Goal
"Wildlife Gardening" is
an extention of the WildlifeMapping project at Christiansburg Elementary School
(CES). Curently, 80-CES students have been identifying and reporting wildlife
species to the Virginia Department Game and Inland Fisheries from monthly field trips
since the fall of 1997. Our ultimate goal is to attract wildlife species
to the Christiansburg Elementary School site. That way, a comparison of
wildlife data and status can be made among the WildlifeMapping sites - Montgomery County
Parks and Recreation Area, the Ellett Valley Nature Trail, and the Christiansburg
Elementary School.
Wildlife Gardening is intended to further
increase the environmental awareness of third, fourth, and fifth graders at CES by having
them observe and gather data on plant and animal species in their school community.
Specific objectives
Specific objectives are to:
1) assess the CES landscape as it exists now,
2) identify plants that provide food for wildife,
3) design a a plan for uses of the landscape areas (e.g., courtyard pond garden, vegetable garden, orchard,
4)purchase plants that will meet the habitat requirements of wildlife,
5) plant a variety of shrubs, vines, flowers, trees, and other plant food for wildlife, and
6) teach students to observe, identify, and record oberservations on wildlife attracted to the CES site.