The SHERP Project

School-ground Habitat Enhancement & Restoration Project 

An Initiative of the Fanny Edel Falk Laboratory School and
the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania

WHAT IS SHERP?  View Project Updates

A long-term environmental education initiative that promotes experiential learning across grade levels and disciplines, and improves green space.  Classroom teachers and their students enhance/restore their school-grounds to natural areas rich in species diversity that contain the essential habitat components of food, water, shelter and space. The final outcome is a school-ground that provides: curriculum-based connections, wildlife/habitat interactions, opportunities for community involvement, and mitigation of habitat loss and degradation (a significant threat to biodiversity). 

WHO PARTICIPATES? 

The entire school community participates; through direction from a core team of teachers and administrators, and with direct guidance from professionally trained naturalists from Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania (ASWP).

The core team of SHERPies at Falk School includes: Lori Wertz, Pam Armstrong, Jill Sarada, Jackie Metcalf, Phyllis Sherrer, Megan O’Brien, Rebecca Wright, Eileen Coughlin, Ellen Cass, Ashley Hellman, Katie Sukenik, Diana Dimistrovski, Wendell McConnaha (Director), Kim Lincoln (parent), Kathy Trent (Pitt grounds) and Trisha O’Neil (ASWP).

The core team welcomes additional parent and teacher volunteers throughout the upcoming year.  We especially need volunteers for our hillside maintenance workdays so look for SHERP email announcements and check the website calendar for SHERP days and times.

To volunteer send an email to the Project Director, Lori Wertz, at lwertz@pitt.edu  or to the Parent Representative, Kim Lincoln at josaboma@msn.com.                

HOW LONG IS THE PROCESS? 

ASWP works with each school to determine the most appropriate timeline.  A typical project lasts between 1 and 2 school years.

Falk’s projected timeline is scheduled from Spring 2009 to Spring 2012.  

SHERP Project Updates  

2008-2009 2009-2010

2010-2011 2011-2012

 2008-2009 school year

• Initial meetings and discussions are conducted with the Audubon Society and Falk teachers.
• Teacher and student surveys (K-8) completed and summary report compiled.
• Audubon proposal, recommendations and agreement completed for Falk School.
• Grade 3 and 4 classrooms participated in a container gardening unit that mimicked the assessment and design process for SHERP.  The construction project prohibited the actual SHERP work from being done on the school-grounds but students still designed an ideal school-ground for wildlife and humans using containers recycled from the construction project.

 2009-2010 school year

• Naturalist–led teacher training was provided for our core group of teachers, parents and grounds staff. Topics focused on habitat mapping, scientific inventory and native & non-native plant/animal identification.  Skills were developed with tools, activities and field guides.
• Sixth grade hillside clean-up day--- 6^th grade students and volunteer graduate students from Pitt worked together and picked up and recycled a variety of accumulated garbage. Aproximately15 large bags of garbage were collected!
• ASWP Naturalist-led programming was provided for K-5 and & 7^th grade students. Topics focused on habitat mapping, scientific inventory and plant/animal identification. Skills were developed with tools, activities and field guides.  Students took random soil samples, mapped the samples, and then conducted soil tests to determine soil condition and type.  Students measured slope, took compass bearing and distance measurements of the site’s perimeter.   Students recorded evidence of animal inhabitants and studied the insect population to get a sense of the health status of the hillside environment. Students utilized plant and tree identification guides and plotted density maps for trees and invasive plants.
• ASWP provided Falk School with 12 sets of curricular materials to support the above programming. The 12 sets of supplies include 11 different field guides, backpacks, bug boxes, soil augers, soil-test kits and guides, safety goggles and gloves, magnifiers, binoculars, measuring wheels and more.
• ASWP gathered student and teacher data and is developing a habitat map to guide the next steps of the project.
• The PTA and SHERP sponsored five weekend workdays this past spring that brought parents, students and teachers to the hillside to work together on removal of non-native invasive plants, especially garlic mustard, honeysuckle and grapevine. These dedicated crews completely removed all 2^nd year garlic mustard plants before the plants could drop seed and also removed grapevines from many smaller trees and shrubs so the plants could receive sunlight and grow properly.  A main trail was cleared through the site and additional clean up of construction garbage was completed.

