Community Caretakers

THE PLACE:
Kabura Ulwan School, Uranga, Kenya

THE LEADER:
Patrice Lumumba Aboll

THE PROJECT:
A team of members of the local community, the school environmental teacher, and students of Kabura Ulwan School in Kenya took up the challenge of improving their local wetland, the Disi wetland, once a haven for a wide variety of wildlife. The team exhibited high level expertise in solving environmental and social problems through application of basic ecological principles and field environmental activities such as campaigns, songs, and drama. Issues addressed by the initiative include: Siltation control to safeguard mudfish, weaver bird migration control through regulated harvesting of reeds, provision of alternative sources of building materials through faster growing agroforestry species such as eucalyptus and Terminalia to save the slower growing indigenous tree species, sensitizing people on monitor lizard endangerment through indiscriminately killing it for its skin.

The students have raised awareness in their community and people have changed their uses of resources as a result. This has led to a higher demand for tree seedlings. Students and community members are now starting their own tree nurseries with technical help and seedlings from the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) in Nairobi, Kenya.

See a map of where this project is located.

Fruitful Results Using Oranges in Marsh Studies

THE PLACE:
Glynn County Senior 4-H Club, St. Simons Island, Georgia, United States

THE LEADER:
Robi Gray

THE PROJECT:
In response to beach swimming advisories in their nearby coastal areas, the 4-H Club (who call themselves the Sea Monkeys) worked with the Department of Natural Resources locate the source of the dangerous bacteria by creating a study to track marsh water flow. The club members marked and dropped oranges in two marsh tidal creeks during an ebbing high tide. Over several tide cycles they kayaked marsh creeks and combed island beaches, collecting oranges that had washed ashore and recording their locations. They duplicated this experiment several times over a period of a few months, encouraging community participation to report found oranges.

Their research helped authorities identify a surprising major source of bacteria: dog waste. The club posted flyers and designed pet clean up bag dispensers to encourage the beach-goers to dispose of their dog’s waste instead of leaving it on the beach. By making people aware of the magnitude of this problem, the club hopes to improve the bacteria level in the water.

See their flyer (pdf) from the Orange-tide study.

Protecting Our Natural Diversity (POND)

THE PLACE:
West Ashley High School, South Carolina, United States

THE LEADERS:
Margaret Spigner and Robin Greg

THE PROJECT:
Over 140 students in two courses became interested in habitat encroachment and water pollution at their school. For the past year, these students have researched, designed, and implemented a variety of solutions aimed at increasing wildlife diversity, improving natural habitats, educating the community about environmental issues, and decreasing the amount of pollution entering wetlands. In January, students collaborated with experts from the community during a POND Symposium in an effort to improve their projects. Their school is the first high school in Charleston County to receive the National Wildlife Federation’s Schoolyard Habitat Certification. In April, POND was chosen as a model service-learning project in the tri-county region. As a result, the students were asked to present their projects to visiting European educators who were in the U.S. to study service-learning.

In addition to their extensive work this year, future goals include working with developers to create green space, researching habitat corridors using GIS data, creation of an illustrated field guide to their schoolyard habitat, and a website to inform and involve the community in on-going projects. West Ashley High School received a grant from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for the continuation and expansion of POND projects.

Below is a list of the initiatives they implemented in their comprehensive conservation project in their hometown. To read a description of each project, click here to download their project summary(pdf).

• Riparian Buffer Zone around Storm Water Retention Pond
• Storm Drain Education
• Nature Trail
• Increasing Habitat for Birds
• Outdoor Classroom
• Wetlands Boardwalk
• Butterfly Garden
• Carolina Fence