Newsletter

Winter 1999: Community Programs - Great Lakes

Linking Students to Preserve
By Ms. Patricia Fagg

Au Sable's Community School Program has conducted a pilot education effort at the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy's Reffitt Preserve, a 52-acre natural area in Traverse City, Mich. A kindergarten through grade six curriculum was developed for Reffitt Preserve to support area schools' science curricula and appropriate state science objectives. The program included 70 classes (1,550 students) from public and private schools.

By using the preserve as an outdoor classroom, we hope participants will grow to appreciate the preserve and wetlands like it. The preserve is literally in the back yard of some of the students. East Bay Elementary is within walking distance. As students begin to delight in the preserve and its natural inhabitants and understand the importance of the preserve to the Mitchell Creek watershed, we hope they will strive to protect this part of their natural heritage.

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