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Environmental Education

Stewardship Through Leadership: Backyard Adventures!

 

After school environmental education programs for youth of the city of Lowell, 'Where Earth Day is everyday!'

Goal of the program (STL): To expose urban youth to the outdoor classroom where they will build upon their in-school curricula, become engaged in constructive environmental stewardship in their community, and build self-esteem through team and leadership opportunities.

Where we explore and make a difference: The City of Lowell is our outdoor classroom where our field studies are carried out.  Lowell is home to a multitude of natural resources, ecosytems and geological features, which are the sites and subjects of our studies and action-based environmental protection projects.

Study sites include LP&CT-owned properties, such as West Meadow Conservation Land, the Concord River Greenway Park, local community center and school yards, urban forests and parks, and the Merrimack River.

STL Program Handbook: Please take a look at the program handbook (PDF)to find out more about our studies of Lowell's natural side and environmental history. 
 

STL News - Summer Programming 2010

 

Girls Inc. Soars Over Lowell 
This summer we were back with Girls Inc. for a quick visit in August.  Usually we have the fantastic opportunity to work with a select group of middle school age girls through a several week long series of programming studying the various habitats of Lowell including the Acre neighborhood, the Concord River Greenway, and LP&CT's West Meadow Conservation Land.  (The girls are seen in the photo here observing a Virginia opossum.)  Our August 2010 visit incorporated Birds of Prey (aka raptors) into the Girls Inc. summer program through our partnership with Mass Audubon's Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary.  This group was of about forty girls in size, who focussed on raptors in the various habitats of Lowell.  We conveyed the various habitats and niches of Lowell to the youth and we explore the remarkable adaptations that allow raptors to live there.  This was a demonstration with live wildlife, including three raptors that would likely be found in Lowell; broad-winged hawk, red-tailed hawk, and a great horned owl.

 

Spindle City Corps Moves to the Concord River Greenway

Last spring and summer, STL took learning and action-based conservation projects to a whole new level.  Youth from Spindle City Corps participated in the program, learning about the natural environment along the Concord River and LP&CT's West Meadow Conservation Land.  (The photo here shows the youth creating a fence barrier to mitigate ATV traffic at West Meadow.)  After multiple field studies at each "outdoor classroom" the youth brainstormed ways in which they could improve the natural state of these open, green spaces, and bring more positive attention to them.  Their ideas poured out with passion to make these special places of Lowell more accessible and visitor friendly for the community. 

Based on their environmental education background within STL and their brainstorming sessions, the group completed several projects at West Meadow during the past few summers, including extensive trail maintenance, the creation of a new forest trail, signage to deter motor vehicles from destroying trails and natural habitats, and LP&CT's first West Meadow Conservation Land Interpretive Trail Map & Guide (Click Here - PDF). 

The youth also made a visit to MAS's Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary, where they toured the farm and wildlife facilities.  They also made great strides to complete a service project designed to maintain access to a white-tail deer enclosure and viewing platform.

Overall, the youth also contributed an amazing 468 hours of service towards LP&CT's and MAS's missions of "improving the quality of life for the people of lowell" and "protecting the nature of Massachusetts." 

Excellent work!

Concord River Greenway Conservation Action Projects 2010: This summer, by using their continued conservation action project experience at West Meadow, SCC youth implemented various projects along the Concord River Greenway off Lawrence Street.  This year didn't have the same hold-ups due to construction that we had last year, so with two years of planning and energy building, their projects were full steam ahead!  You can look for improvement and additions to the Greenway, including but not limited to, the Concord River Interpretive Trail Map & Guide (Click Here - PDF), improved side trails off the main path and the new Cardinal Flower Trail, and invasive plant mitigation projects.  These projects are all youth led and youth inspired [by SCC youth]!  Excellent job everyone!  And congratulations to all the graduates!

 

Light of Cambodian Children Highlight Lowell's Habitats
This summer we had the fortune of returning to work with middle school age youth in Light of Cambodian Children's summer camp program.  Through a series of visits, the youth have seen wildlife upclose and personal through various demonstrations, explored the local forest and pond habitats on their site, and we explored the Concord River in detail and even implemented a short-term stewardship project of Muldoon Park (on the Concord River).  The youth were excited to be outdoors exploring the natural world and learning lots of cool things about Lowell's natural resources (learning even though it's summer!).  What fun!  Also, we should note that Lowell Telecommunication's River Ambassadors program covered LCC throughout the summer and will be highlighting our STL programming with the youth on local access television soon.  So, look for more publications about this exciting program!

 

Concord River Greenway (Outdoor) Classroom - Web Site
Check out the Concord River Greenway Classroom web site, loaded with information about the science and history of the Concord River in Lowell.  As an "outdoor classroom" the Greenway is an amazing natural resource in the City of Lowell, which provides an excellent platform for environmental studies.  The Greenway Classroom and laboratory is vibrant with a biodiversity of plants and animals and offers opportunities for youth to explore the wonders of the natural world right here in Lowell.

For complete PDF versions of the Greenway Classroom topics and other outdoor classrooms, additional information is available on LP&CT's outdoor classrooms page. Click Here.

 

 

STL: Environmental Education Program Wins Award
Certificate of Excellence: April 2009, LP&CT's Stewardship Through Leadership: Backyard Adventures! environmental education program, , led in partnership with Mass Audubon, was awarded honors at the State House from Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Ian Bowles at the "Secretary's Awards for Excellence in Energy and Environmental Education".

The "Certificate of Excellence" award was received in recognition of our dedication, commitment, and contribution to energy and environmental education, while working with Lowell youth.


Our STL Partner

Stewardshp Through Leadership: Backyard Adventures! (STL) is carried out in partnership with Mass Audubon Society - Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary in Lincoln, Massachusetts (Concord River watershed). 

 

Our Sites

Stewardship Through Leadership: Backyard Adventures! (STL) is implemented at several sites in Lowell, Massachusetts during all seasons. Sites, current and past, include: Girls Incorporated of Greater Lowell; Community Teamwork Inc. (CTI)/Citizen Schools-Robinson Middle School and Wang Middle School campuses; CTI-Phoenix Ave; UMass Graduate School-Bartlett Community Partnership School campus; Light of Cambodia Children; United Teen Equality Center (UTEC); and Spindle City Corps.

Thank You to our funders!"

The Greater Lowell Community Foundation - Water Resources Grant Initiative.

"This program is funded in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council's YouthReach Initiative."

Women Working Wonders: It is with great appreciation that we thank the Women Working Wonders Fund, who selects one organization each year to receive $5,000. The Trust received this award Spring 2007 for our work with Girls Incorporated of Greater Lowell. See the Women Working Wonders Fund on the Greater Lowell Community Foundation Web Site.

We also thank the following for their generous support of STL: