Euclid H.S. SAVE Environmental club plants trees in Green Creek Outdoor Learning Laboratory

Students from Euclid High School’s SAVE Environmental Club partnered with volunteers to plant trees in Euclid’s new outdoor learning laboratory in Green Creek Valley.

On a chilly and wet day during the first week of November, a hearty and enthusiastic group from Euclid High School’s SAVE Environmental Club forged their way into the Green Creek Valley.

The valley threads its way between Upper Valley Drive and Green Road along Euclid’s southwest border. The students’ mission was to plant twenty trees to seed the new outdoor learning laboratory as a place where students can conduct experiments and observe the natural world. The tree plots will help demonstrate the impact of the deer population on forest regeneration.

The outdoor experiment was funded by a grant from RBC Funding Corporation as part of the commercial bank’s commitment to environmental issues in the Great Lakes region. Other partners included the Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District, Friends of Euclid Creek and the Alliance for the Great Lakes who developed the grant application in partnership with Euclid Public Schools.

Claire Posius of the Cuyahoga Soil and Water District was the technical advisor for the project. She selected the tree species and advised on the setup of the deer enclosure plots. The students planted one fence protected tree plot, one fenced control area and one unprotected set of planted trees. Through this experiment of creating three different enclosure types, students will observe the effect of deer browsing and analyze the results.

The tree planting is the first student activity in a ten acre preserve which has been acquired by the City of Euclid as an outdoor learning laboratory. The conservation protected preserve, unlike a traditional park, is an area where students can experiment.

The Students were led by the SAVE Club’s advisors Matt Young and Ramona Spivey.  The tree planting demonstration was provided by Chris Vild a certified arborist from the Friends of Euclid Creek organization.

The land acquisition was carried out by Paul Beno who serves as the Euclid Landbank Manager. Beno also assisted with the tree planting. “The kids were real troopers digging in with their new tree planting skills. While it was a bit wet and muddy, a good time was had by one and all”, observed Beno.

Small groups who are interested in a tour of the Green Creek Outdoor Learning Laboratory can call Paul Beno at 216-289-8180.

Allison Lukacsy-Love

Allison Lukacsy-Love is the Community Projects Manager at the City of Euclid. You can reach her at (216) 289-8160 or by email at alukacsy@cityofeuclid.com

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Volume 7, Issue 12, Posted 6:37 PM, 12.04.2016