Habitat for Homecroft

Project Summary

The major conservation need addressed with this project is providing youth with the opportunity to learn outdoors and develop an appreciation for nature. "Humans do not value what they do not understand and have not built an attachment to", so this project strives to provide hands on conservation education to our youth. It is the goal of this project that these youth will carry the torch of wildlife conservation in to the future as they become our community leaders.

Secondarily, this project will re-establish natural and functional habitat for native flora and fauna with the addition of a new wetland. Currently, the land is overgrown and virtually unusable by wildlife. The reestablished habitat will provide both food and cover for native species, allowing the school children to observe animals in their most natural environment while teaching the value of conserved lands and wildlife.

 

Full Project Scope

Habitat for Homecroft includes the purchase of county tax forfeit land adjacent to a school which is a community hub in a rural area of Minnesota's third largest city.

Habitat for Homecroft will provide a habitat project for the school and community to participate, teaching youth about conservation, indicator species, native and non-native flora and fauna, establish a new wetland and restore habitat for native species.

This project will establish an outdoor classroom/learning environment where school and community youth will recieve hands on learning about wildlife ecology, conservation and biology. This outdoor classroom will be able to support all of the core competencies required by public school system while encouraging youth to become involved with our natural environment and have true hands-on learning and experiences outdoors.

The primary goal of this project is to provide hands-on environmental educational opportunities. Youth and community have been involved from the planning stage and will be involved through completion and maintenance of the habitat restoration. This provides education in what are native and non-native species, invasive species, conservation values, and cross-curriculum integration.

The addition of a wetland allows for the current activity field to be used year round. Directing rainflow to the wetland establishes new habitat for migrating waterfowl, a watering hole for other species, and reclaims an unusable field. Creating proper wetland also assists in protection water shed area, promotes proper life cycle in reestablished habitat, and provides an area for migrating waterfowl to rest and nest whereas they are currently unable in that area.