's already established protocols for student safety. Also, other organizations that conduct outdoor youth programs may have
good examples of protocols to draw from. For example, the Boy Scouts offer the online guide Guide to Safe Scouting at
www.scouting.org/nav/enter.jsp?s=ba.
5The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has information on the risks associated with diseases such as West Nile and rabies on their website at
www.cdc.gov. Also, contact your local Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to find more information about venomous animals found in your
area and the actual level of risk they pose.
6Summaries of the study, Closing the Achievement Gap; Using the Environment as an Integrating Context for Learning (EIC), can be downloaded at
www.seer.org.
7The Georgia Department of Education provides information on School Improvement Plans at www.doe.k12.ga.us/support/improvement/about.asp.
8See Appendix D "Outdoor Classroom Needs and Interests Survey for Teachers".
9The Georgia Department of Education provides information on Teacher Professional Development at
www.doe.k12.ga.us/support/improvement/about.asp.

Incorporate environmental education training into the Teachers' Professional Learning Plan offered at
your school.10
Invite a local environmental education provider to lead a lesson or activity in the outdoor classroom so
that teachers can see a first hand example of how exciting and successful teaching outdoors can be.
Many environmental education providers can provide customized activities that correlate to cross-cur-
ricular state academic requirements.
Recruit parent or community volunteers who are willing to help chaperone
students outside.
Provide teachers with a clearly written safety protocol for the outdoor classroom. See the safety protocol
listed for administrators earlier in this chapter.
Offer pre-made, tried and true lesson plans that are correlated to state academic standards for teachers
to "grab and go." Some schools have centrally-located backpacks that have all materials ready for leading
an outdoor excursion.

Groundskeepers
Design your outdoor classroom with minimal maintenance needs in mind.
Survey groundskeepers to assess their interest and the skills and resources they are willing to share for
the success your outdoor classroom.
Discuss your outdoor classroom plans with your school's groundskeepers to negotiate and clarify any
responsibilities they are willing to assume in regards to the outdoor classroom.
Assist your groundskeepers by scheduling regular workdays for volunteers to do maintenance on the
outdoor classroom.

Students
Recruiting students to help with the initial site assessment outlined in the previous chapter "Starting
Where You Are" can be an excellent way to build interest in creating an outdoor classroom. As stated
before, the site assessment can be easily adapted to meet academic standards across a variety of disci-
plines. It is also an excellent way to start the experience of teaching outdoors before the actual outdoor
classroom has been built.
Make sure students have some input in the design of the outdoor classroom and that they participate in
its construction. This will foster feelings of ownership, which will in turn help prevent possible vandal-
ism in the future.11

Parents
Conduct an annual survey of parents' resources and skills that they are willing to donate to the outdoor
classroom project.
Inform parents about the educational benefits of an outdoor classroom. Please refer to this point under
the "Administrator" section of this chapter for more information on how to do this.

10In partnership with Georgia Department of Education's Georgia Learning Connections Program, the website www.EEinGeorgia.org offers free
environmentally-themed lesson plans that are designed to address and assess Georgia's academic standards.
11Try holding a contest to have students name the outdoor classrooms, plus each of its components.


Community Members and Volunteers
Make an easily accessible maintenance guide for your outdoor classroom as you go. In this way, future
outdoor classroom leaders and volunteers will know how and when to perform maintenance tasks. Keep
this guide, along with other outdoor classroom records, in a central location such as the media center
and make sure others know where it is. Update it regularly.
Create a centrally located calendar of workdays and events for the outdoor classroom. Advertise this cal-
endar to the local community as well as the school. Bring volunteer sign-up sheets to school open hous-
es and other school events where parents and community members are present. As much as possible,
choose a regular day and time for the workday, such as every third Saturday from 10-12. Plan ahead for
possible rain dates.
Gather and organize an annually updated skill bank of parents and volunteers.
Vary the activities for volunteers. No one wants to weed every time they volunteer!
Recognize your volunteers in school and community newsletters, at awards banquets or special events
such as a volunteer breakfast hosted by your school.
Create a volunteering schedule for summer maintenance. For exam-
ple, an individual or family can sign up to take turns caring
for the outdoor classroom for one week each during the
summer. Avoid making summer maintenance one per-
son's responsibility.
Make volunteering for the outdoor classroom fun!
Provide refreshments and good places to rest.
Provide sitters (such as older students, parents
or teacher volunteers).Use themes, such as
seasons, planting and harvesting to make
working in the outdoor classroom feel more
like a festival than a chore. Sometimes just
phrasing it right can make all the differ-
ence.12

12One school has declared that they never weed; instead they "feed the chickens."
Volunteers and students love pulling up weeds out of the habitat gardens to feed to
their school's small flock of domestic birds. If your school can't have domesticated
animals, consider feeding a compost bin of earthworms and keeping track of how fast it
takes for your weed pile to be composted.


