“Americans must address the growing need for bonds between nature and children to improve the health and well-being of both.”
Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder

UPCOMING EVENTS
Sept 15th, 2008: Advisory Mtg (6-8pm) @ Como Streetcar Station

COMPREHENSIVE SITE PLAN
Check out the completed Comprehensive Site Plan for the Como Woodland and Outdoor Classroom! This document will serve as the foundation for future planning within the Advisory Committee. In addition, a Site Characterstics document outlines anticipated user groups. These plans were designed by the City of Saint Paul Landscape Architects, and were made possible with funding from the City of Saint Paul Capitol Improvements Budget.

CHECK THIS OUT!!
Our Fall '07 Field Day Featured on Minnesota Bound
Did you get a chance to see the video segment about the Fall Field Day that took place at the Como Woodland Outdoor Classroom project site October 2007? The show aired on KARE 11's Minnesota Bound on July 20 and 26, 2008. The Como Park High School students who were featured as they collected data in the Como Park woodland are all great such kids and it really came through.
If you missed the show, you can catch it online at: http://www.mnbound.com/c-56-.aspx
(the feature begins at minute 12:17)

PROJECT RESOURCES
Download a Powerpoint Presentation about the Como Woodland Project (3 MB)
Download a PDF about the Como Woodland Project (2 MB)
SPAS Como Park Bird Habitat Analysis: Analysis | Tables | Route Mapy
Fall field day birding results: Fall Bird Data

PROJECT OVERVIEW
The District 10 Environment Committee and the Saint Paul Audubon Society are working on a proposal for a woodland restoration and “outdoor classroom” project focused on the wooded area in Como Park south of Horton and just east of Hamline Avenues.

For the past several years, we have been working in this area with the St. Paul Parks Division’s EcoPartners staff on trash pickup and removal of buckthorn and illegal BMX bike jumps. We recently began to formulate ideas about taking advantage of the site’s natural and historic features for environmental education purposes.

~ Restoring an Urban Forest ~
~ Restoring Local History ~
~ Restoring a Child's Sense of Wonder ~
~ Restoring Connections with Nature ~

Project goals

• Improve native species diversity in woodland
• Restore historic features
• Increase stormwater retention
• Improve student understanding of environmental science
• Improve stewardship behaviors

Project Activities

• Remove invasive species
• Conduct biological survey
• Replant native species
• Restore historic feature and adapt into meeting place
• Build trails
• Install information posts
• Develop educational program available to teachers online
• Involve students and teachers in process

Project models

• Valley Branch Environmental Education Center
  Formerly Belwin Outdoor Classroom
  (St. Paul Public Schools)
• Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary
  (Minneapolis Parks Department)

Benefits of place-based learning

• Helps compliance with new MN Academic Standards for Science
• Helps students internalize learning
• Helps students bond with their local environment and their community
• Can improve student behavior

A forest of native plants

• Provides habitat for native wildlife
• Is less costly to maintain
• Has educational uses
• Can be a place to reconnect to natural world in the heart of the city

Proposed outdoor classroom features

• 2,930 feet of trails
• 50 numbered posts that correspond with online lesson plans
• Joyce Kilmer Fireplace “Dutch Ovens” will be restored and adapted into a meeting place and story circle