Start of 25-26 school year with Ecology

Start of 25-26 School Year

Ecology Lessons

Students helped gather native plant seed from four species on SCVTHS campus. Students then cleaned the seed, stratified (cold treated), sowed seed, raised small plug sized plants, and planted into the main courtyard located just outside of the Main Lobby. Students helped clean the planting area of exotic plants and two invasive plant species. 

Here are the after photos. Two pics showing the space after about five months of growing. There were several plants that struggled with establishment due to deer and/or rodent browsing. We will be trialing new species this coming spring for resistance to browsing and fill the more bare areas. The goal is to have a well covered and established planting that out competes non natives and non intended plants from establishing. We also want to educate students and local community of the importance of supporting local insect populations and how we can accomplish this in a stylized and attractive way.

Our Open House plant display getting readied for visitors. Above is the before caring for these. Below is after.

Students expressed interest in raising Butterflies from caterpillars last year. We decided we can do better by raising a moth native moth species. We found a golden bear (Spilosoma virginica) both female and she laid eggs for us. We have about 30 caterpillars in the classroom. We have learned about their behavior, feeding habits, life stages, and more. We currently have at least one that has begun to pupate and we will be overwintering these.

Above: eggs laid on a River birch (Betula nigra) leaf.

Finally, We recently acquired a no till seed drill. We were fortunate to get grant funding to support this purchase. We will be using this machine to plant native seed in areas around our riparian waterway to compete with non native species and help support a healthy water system.