Basic Elements of Habitat

B
egin your Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat with some easy steps. You can address all habitat elements- food,
water, cover and places to raise young- in some small way in the initial stages of your project.

The features listed below are very basic, but highly visible, and will help teach students about meeting the needs
of wildlife while actually benefiting wildlife in your schoolyard. Students can both construct and maintain all of
these features.

Brush piles
Brush piles provide cover for small mammals, birds and insects. You can start one with a discarded Christmas
tree or yard clippings. Be sure that the materials provided as cover have not been treated with pesticides and
other hazardous chemicals.

Rock piles
Rock piles provide cover for beneficial reptiles and amphibians. Lizards and butterflies can bask in the sun.

Feeders
There are many types of feeders which are easy and inexpensive to build. While feeders
ensure maximum bird activity when stocked, remind students that these are only sub-
stitutes for natural food sources such as berry and nut-producing trees or seed-bear-
ing flowering plants. Since feeders can be expensive and labor-intensive to maintain,
you might want to limit feeding stations to one or two key areas in your Schoolyard
Wildlife Habitats.

Water dishes or birdbaths
A clean, dependable source of water is an essential part of your habitat. An inex-
pensive terra cotta dish, an upside-down garbage can lid or a birdbath will serve
well. It helps to add several flat stones in it as a perch so birds can gradually wade
into the water. Locate the water source in a protected spot away from shrubbery
which could harbor predators. Make sure that the water feature is near a hose or
faucet, or arrange a "bucket brigade" of students for filling it on a regular basis.

Nesting boxes
Students and/or scouts can easily build bluebird, bat, and owl or wood duck boxes
for your habitat. Students should be aware that nesting boxes are only substitutes for
tree cavities. If your campus does have a dead tree, called a snag, which does not pose
a threat, keep it. Snags can also be cut to a height of 6 -10 feet, limiting the possibilities
of danger. Snags provide extremely important cover and nesting sites for many species.

Make sure that these habitat elements are apparent to students. Signs at many schools label
such features as brush piles, rock piles and snags. The signage reinforces the concept of habitat to students and
opens their eyes to these valuable "wildlife homes."


Raised-Bed Gardening
Nature Right Outside Your Door

A
raised-bed garden is simply a raised area of soil framed by boards, logs, landscape timbers, stones, bricks or other
materials. Raised-bed gardening calls for the use of organic matter or amendments resulting in improved soil
structure and fertility. The raised-bed method of gardening is easy and lends itself well to Schoolyard Wildlife
Habitat projects for several reasons: you can start from scratch; small, contained beds are ideal for experimenting and can
be adopted by various classes; and raised beds can be situated so that all sides are easily accessible.

Construction and Soil Amendments
Remove all weeds and grass from the area and till about a foot deep. Work into the soil some potting soil, compost or
shredded leaves. A healthy soil contains organic matter and is loose (feels soft when you crumble it in your hands) and
well-drained. One-third of the final mix should be organic matter. The more time you put into this initial bed prepara-
tion, the better results you will have.

A good material for borders is the 4"x 8' landscape timbers which are inexpensive and can be purchased at most lumber
supply stores or garden centers. Please use untreated lumber. Recent studies indicate that treated lumber may leach dan-
gerous chemicals into the surrounding soil. Some woods, such as cedar and redwood are naturally decay-resistant. You
can also use plastic lumber, bricks or cement blocks.

Garden areas should have clearly defined paths for maintenance personnel, volunteers and students to be able to access
plantings for maintenance and study. Paths should be as level as possible and not mulched, as mulching makes paths less
accessible for people with motor disabilities.

