Ecological Restoration-based Education Transforms Schoolgrounds and Education

The University of WisconsinMadison Arboretum, home to the world's first prairie restoration, has a threefold mission to conserve and restore Arboretum lands, advance the science of restoration ecology, and foster the Land Ethic. Since 1991 , teams of teachers from more than 150 schools in Wisconsin have learned to incorporate ecological restoration into the curriculum through the Earth Partnership for Schools Program. This multi~disciplinary teacher professional development program emphasizes inquiry~based learning and multiple in telligences in a hands~on, collab~ orative setting. The majority of schools have focused their efforts on prairies. Recreat ing or restoring an ecological community on school grounds provides opportunities for students to study local history, map current site conditions, learn about species tolerances, conduct research, manage their restorations, and celebrate a new personal relationship with the land. A recent follow~up questionnaire sent to participants since 1994 indicates that 94% of the respondents make use of restoration sites that are on average five years old, at least 2,500 square feet in size, and used by six teachers and 250 students per year.