School Grounds Replanted With Natives

Arbor School students get ready to plant a
native pine tree on the school grounds.

After the Arbor School of Arts and Science, in Tualatin, Oregon, received a Seeds for Education grant, students, staff, and parents at the private school lost no time in getting to work. Over the years, non-native plants had invaded the property and previous owners had planted ornamental shrubs in what is now the school’s Saum Creek Woods.

In the fall of 2001, students began the difficult task of removing invasive species. Through the rest of the school year, students were joined by Americorps volunteers, parents, and local environmentalists as they replaced the invasives with native plants.

Almost 400 hours were spent restoring the woods during the 2001-02 school year. Over 540 native shrubs and 220 trees were planted on the grounds – representing a giant step forward in reclaiming a natural area.

In the future, when today’s students bring their own children back to Arbor School, they will be able to point with pride to the work they did “way back when we were kids.”

This article appeared in the January/February 2003 issue of the Wild Ones Journal.

Return to Seeds for Education Success Stories.