Earth Stewardship Program, 2011‐2012
Our goal is to empower middle school youth become motivated and active stewards of their natural environment through service‐learning that takes place in the classroom and on public lands.
Our objectives are to:
- Increase students’ understanding of local environmental issues, thus enabling them to make informed decisions about the future of their local environment
- Involve youth in developing and carrying out stewardship projects on public lands
- Introduce youth to a variety of careers in the natural science fields
- Give youth a sense of place through knowledge of the Bitterroot Valley’s local environment
- Provide multiple outdoor experiences for youth with a focus on reaching under‐served populations
- Meet the expectations of teachers and resource professionals
During the 2011‐2012 school year, the Earth Stewardship Program (ESP) will engage almost 400 seventh graders from six Ravalli County schools in learning about and being stewards of their local environment. Students from Florence, Lone Rock, Victor, Corvallis, Hamilton, and Darby will participate in six monthly lessons and in two public lands stewardship projects.
The focus topics are:
September |
Noxious Weeds and Native Plants |
|---|---|
October |
Stewardship Project * |
November |
Forest Insects and Tree Disease |
December |
Forest Health: Fuels Build‐up |
January |
Watershed Health |
February |
Human and Wildlife Interactions |
March |
Recreational Ethics and Etiquette |
April |
Stewardship Project * |
May |
Stewardship Project* |
*Schools will complete one fall and one spring stewardship project. Spring stewardship projects can happen in either April or May.
The program activities will be led by professionals from local agencies and organizations such as:
- Bitter Root Resource Conservation and Development
- Bitterroot National Forest
- MT Department of Natural Resources & Conservation
- Ravalli County Environmental Health
- Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge
- Bitterroot Conservation District
- Bitter Root Water Forum
- Ravalli County Off-Road Users Association
- Ravalli County Weed District
- Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks
- Bitterroot Backcountry Horsemen
The 2011‐2012 Earth Stewardship Program is made possible by grant support from the Ravalli County Resource Advisory Committee, and in kind support from many local professionals, teachers and other partners.