Plantings
Consult a landscape architect or Master Gardener to help you place plantings in the best possible locations in regards to
sun and shade, levels of moisture, and types of soil and slope. You should be able to tell from your completed site survey
what the growing conditions are for different areas of your schoolyard. "Putting the right plant in the right place" will
help ensure the time and money you invest in planting will be well spent.

Remember, fall is the best time to begin your garden because plant roots have several months to grow strong while leaves
and flowers are resting (dormant). Choose plants that will mature or bloom between the fall and spring so that your stu-
dents get to see the plantings when they are the most interesting.

Do your best to use native plants. The reason for stressing the use of native plants in landscaping for wildlife is simple:
Georgia plants and Georgia wildlife coexist in communities supporting one another. They are interdependent and each
plant and animal species has a place in native ecosystems. Additionally, native plants are suited to the soil and climate
conditions of the state.

Signage
Create signage not only to identify plantings, but also to help explain what is happening during seasons when your plants
are dormant. Consider signs that tell viewers that the wildflower patch is currently "sleeping through the winter but will
be back with a surprise in the spring".

Garden signs make an excellent art project for students. The more interesting in design and information your
signs are, the more people, especially your students, will want to read them. Signs that incorporate images will
help young students, students who have trouble reading or ESOL students understand your garden as well.


How To Create a Butterfly Garden
A Special from Callaway Gardens

C
reating a butterfly garden is an exciting and rewarding endeavor! It is easy to invite butterflies to your
area by gardening with their needs in mind. These beautiful insects will add bright colors and entertain-
ing antics to your garden display. Use the following techniques to produce a delightful butterfly garden
in your own backyard.

Locate the garden in a sunny area. Callaway Gardens' mis-
Butterflies and most butterfly-attracting plants require bright sunshine. sion is to "provide a bet-
ter understanding of the
Plant nectar-producing flowers. living world." To com-
Butterflies visit flowers in search of nectar, a sugary fluid, to eat. Many native municate that under-
butterflies seem to prefer purple, yellow, orange, and red-colored blossoms. standing, the Callaway
Clusters of short, tubular flowers or flat-topped blossoms provide the ideal Gardens Education
shapes for butterflies to easily land and feed. Department introduces
and interprets the won-
Select single flowers rather than double flowers. ders of nature to visitors.
The nectar of single flowers is more accessible and easier for butterflies to For more information
extract than the nectar of double flowers which have more petals per flower. about programs and
resources at Callaway
Use large splashes of color in your landscape design. Gardens, visit www.call-
Butterflies are first attracted to flowers by their color. Groups of flowers are awaygardens.com.
easier for butterflies to locate than isolated plants.

Plan for continuous bloom throughout the growing season.
Butterflies are active from early spring until late fall. Plant a selection of flowers that will provide nectar
throughout the entire growing season (e.g. spring- azaleas, summer- milkweeds, fall- eupatoriums).

Include host plants in the garden design.
Host plants provide food for caterpillars and lure female butterflies into the garden to lay eggs.

Include damp areas or shallow puddles in the garden.
Some butterflies drink and extract salts from moist soil. Occasionally large numbers of male butterflies congre-
gate around a moist area to drink, forming a "puddle club." You can create your own "butterfly puddle" by plac-
ing a shallow pan on the ground to collect rainwater. Include flat stones that allow butterflies and other small
animals to perch at the water's edge safely.

Place flat stones in the garden.
Butterflies often perch on stones, bare soil or vegetation, spread their wings and bask in the sun. Basking raises
their body temperature so they are able to fly and remain active.

Do not use pesticides in or near a butterfly garden.
Most traditional garden pesticides are toxic to butterflies. Use predatory insects, insecticidal soap or hands to
remove the pests if problems occur.


Butterflies and Plants

B
utterflies depend on plants in many ways. The most successful butterfly gardens include plants which
meet the needs of butterflies during all four stages of their life cycle: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and adult.
After mating, female butterflies search for a specific kind of "host plant" on which to lay eggs. For exam-
ple, monarchs lay eggs on milkweed, black swallowtails on dill, and Eastern tiger swallowtails on tulip poplar or
wild cherry. Some butterflies lay eggs on more than one type of plant while others only use one particular kind
of host plant.

In a few days, caterpillars emerge from the eggs and begin to eat. Caterpillars are selective eaters and only feed
on specific kinds of plants. If the desired plants aren't available, the caterpillars will starve rather than eat
another type of vegetation. Usually female butterflies lay eggs on or near the plants their caterpillars prefer to
eat. Most butterfly caterpillars feed on native plants and are not considered agricultural or ornamental pests.

In a few weeks when the caterpillars are fully grown, they shed their skin for the final time and change into
chrysalises. Inside each chrysalis the body of an adult butterfly is formed. Often chrysalises are attached to plant
stems and protected by surrounding vegetation.

After emerging from the chrysalis, the adult butterfly soon begins to search for nectar-rich flowers to feed.
Plants are important to butterflies during each stage of their life cycle. A garden designed with this in mind
attracts the largest number and greatest variety of butterfly visitors!

Plants for a Butterfly Garden
NECTAR PLANTS HOST PLANTS AND BUTTERFLIES ATTRACTED
Herbaceous Perennials and Annuals Herbaceous Perennials and Annuals
Blue Azure Sage (Salvia azurea) Blue Wild Indigo (Baptisia australis) - Frosted Elfin
Heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens) Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa) - Monarch
Joe-Pye Weed (Eupatorium spp.) Cutleaf Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata) - Silvery Crescentspot
New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae) Maypop (Passiflora incarnata) - Gulf Fritillary
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) Pussytoes (Antennaria plantaginifolia) - American Painted Lady
Rose Vervain (Verbena canadensis) Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium) - E. Black Swallowtail
Sunflower (Helianthus spp.) Turtlehead (Chelone glabra) - Baltimore
Yellow Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) Violets (Viola spp.) - Variegated Fritillary
Woody Shrubs, Trees and Vines Woody Shrubs, Trees and Vines
Blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) - Red Spotted Purple
Bottlebrush Buckeye (Aesculus parviflora) Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) - Spring Azure
Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) - Zebra Swallowtail
Climbing Hydrangea (Decumaria barbara) Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) - Spicebush Swallowtail
New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus) Tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera) - Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Piedmont Azalea (Rhododendron canescens) Wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) - Long-tailed Skipper

Where To Get More Information About Butterflies
Monarchs Across Georgia (MAG) is a collaboration of the Environmental Education Alliance (EEA), teachers,
students, families, communities, businesses and others, all working together to study Monarch butterflies and
restore butterfly habitat across the state. The mission of MAG is to engage schools and families in learning
experiences involving Monarchs and other native butterflies. The MAG program promotes stewardship of the
natural environment through multi-disciplinary exploration and scientific investigation. For educational mate-
rials, programs and workshops, visit the MAG website at www.monarchsacrossga.org.

Shrubs and Vines That Attract Hummingbirds

V
ines and shrubs provide food as well as natural cover and nesting habitat. Plan for year-round availabili-
ty of berries and seeds. In addition to growing nectar producing plants, hummingbird feeders are a sure
way to enjoy watching the hummers. To make the nectar, combine four parts water to one part sugar
and bring to a boil. DO NOT use honey, sugar substitutes or red food coloring. Feeders should be cleaned every
three to five days using a brush, hot water and vinegar.

Shrubs Perennials
American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) Beebalm (Monarda didyma)
Blackberry (Rubus spp.) Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosom) Canada Lily (Lilium canadense)
Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) Cross Vine (Anisostichus capreolata)
Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) Eastern Red Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
Plums (Prunus spp.) Indian Pink (Spigelia marilandica)
Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia) Mountain Rosebay (Rhododendron catawbiense)
Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) Scarlet Morning Glory (Ipomoea coccinea)
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) Spotted Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis)
Sumac (Rhus spp.) Swamp Mallow (Hibiscus coccineus)
Viburnum (Viburnum spp.)
Waxmyrtle (Myrica cerifera)

Vines
Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens)
Greenbrier (Smilax spp.)
Passion-flower (Passiflora incarnata)
Trumpetcreeper (Campsis radicans)
Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
Wild Grape (Vitis spp.)


More on Birds
Feeders

T
he ideal Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat includes plants which provide food all year. However, this is not
always possible. Supplemental winter feeding can help birds when available food supply is the scarcest.
Feeders also provide opportunities for observing birds close-up.

