Starting September 2019, dedicated students from David Douglas High School have been engaging in hands-on environmental field trips at Leach Botanical Garden in partnership with the Johnson Creek Watershed Council, City of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services, Friends of Leach Botanical Garden, Portland Parks & Recreation, and several others.
These students are part of a career technical education course focusing on natural resources. The goal of the class is to have the students engage in fieldwork with industry professionals and environmental stewards in forestry, agriculture, environmental management, and restoration.
And this is exactly what they have done! So far these students have helped clear over 1.5 acres of invasive blackberry and plant over 250 native shrubs and trees! These bright students have also engaged in amphibian surveys, macroinvertebrate surveys, vegetation transect monitoring, greenhouse propagation, photo-point monitoring, and even machete trail maintenance training. As this program continues, these students will learn even more about this natural area and gain applicable skills to this industry. We look forward to working with them throughout the rest of the school year and are excited to see their continued passion and growth.
