2022: Seth Lewelling Elementary School
PHASE 1 – Outdoor Classroom for Nature Exploration
We recently partnered with Seth Lewelling Elementary to rehabilitate a wildlife habitat pond. Initially set up as a 4-H Environmental Magnet School, Lewelling Elementary has several unique features including wooded courtyards, a variety of mature trees, a small man-made creek, and a wildlife pond. Over time, the pond had fallen into disrepair, overwhelmed by weeds and invasive species. We donated landscape labor and materials, and we collaborated with the educators at Lewelling on a vision to transform the space into an outdoor, living laboratory for kids to learn about nature firsthand.
First, we cleared out the ivy, blackberries, and weeds that had dominated the space. To make the project as sustainable as possible, we reused existing hardscape materials already on site—old stones from the courtyard were moved and set around the pond to provide a walking path from one gate entrance to the other. In the courtyard, the former pathway was repositioned to provide more direct access to the pond, and instead of stones, we used steel edging and wood chips for a more stable walking surface.
An old, dead tree sat at the edge of the property surrounded by a wooden bench. We dismantled the bench to reuse the materials for new benches. We sanded and stained the wood and then took gabion cages, which are typically used for large, industrial projects, and reimagined them as bench bases—the gaps between the river rocks act as habitat for overwintering insects and reptiles!
The dead tree offered a unique opportunity—rather than removing it from the space, we chose to excavate around the trunk to expose the root architecture. We carefully toppled the tree, allowing it to fall into the edge of the pond and reveal its underground roots, just as they would appear if the tree fell naturally in a forest setting. This gave students and teachers the ability to interact with a part of the plant that is rarely seen. The fallen log also acts as an entry point for wildlife into the pond. To provide more access to the water for animals and insects, we created two river rock beaches where ducks can enter the pond, or where bees and butterflies go to drink in the summer as the pond slowly dries up. A delightful pair of ducks actually used the pond all spring and even nested on site!
Plants were positioned around the pond according to light and soil conditions—the most open and exposed area was planted as a wildflower meadow, and the shady, wet perimeters were planted with native rushes and shrubs. We primarily used native plants with a few ornamental varieties included to provide flowers in the winter to support native bees and insects. And no matter when the students interact with he pond, there will always be something blooming!