Purpose

Does your school have an underutilized area that you would like to see restored for wildlife habitat and a place for students to learn about the natural world?  Would you like to create an outdoor classroom on your school grounds or a trail or boardwalk to explore a nearby wetland, forest or pond?  Would you like to engage your students in a hands-on project?

We can help!  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service can assist you in designing and implementing a schoolyard habitat/outdoor classroom with your school and may be able to provide funding to make the project happen.

Mission

The mission of the Schoolyard Habitat Program is to get students outside to experience nature. To accomplish this, biologists help schools create natural spaces on school grounds where students can observe, draw, write, think and question. Schoolyard Habitat projects provide habitat for local and migratory wildlife, including songbirds, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and insects. In many cases, these habitats also provide a vegetative buffer to nearby streams, lakes and wetlands, reducing pollution reaching these waterways.

Activities

Our office has partnered with several Vermont schools to implement Schoolyard Habitat Projects; these included restoring wetland habitat, building nature trails, creating a native shrub nursery, installing wood duck boxes, removing invasive plants, planting wetland and riparian trees and shrubs, and hands-on ecology lessons. With long-term care from students and teachers, these projects provide students with a powerful example of land conservation and stewardship.

For assistance creating schoolyard habitats at your school, contact Katie Kain at our office at 802-662-5307.

Schoolyard Habitat Program and Project Guide