Tips for feeding birds
Separate food types and leave enough space between feeders. Birds are generally very territorial.
Keep the area around and under your feeders clean. Rake up the peanut shells, sunflower hulls and gen-
eral debris on a regular basis.
Make sure there are no sharp edges or points of wire sticking out on feeders that might injure the
bird visitors.
Regularly clean and disinfect feeders with a stiff brush and a vinegar/water solution. Rinse well and
place in the sun to dry before filling.
Use containers with resealable lids to keep out rodents which can contaminate feed and spread a host of
diseases.

Nesting Boxes
While birds are using their boxes, discourage pets or loud, unusual activity near the box. This may cause the
nesting pair to abandon the nest. Once young birds leave the nestbox, they enter a “fledging” stage. These young
birds will be closely supervised by their parents for the 2-3 days, until they learn how to fly. Fledglings may hop
along low shrubbery or even onto the ground. Remember this is a normal part of being a bird! The best way
you can help is by loose pets indoors during this crucial stage in the birds’ life.

Tips for using nesting boxes
Follow exact specifications established by wildlife professionals for dimensions of each bird house inte-
rior size, depth, entrance size, entrance above floor, and height above ground. See Appendix J for speci-
fications.
Choose the correct habitat to match the type of bird you are trying to attract.
Provide a predator guard to ensure safety from cats and other tree-climbing predators.
Allow plenty of time for painted birdhouses to become free of odors by hanging them outside several
weeks before the nesting season.
Place the entrance hole in a southerly direction to protect against cold northerly winds.
Provide a slightly rough inner surface to the birdhouse to provide a means for nestlings to fledge by
climbing out of the birdhouse.
Securely fasten the birdhouse with wire or nails to ensure against motion by high winds.
Have an adult inspect the house occasionally for invasion by fire ants and wasps.
Use woods which have natural weather resistant properties such as cedars.
Move a house that has remained unoccupied for more than one season to a different location.
Attempt to place birdhouses as early as February and March for the advent of mating season.
Allow adequate ventilation and drainage holes.
Check the nest and nestlings occasionally. Clean a house after each season.

Birdhouse Specifications For Common Georgia Cavity-Nesters
Bird Interior Depth Entrance Entrance Hole House Height Preferred Habitat
Size (in.) (in.) Hole (in.) Above Floor (in.) Above Ground (ft.)
Eastern 5x5 8 x 11 1½ 6-7 5 - 10 Open areas with no tall under-
Bluebird growth.
Carolina 4x4 8 - 10 1 - 1½ 6-8 6 - 15 Brushy borders.
Chickadee
Wood Duck 10½ x 10½ 24 3 x 4 ellip- 18 - 20 10 - 25 Near margins of pond waters.
to 12 x 12 tical hole
American 8 x 8 to 12 - 15 3 9 - 12 10 - 30 Brushy borders and open areas.
Kestrel 9x9
White-Breasted 4 x 4 to 8 - 10 1 - 1½ 6-7 5 - 20 Semi-shaded woody areas.
Nuthatch 5x5
Brown-Headed 2 x 3 8 - 10 1 6-8 5 - 20 Pine woods and mixed pine-hard-
Nuthatch wood forests.
Carolina Wren 4 x 4 to 6-8 1 - 1½ 1-6 6 - 10 Brushy areas near closed canopy of
5x5 trees.
Tufted 4 x 4 to 8 - 10 1 - 1½ 6-8 6-15 Brushy areas near closed canopy of
Titmouse 5x5 trees.
Tree Swallow 4 x 4 to 6 1½ - 1¼ 5-7 10-15 Semi-open areas near ponds or
5x5 lakes
Purple Martin 6 x 6 6 2 - 2½ 1 15-20 Bungalow-type colony house in
open areas near low brush.
Prothonotary 4x4 8 1½ 5 4-7 Swampy areas in hardwood forests
Warbler near water.
Screech Owl 8x8 12 - 15 3 9 - 12 10-30 Widely spaced tree areas and
meadow edges
Barred Owl 13 x 15 16 8 9 - 12 10-30 In or near forested areas

Barn Owl 10 x 18 15 - 18 6 4 12-18 In or near forested areas, farm-
yards, or fields.
Common 7x7 16 - 18 2½ 14 - 16 6-20 Large trees in open woodlands,
Flicker fields and meadows.
Pileated 8x8 12 - 30 3 - 4 10 - 20 12-60 Mature trees in wooded areas.
Woodpecker
Red-Bellied 6x6 12 - 14 2½ 10 - 12 12-20 Mature trees in wooded areas.
Woodpecker
Red-headed 6x6 12 - 15 2 9 - 12 12-20 Open areas of woodland edges.
Woodpecker
Hairy 6x6 12 - 15 1½ 9 - 12 12-20 Opend woodlands and forests.
Woodpecker
Downy 4x4 8 - 10 1¼ 6-8 6-20 Open woodlands near fields and
Woodpecker urban areas.

