GREEN VALLEY PROJECT — STUDENTS HELP WITH RESTORATION AT THE OJAI MEADOWS PRESERVE
Thanks to support from the Green Valley Project, OVLC has hosted several hands-on habitat restoration events at the Ojai Meadows Preserve with environmental science students from Nordhoff High School.
Students have helped OVLC field staff with many different facets of restoration over the past few months—collecting data, planting oak circles, and weeding invasive plants. In November, students learned to identify native shrubs and broke out into groups to collect data on oak circles. Back in the classroom, students analyzed the data to help with long-term monitoring of the site.
In December, students helped OVLC field staff plant 15 oak circles, just as the rain started to fall. The students enjoyed getting a bit muddy, and understood the importance of getting these acorns and shrubs in the ground at this time to take advantage of the late December storms we had. Then in January, students returned to plant native grasses near the OVLC Nursery to facilitate the start of early grass succession.
Through these regular events, students are able to experience the life cycle of plants and connect their education to the natural world around them. In addition to gaining valuable skills, the students are providing meaningful contributions to habitat restoration at the Ojai Meadows Preserve.
The Green Valley Project is an environmental initiative led by The C.R.E.W. in partnership with OVLC, Once Upon a Watershed, Pax Environmental, and Watershed Progressive, working closely with local schools, especially the Ojai Unified School District.
