2.3 habitat restoration

1. School Grounds Plants
One of St. Margaret's Church parishioners is a member of the Chesapeake Bay Alliance. He has provided direction and expertise to redeveloping our campus grounds and has driven the planting of native plants in most areas. This includes the rain garden adjacent to the previous school building, three sides of the Formation Building within which the school now resides, and to the south of the main building area where forest reclamation is underway. Additionally, work is underway to expand our outdoor classroom to include a garden, native bushes and shrubs, and plants that host our native insect species and other wildlife, as seen in the plans above.
2. POLLINATOR GARDEN
Our pollinator garden has arrived! Thanks to a grant from Unity Gardens in partnership with Homestead Gardens, SMDS has expanded our garden space by 340 square feet. We've planted several new types of flowers, including Black Eyed Susans, Butterfly Weed, and Purple Dome, all of which naturally attract butterflies. So many new plants means a lot of gardening--and thankfully, we had the help of the Daisy Troop from the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland! Check out the pictures below of the planting process. 

3. TenDing and releasing beneficial insects

Each year, SMDS students raise, care for, and release ladybugs, praying mantises, and butterflies on to school grounds.
Our kindergarten class cares for Painted Lady butterflies, and writes about the growth and development process, food requirements, and habitat. 
Our Pre-K class hosts ladybugs and enjoyed watching them feed on raisins.  
Our 4's classes raise and learn about the life cycle of the praying mantis. 
We release all of our insects in the early Spring. While the students are sad to see their insect friends go, they are happy to see them transition to their natural habitats.

We discovered a rare Regal Moth on the sidewalk outside our school, laying eggs! We moved it to safety out of the way and will be watching for caterpillars. 

Our school yard is a certified schoolyard habitat. When we find the monarch caterpillars we raise them inside our classroom, feeding them milkweed until they hatch and then we release them into our schoolyard to begin their migration. 
Objective 2.4 Structures for Environmental Learning
Systemic Sustainability
Student-Driven Sustainability Practices
Community Partnerships, Awards, and Special Recognition