 2010-2011 school year

• The start of this school year had Ms. Wertz working with Ms. Metcalf’s class on Wednesdays to cut and remove grapevines that have grown over the trail and our new fencing during the summer months. Students also cut away vines that covered over the smaller trees and shrubs and created signs that will welcome visitors and signs that identify poison ivy patches.  All of this work prepared the site and SHERP materials for use by other classrooms in late September. 
• Intermediate students used SHERP provided identification guides, bug boxes and magnifiers while on the trails at their annual picnic in North Park.
• Ms. Metcalf's 4th and 5th graders served as tour guides for Ms. Sarada's kindergarten classroom and introduced their younger classmates to the trail safety, the invasive plants work and helped them to discover evidence of animals along the trail. 
• Intermediate students are learned a lesson in community issues with this project.  In October, several Intermediate students wrote letters that were scanned and emailed to various student leaders at Pitt.  The letters asked for help in keeping the site free of trash because each week Falk students were finding new trash left behind by university visitors. University student leader's listened, the word is out and students continue to see improvements with litter. 
• Ms. Fox's 3rd graders spent time learning about animal habitat needs and went on quiet hikes to observe if our site could meet these needs.  They observed animals and signs of animals on the site and made a wish list of animals they hope to attract to the site.  Next they began to research and read about the specific habitat needs of particular animals.
• Ms. Ridge's class worked at more invasive vine removal when the weather permitted, they focused especially on the vines that were damaging our trees and shrubs.  "We saved a tree!"  was heard each time a young tree was uncovered or a thin tree trunk was freed from the strangling grip of vines.   When weather made trail work difficult students researched and read about the needs of animals that we hope to attract to the site.  With spring around the corner, this class prepared for some bird watching by learning and practicing how to use the binoculars.
• With its walls of windows, the cafeteria was selected as the best space to install our bird feeder & viewing stations.  Adults and students alike enjoyed viewing the beauty and habits of downy woodpeckers, cardinals, black-capped chickadees,blue-jays, tufted titmice, goldfinches, and more.  Many also enjoyed the antics of our local ground squirrels.  
• Ms. Scherrer's class has is full of students who love to climb so this group spent time collecting trash from the hillside slopes! 
• With the guidance of Trish O'Neill from ASWP, the SHERP team of teachers met frequently and worked diligently to further assess the site and designed an enhancement plan that will meet the needs of teachers, students, and the animal inhabitants.  View Falk's SHERP Goals, Objectives, and Benchmarks (pdf)
• The SHERP team of teachers presented their enhancement plan to the larger school community in April of 2011. The presentation was attended by Falk faculty, staff, PTO officers, Falk School Board representatives, SOE representatives, Pitt student representatives, and some former students and interns who are involved with the project. The goal of the presentation was to inform all constituents about the upcoming installation phase, seek their final approval and gather additional planning ideas and volunteer support  for the project. Response to the meeting was overwhelming.  Everyone is in support of working hard to make the site accessible as a viable green space for learning and relaxation.  The students and teachers were especially pleased with the response from the university students as they offered their time as volunteers and have worked to keep others educated about the K-8 project, and so trash on the site is no longer an issue. 
• A late April faculty meeting had all teachers gathered out on the hillside to learn more about the trail building process, tools and safety guidelines.
• May and June work periods were scheduled and implemented for almost all K-8 students.  Primary students used hand tools to clear plant growth from the top layer of earth along the trail and seating areas while Intermediate and Middle school students used shovels, hoes, rakes, pruners, hand saws and various other hand tools to dig and level the trail path, line the lower end of the path with logs, and install drainage areas.  In addition, groups of students continued the work of removing the non-native invasive garlic mustard and managing the growth of invasive grapevines and honeysuckle vines.  
• Once the sets and props crew finished  for their work for the Middle School spring musical, they then tackled the task of of building benches for our outdoor classroom areas.  Parent John Tsagaris (carpenter) volunteered his expertise and time to cut wood, to gather tools and hardware, and to demonstrate then guide our crew threw the process of building one bench frame(minus the seat).  Students then worked to build two more bench frames.
• Two family work days were scheduled for June of 2011.  The first work day focused on vine management and a lot was accomplished with a small but dedicated group.  The second work day saw a last minute cancellation due to bad weather.
• July 10th and 11th the Falk hillside received a wonderful gift from a group of hard-working boy scouts. Troop 398 dug and leveled a 153 foot section of trail descending 30 feet in elevation with 4 steps and a 20 X 13 foot clearing at the top for trail access and a seating area. This troop worked under the direction of former Falk student, Kevin Oury, who planned and implemented the work for his Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project.  We are grateful to Kevin, his troop mates and leaders, his parents, Tim and Charleen, and his sister, Nadine for their hard work on this project during two very hot, hot July days. This particular section of trail means that teachers and students can now safely access the hillside trail as the only other access required viisitors to walk through a parking lot.
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2011-2012 school year