How To Properly Plant Trees
A Special From The Georgia Forestry Commission

Site Selection for Tree Planting

T
he survival and growth of your trees will depend on what you do before the trees are even planted. All
trees have basic requirements of air, water, sunlight and sufficient soil space to grow. Limit any one of
these and your trees will die or never reach expected results. Find out where these trees grow in nature
and then try to supply those requirements. Check with your local Georgia Forestry Commission or Extension
Service personnel for a possible site visit to help with the all important task of selecting an appropriate site to
plant your trees.

Sources of trees
Local garden centers and nurseries are potential sources
along with the Georgia Forestry Commission and
University of Georgia Extension Service.

Tree Planting Procedures
No matter how healthy the tree, if you do not plant it
correctly, success will be minimal.
Prepare your planting hole in advance of getting the
tree. Dig a hole about twice as large (diameter) as
the size of the container or root ball of the tree to
be planted.
Dig the hole only to the depth of the container or
root ball. Planting too deep will cause the tree to
grow poorly or not survive.
After planting, water thoroughly and put at least
three to four inches of mulch (straw or bark)
around the tree, but no closer than three inches to
the trunk.
A wooden stake beside the tree may be needed to
hold it upright and protect it from lawnmowers.
Allow for two inches of lateral movement.
Mulch the tree yearly and let the leaves or pine needles remain for additional protection of the tree's roots.
Mulch helps reduce the need for additional watering.
Water is the most critical factor for new tree survival. Deep watering is recommended and can be done in a
number of ways: using garden hose with water running slowly, at a trickle; positioning a soaker hose above
the root ball and allowing water to soak through the soil profile; and positioning a five-gallon bucket with a
small hole tapped into the bottom next to the tree and fill the bucket with water.
Watering is necessary in summer months. Make sure that you have a maintenance plan in place BEFORE
summer. Recruit several people to take turns in taking care of your schoolyard habitat, especially watering
new plantings. Families and volunteers can sign-up to adopt plantings on a rotating basis. Avoid delegating
responsibility for summer maintenance to just one person.
Too much water is harmful to trees. Have a natural resource professional help you choose suitable planting
sites with adequate drainage.


Native Trees
Year-round Food and Cover For A Variety of Wildlife Species
Large Trees Small Trees
American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) Devilwood (Osmanthus americanus)
American Holly (Ilex opaca) Florida Anise (Illicium floridanum)
Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) Redbay (Persea borbonia)
Basswood (Tilia americana) Wax Myrtle (Myrica cerifera)
Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria)
Blackgum (Nyssa slyvatica)
Cucumbertree (Magnolia acuminata)
Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)
Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana)
Loblolly, Longleaf and Shortleaf Pine (Pinus spp.)
Loblolly Bay (Gordonia lasianthus)
Live Oak (Quercus virginiana)
Pignut, Bitternut Hickories (Carya spp.)
Post Oak (Quercus stellata)
Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
River Birch (Betula nigra)
Sweetbay (Magnolia virginiana)
Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)
Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandifloria)
Southern Red Oak (Quercus falcata)
Southern Sugar Maple (Acer barbatum)
Swamp Chestnut Oak (Quercus michauxii)
Tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera)
White Ash (Fraxinus americana)
White, Red and Chestnut Oak (Quercus spp.)
Willow Oak (Quercus phellos)

Schools with minimal space available might choose to use container gardens to grow wildlife-attracting plants.
See the lists of native shrubs for good alternatives to trees.

Note: Create a living history tree library. Imagine an arboretum with such trees as the Dwight D. Eisenhower Sycamore or trees with significance to
the American Revolution, Black history, poets and artists and more. For more information, visit www.historictrees.org.


Wildflower Meadows
The No-Mow Alternative

C
reating a meadow on your campus is as simple as stopping mowers in an area not needed for other activities.
Within a season, a rich variety of native, naturalized and introduced grasses will crop up. Insect activity will
increase and birds will follow.

