DOINews: BLM Idaho, Local Schools and Partners Create Teaching Gardens as Outdoor Classrooms

The Bureau of Land Management Idaho and local communities have constructed “teaching gardens” that provide an outdoor learning space where teachers can conduct classes in an urban setting. These gardens are a venue for educating students about the unique plants, wildlife and geology of the area as well as local Native American life and traditions and sage grouse habitat. The following four teaching gardens serve as models for additional gardens in Idaho and on public lands nationwide.

A student studies leaves under a microscope in one of the new outdoor classrooms.

Bruneau Elementary School Wilderness Garden

Students make a moat for coyote mint.

Bruneau Elementary School recently partnered with the BLM and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to create an outdoor classroom space that features Idaho native plants and local geology. To align with state-wide curriculum elements, the garden includes plants that have a place in Idaho's history such as syringa (Philadelphis lewisii) or traditional Native American uses such as basin wildrye (Elymus cinereus) and serviceberry (Amalanchier alnifolia). The garden features a traditional Native American shade shelter, an amphitheater classroom area, a nature-themed alphabet trail and design elements that reflect the local history of ranching and homesteading. The BLM will assist with curriculum development, to include opportunities for art and science in the garden. This native garden, in mid-construction, will serve as the first stepping stone in a larger initiative to engage southwest Idaho rural schools with the lands that surround them.

A squirrel sign designed by local students guards new outdoor classroom plants.

The BLM and community members placed an outdoor classroom in the front of the newly remodeled 100-year-old Roosevelt Elementary Schoo in the east end of Boise, Idaho. Parents, students, teachers and neighbors spent many summer evenings creating a space for outdoor education and appreciation of Idaho native plants. The group removed the lawn and created a low berm to define the classroom space; they staggered boulders around the perimeters as student seating. A meandering path flanked by native plants now leads students from the school building into the outdoor classroom. The students requested that the garden include plants that are hosts to pollinators, and so the BLM planted at least seven pollinator-friendly species: evening primrose (Oenothera caespitosa), coyote mint (Monordella odoratissima), several species of asters (Aster oblongifolia and Erigeron compositus) and penstemons (Penstemon fruticosus, P. strictus and P. eatonii).

Local students designed a big horn sheep sign for the garden.

The garden also features a mini metal sculpture garden of plant labels that Boise State University and the first grade class created together. The Roosevelt students drew pollinators to match the garden plants, which were later transferred onto the sculptures. The Boise School District's Dehryl Dennis Vocational Technical School collaborated with the BLM to create metal Idaho animal silhouettes for the garden, to include classroom sign in the shape of a bighorn sheep ram. The Boise District BLM has also compiled a geology reference collection that will be placed in the garden.

Students work in the outdoor classroom.

The BLM Boise District maintains a native plant garden that highlights species found in the local area. Over the years, local Boy Scout troops and Boise State University horticulture students have installed new garden features and maintained the garden. As part of a senior project, a horticulture student from Boise State University recently redesigned the native garden to include planned district water-wise landscaping and to allow increased staff and visitor use of the area. The BLM contributed to the redesign by provided interpretation of traditional uses of native plant materials in southwest Idaho.

The garden also features a traditional shade shelter, a wickiup and interpretive panels. Along the garden paths, signs describe the traditional lifeways of the Shoshone-Paiute in southwest Idaho. The combination of native plants and traditional structures within an easy access urban area make this site ideal for educational activities with schools.

Greater Sage-grouse Habitat Demonstration Garden

The BLM's Boise District Office also planted a sage-grouse habitat demonstration garden. The garden highlights the relationship between sage-grouse life cycles and vegetation types. The demonstration area shows seasonal habitats such as winter, lekking, nesting/early brood rearing and late brood rearing habitats. Each section of the garden contains the general vegetation features and preferred plant species of each life stage. Metal silhouettes in the habitat show the representative seasonal behavior. In the spring of 2013, BLM and partners will place interpretive signs and a brochure in the garden to educate the public about sage-grouse habitat requirements and the resource issues that the BLM faces when managing sage-grouse.

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CLICK HERE to visit the new BLM Idaho web page devoted to the construction and use of the teaching gardens, the location of the gardens as well as contact information for the projects.

By: Krista Berumen, public affairs specialist, BLM Idaho

Jan. 10, 2013