• The start of this school year, everyone was focused on preparing our trail and habitat for the task of planting our chosen species of PA native trees, shrubs and wildflowers. Vines were cut and cleared from the trail by Intermediate classrooms. Once the trail was ready for travel, Middle school and Intermediate students cleared off-trail ground cover from over 20 different areas of the habitat.  Ms. Wertz then flagged each spot with the name of the tree or shrub to be planted there.  
• Planting began on Saturday, September 19 since we needed to get the big trees in the ground first and this work required the help of a handful of fraternity brothers from the Delta Tau Delta fraternity at Pitt.  The DTD brothers volunteered five hours of their time, energy, and sheer muscle power to help us transport and transplant six large trees. The root ball of each tree weighed from 150-250 pounds so this task required a lot of heavy (but gentle) lifting, pulling, pushing, digging and teamwork.  And thankfully, Tom Eichenlaub of Eichenlaub, Inc., loaned us a tree dolly for the day!  The team encountered numerous obstacles that day yet DTD pulled together to problem-solve and complete the task.  Falk School i is forvever gratedful to Tom Eichenlaub and the brothers of Delta Tau Delta because we would not have gotten these more established natives into the ground without them. An Eastern Redbud, 2 Red Maple, 2 American Holly, and a Serviceberry now inhabitat the site. 
•         
• Once these trees were in place, classrooms were able to focus on planting shrubs.  4th grade students buddied up with 1st grade students to dig holes and plant blueberry bushes on some of our steepest slopes.  It was a treacherous task on a slippery wet day but buddies looked out for each other and cooperated very well within their larger planting groups. Afternoons saw smaller groups of 4th-8th grade students coming out to dig and plant bushes like and small trees inlcuding Nannyberry,  Red Osier Dogwood, Spicebush and Arrowwood viburnum.  
• Wildflowers were next and this task was accomplished via the buddy system. 5th graders buddied with 2nd graders and 3rd graders buddied with Kindergarteners to dig holes and gently plant Wild Columbine, Wild Ginger, Greek Valerian, Foamflower, Solomon's Seal, Butterfly Weed, Turtlehead and more.
• A few Middle school students and teachers found time one fall morining to contiue the work of building benches for our hillside seating areas. 
• Trail opens for recess and after-school.  Students can now spend their play time with a walk along the habitat trail as long as a teacher or after-school worker is assigned to the trail on that day. 
• Rain prevented tours of the trail during the PTO's first general meeting in so the SHERP core team presentedm a slideshow and talked about the collaborative activities the trail is bringing to the school environment such as the plantings, guided tours, research  Parents who attended were pleased with the project and shared how their child(ren) talked about the planting activities and trail work. 
• After a lot of behind the scenes research and work, the Falk Composting program began in November under the direction of Bertie Poziviak, Niki Gorecka, Megan O'Brien and additional members of both the Falk Lunch Committee and the SHERP committee.  Three composters were located out on the playground so that all students have the opportunity to rotate the bins each school day.  Middle School students created posters to educate the school community and also visited lower grade classrooms to teach the younger children about composting.   Currently, Middle School students collect fruit and vegetable scraps for the composters during Monday lunch only. 
• A Pitt grounds crew arrived one morning with chain saws to cut up large logs that will be used for stump seating in one of the outdoor classrooms.  
• November brought a another volunteer work day from the brothers of Delta Tau Delta.  Five sections of split-rail fencing were installed along a section of the trail to serve as a visual and physical barrier near a steep drop-off.  A circular seating area was leveled for the stumps and additional sections of trail were leveled too. 
• In mid-December, the cafeteria bird feeding and viewing station became operational for the winter season.  And it did not take our feathered friends long to return--the feeders were filled on a Friday and the birds had eaten halfway thru three feeders by early Monday morning! 