A wildflower meadow should be planted in the fall.
A small, intensively planted meadow can be started from scratch. Choose a sunny spot of manageable size for mainte-
nance with decent soil and access to water. Measure the area and observe conditions carefully. Seed in the fall when tem-
peratures are cooler and rain fall is abundant. Some plants germinate in the fall and produce small tops and establish root
systems. Other seeds wait to germinate the following spring.

First, clear the site of grass and seeds which will compete with the flowers you plant. One easy way to do this is by solariz-
ing. Simply cover the area you wish to turn into meadow with clear plastic sheeting at the beginning of summer. Weight
the sheeting down with cement blocks or logs. The sheeting will magnify the heat of the sun, and kill off the grass and
weeds underneath. When you return in the fall, the grass should be dead and easy to remove. You may also wish to till the
area first and then solarize. This will expose seeds and roots to the intensified heat, and will help prevent future infesta-
tions of weeds. Repeated light cultivation and removal of growth in advance of seeding will prepare the site. Submit a soil
sample to the County Extension Service for information on soil fertility and levels. Fertilizing at the time of planting is
generally discouraged because of weed seeds which would been encouraged.

Seeding
Choosing the right seeds is a critical step. Seeding is expensive but costs can be justified by reduced mowing and mainte-
nance costs over the long term. Many ready-made meadow mixes contain seed of exotic plants not well suited to
Georgia's climate. You might prefer to purchase seeds of individual native plants selected for suitability to your conditions
and climate. Many seed companies will advise you on selection.

Seeding rates should be 5 oz. per 1,000 feet or 10 pounds per acre. Amounts can be increased for more color. The proper
mix of grasses to wildflower should reflect a natural ratio of 80% grasses to 20% wildflowers. Application of the seed can
be done by hand, hydroseed, or drill depending upon the size of the meadow. Newly planted seeds should be kept moist
for 4-6 weeks. A light mulch will conserve soil moisture and protect the seeds from birds. Choices for a light mulch
include pine straw, pine bark, or wheat straw.

Maintenance Flowering Plants for Meadows
As seeds germinate, familiarize yourself with the appearance of the young Aster (Aster spp.)
meadow plants. Weed out undesirable intruders which will rob the mead- Blackeyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
ow plants of nutrients and water. Do not be discouraged at the slow pace Blazing Star (Liatris spp.)
of growth. Many meadow plants spend the first season growing roots with Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
very little top plant growth. Many perennial species do not bloom in the Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
first year. In fact, establishing a meadow may take 3 to 5 years! Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)
Ironweed (Vernonia spp.)
Lanceleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)
Maintenance of the meadow will include intensive weeding and care dur-
Native Sunflower (Helianthus spp.)
ing establishment followed by an annual mowing to a height of 4-8" in late Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
winter or early spring. The litter should be ground and allowed to fall to Verbena (Verbena spp.)
the ground to permit reseeding. Some reports compare the costs of main- Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)
tenance for a turf grass lawn at $1,500 per acre per year and a managed
meadow at $100 per acre per year.


Theme Gardens
A Special From Zoo Atlanta and the Atlanta Botanical Garden

A
s you and your students plan your garden, you may want to consider theme gardens rather than just
compiling a list of desirable plants. What is a theme garden? The best way to answer that is with exam-
ples. Several are listed below. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination!

Rainforest Study Garden from Zoo Atlanta
Though it is not possible to create an actual rainforest at your school, it is possible to landscape with native
plants that mimic the design of those found in such areas. This will allow up-close study of the characteristics
of rainforest plants.

The following plants recommended by the Horticulture Department of Zoo Atlanta have been used to create
simulated rainforest exhibits for African and Asian wildlife species at the zoo. These plants possess characteris-
tics of rainforest plants, i.e., large-surfaced leaves with deep channel and drip tip for water runoff: Southern
magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), Bigleaf Magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla), Tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipfera),
Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), Red Mulberry (Morus rubra), Spider Lily (Hymenocallis occidentalis), and
Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia)

Theme Gardens from the Atlanta Botanical Garden

Theme: Animal Garden. All of the plants in the garden have animal names. Plant examples: Turtlehead
(Chelone lyonii), Cranesbill (Geranium maculatum), Spider Lily (Hymenocallis occidentalis) and Monkey Flower
(Mimulus ringens).

Theme: Dinosaur Garden. The garden includes plants that grew in prehistoric times when dinosaurs roamed
the earth. (Note: an existing garden in Virginia contains a dinosaur footprint pond and a large egg-shaped
rock.) Plant examples: Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides), Ginkgo tree (Ginkgo biloba) and Horsetail
(Equisetum hyemale).

Theme: Storybook Garden. Students select a story and include plants in their garden that are mentioned in
the book. This in a fun way to incorporate language arts into your garden. Example: Br'er Rabbit or Joel
Chandler Harris garden including okra and collards.

Theme: Wild Salad Garden. Plant wild salad greens and other tasty spring and fall vegetables that can be
found in the wild. Plant Examples: Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), Chicory (Cicharium intybus), Jerusalem
artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus), Lambs Quarters (Chenopodium album) and Asparagus
(Asparagus officinalis).

Theme: History Garden. Choose plants from certain historical periods such as the American Revolution, or
linked to historical figures such as American Presidents. Plant Examples: White Oak (Quercus alba), for the
Charter Oak; Washington Hawthorn (Crataegus phaenophrum) for President George Washington.

Other Ideas:A music garden, for example, might feature wind chimes and natural plant materials used to
make musical instruments.

All About Rain Gardens
A Special from www.cleanwatercampaign.org

What Is a Rain Garden?
Rain gardens are beautiful natural landscape features that
require less maintenance and fewer chemicals than lawns. Water and Your Habitat
Rain gardens capture runoff from impervious areas such as
roofs and driveways and allow it to seep slowly into the

W
ground. Most importantly, rain gardens help preserve near- ater is a vital landscape element
by streams and lakes by reducing the amount of runoff and in a successful wildlife habitat.
filtering pollutants. Some school campuses are fortu-
nate enough to have a natural source of
Why Plant a Rain Garden? water such as a stream, lake or wetlands
Rain gardens provide for the natural infiltration of rainwa- and need only to provide safe access to
ter into the soil. This helps to filter out pollutants including these areas. Some schools without natural
fertilizer, pesticides, oil, heavy metals and other chemicals water features meet this all-important
that are carried with the rainwater that washes off your requirement by the simple addition of a
lawn, rooftop and driveway. Rain gardens also reduce peak birdbath or small dish. When it comes to
storm flows, helping to prevent stream bank erosion and constructing larger water features, there are
lowering the risk for local flooding. By collecting and using a number of options, from "dry streams" to
rainwater that would otherwise run off your yard, rain gar- rain gardens to bogs and ponds. It is
dens allow you to have an attractive landscape with less important to choose a water feature that
watering. does not require more funding and mainte-
nance than you can supply. Be sure to real-
How Do Rain Gardens Work? istically evaluate your school's resources
A rain garden receives runoff water from roofs or other before deciding on a kind of water feature.
impervious (hard) surfaces such as driveways. The rain gar-
den holds the water on the landscape so that it can be taken Clairmont Elementary in Decatur has a
in by plants and soak into the ground instead of flowing large but shallow pond built under the
into a street and down a storm drain or drainage ditch. The direction of a volunteer parent. One end is
plants, mulch and soil in a rain garden combine natural only six inches deep with sand on the bot-
physical, biological and chemical processes to remove pollu- tom, allowing the area to be filled with a
tants from runoff. Many pollutants will be filtered out and diversity of bog plants.
break down in the soil over time.
Teacher's note from Knight Elementary:
Water should stand in a rain garden no longer than 24 "As our habitat has evolved from trash can
hours after the rain stops. Mosquitoes cannot complete lids to our present ponds, the children have
their breeding cycle in this length of time, so a rain garden learned from the successes and failures of
should not increase mosquito populations. each stage of development. As a teacher, I
have loved the ponds at their 'grungiest.'
Where Are The Best Places to Locate Rain Gardens? We have found that, in order to have a vari-
Rain gardens are best located in natural depressions ety of organisms, you need a little dirt! My
(low lying areas where water flows naturally). They last class found tadpoles, snails, backswim-
should be sited at least 10 feet from a house or building. mers, water spiders, a living dragonfly
nymph, etc."


GA: Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide

GA: Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Planning Guide

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