THE ROLE OF CREEK RESTORATION IN K - 12 EDUCATION IN THE AREA

Locating information about schools involved in creek restoration in

Marin and Sonoma counties opened my eyes to the tremendous amount of emphasis

the schools place in educating students about environment. It would be

difficult to find a school that was not involved in some type of

environmental project in one way or another. There are several different

groups who work directly with students and teachers, educating them about

environmental issues and guiding them to help with community projects.

One of the organizations is called Marin County Stormwater Pollution

Prevention Program, also known as MCSTOPPP. They have provided funding and

education for many schools in Marin, including Brookside, Kent Middle, Manor,

Miller, Park, Cascade Canyon, and Sir Francis Drake High School. As a result

Kent Middle School produced a visual display of creek studies, and became

active in a comprehensive study of the Corte Madera Creek which includes

continuous creek testing. Sir Francis Drake High School restored a two

hundred meter section of Sleepy Hollow Creek. They replaced one hundred

sixty non-native plants that had been removed. Wattles were added to

reinforce eroding banks and an irrigation system was added. Water quality

testing occurred at the source and downstream. Macroinvertebrate samplings

were taken in the fall and spring. In addition, the high school interns

assisted elementary students in creek restoration projects. Besides learning

about other areas of the environment, many of the schools worked on bi-weekly

creek studies to develop observation and investigation skills and also

planted native plants along Marin creeks (http:/mcstoppp.org/projects3.htm).

Walker Creek Ranch in West Marin conducts environmental studies for

all school children. Many of the schools engage in creek restoration

projects during their scheduled visit to Walker Creek. Students from Bahia

Vista, San Pedro, Laurell Dell and Coleman constructed a living willow

streambank revetment and willow brush mattress while they participated in

their environmental studies at Walker Creek

(http:/mcstoppp.org/projects3/htm).

The STRAW project (Students and Teachers Restoring a Watershed) is a

program of the Bay Institute and the Center for Ecoliteracy. Students in

Marin and Sonoma counties have created new life and promoted healthy

ecosystems within watersheds by working actively on STRAW projects.

The California Freshwater Shrimp Project, which has developed to

become the STRAW project, began in l993 with funding from the Center for

Ecoliteracy. A fourth grade class at Brookside School in San Anselmo was

concerned about the loss of wildlife and decided to take action to protect an

endangered species, the California Freshwater Shrimp. They worked on creek

restoration at Stemple Creek which flows through miles of cattle ranches from

the headwaters in the hills of Petaluma to the Estereo de Antonio. The

students met and worked with ranchers, biologists, vineyard owners, and

environmentalists.

They raised money which was used for native plants, fencing, cattle

bridges, and operating expenses for the shrimp habitat improvement projects

in the Stemple Creek watershed

(http://endangered.fws.gov/esb/96/shrimp.html). The students learned that

the female shrimp carries her eggs on top of her legs for nine months and

when the stream flows hard, she clings to the roots of willow and

blackberries (Ecoliteracy, 2000). They also learned that the freshwater

shrimp eats all the decayed material in the creek and also the fact that when

the shrimp are dying in a creek, the entire creek system depending on the

cycle begins to decline, as well. The students worked with volunteers to

fence off Stemple Creek in a way so that cattle could cross from one area to

another without entering the creek. They also planted willows and native

blackberries along the banks.

Today, the STRAW project are restoring habitat, mapping riparian

habitat, testing water quality, researching, clearing debris and educating

the public about the importance of being concerned about creating sustainable

communities. The children have been able to integrate all that they learn

from the environment into all aspects of life inside and outside of their

classrooms. Their efforts have made a difference not only in the life of the

California Freshwater Shrimp, but for the entire system of life in the

environment.

Another outstanding project created and maintained by students is the

restoration of the Adobe Creek by the students of Casa Grande High School in

Petaluma. The Adobe Creek which was once the major source of drinking water

in l880 has a seven mile course. Throughout the years, the water in the

creek was diverted, trashed, and abused. It was declared dead and was a

public eye sore. This was one of the reasons which lead to the Adobe Creek

Restoration Project by the students of Casa Grande. The other was that the

Steelhead Trout would become extinct without human intervention. The

students wanted a personal connection to the environment and a positive

outlook for the future.

They began a massive cleanup of the creek in l984, removing thirty

truckloads of debris, some of which included stoves, refrigerators, engines,

tires, and carpets. In l985, they planted l200 trees and converted an old

abandoned green house on campus to a fish hatchery. After the hatchery

building was declared unsafe by state earthquake standards, campaigns were

held to raise funds to build a state of the art conservation fish hatchery on

campus, which was officially opened on April 25, 1993. In 1992, the city of

Petaluma abandoned all water diversion of Adobe Creek and gave it back to

nature and the students of Case Grande High School. The successful efforts

of the students have completely restored the creek and returned the

population of the Chinook Salmon and Steelhead Trout back to their home.

Nationally high praises have been given to the efforts of Casa Grande High

School students, which include those of Dr. Jane Goodall and ESPN who made

appearances at the school. The students are continuing this project by

collaborating with scientists from Bodega Bay Marine Labs and have taken

permanent internships at the lab (http://www.uacg.org/highlight.html). The

restoration of a dying creek by the outstanding efforts of the compassionate

students of Casa Grande High School is a great lesson we all can learn.