HOW MUCH DOES THE PROGRAM COST?

The average cost to schools is approximately $18,500 for the entire program.  Actual expenses are based on the complexity of the project, size of the student body and number of faculty. 

The cost to Falk School has been projected at $18,061. 00.  This includes costs associated with strategic planning with ASWP staff, professional development, curriculum review and integration, equipment and materials and naturalist-led field studies.  ASWP has already provided Falk School with an Environmental Curriculum Enrichment grant to underwrite 15% of the total cost which brings our projected total cost to $15,361.00 

IS FUNDING AVAILABLE

Through our Environmental Curriculum Enrichment program, ASWP continues to secure funding that can be used as matching funds for School-ground Habitat Enhancement and Restoration Projects.  In addition, Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development's (DCED) named ASWP as an Education Improvement Organization. Businesses can make donations to ASWP to support environmental education programs for a specific public school and/or school district, and receive a tax credit for the current fiscal year (restrictions apply).  ASWP will work with your school to solicit support from local businesses right within your own community.

ASWP has provided Falk with an Environmental Curriculum Enrichment grant that underwrites 15% of the total cost.  In addition, the 2009-2010 Annual Campaign for the Falk School Education Fund has provided funds that cover approximately 30% of the total cost.  These donations supported teacher professional development and student programming/field studies received from ASWP this past spring. The Falk PTA purchased outdoor work gloves along with pairs of bypass and anvil blade trimmers for the project.

Falk is very pleased to have secured funding and volunteers from within its own community of supporters as this places the school in a position to begin seeking funding from outside sources in the 2010-2011 school year. The SHERP team will focus efforts towards this goal along with asking our community to again support us via the 2010-2011 annual fund drive.  In addition, Falk will continue to seek volunteer help from its immediate school community and the wider university community in the 2010-2011 school year.

WHAT DOES ASWP PROVIDE?

• Applied training in habitat mapping and design, scientific inventory techniques, natural area ecology, and habitat enhancement planning 
• Visits to established school-ground habitat in the region
• Environmental & ecological education resource kits
• Matching funds for habitat implementation (as acquired)
• Opportunities to access non-profit sources of funding
• Professional development workshops for the entire school faculty
• Naturalist-led programming for the entire student body
• Native herbaceous plants propagated by the Audubon Center for Native Plants
• A maximum of 55 Act 48 Hours per team member (contingent upon successful project participation and completion)
• Guidance and support throughout the duration of the project

WHAT IS REQUIRED OF FALK SCHOOL?

• Commitment to use the school-grounds for environmental education
• to integrate the project into existing curriculum
• Commitment to hands-on scientific inquiry in the curriculum
• Demonstration of community involvement in the project
• Commitment to provide release time for teachers to participate in training, planning, and implementation
• Commitment to work with ASWP in the acquisition of project funding
• Commitment to showcase projects during ASWP functions (banquets, symposia, other related events)