The Kent County Parks Foundation (KCPF) continues its community education partnership with Sibley Elementary as part of Grand Rapids Public Schools' (GRPS) Transformation Plan. On May 14 from 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. at Millennium Park, Sibley Elementary students removed the invasive garlic mustard plant and replaced it with native plant seed balls, that the students hand-formed themselves.
“The Grand Rapids Public Schools Transformation plan has a strong focus on partnerships with businesses and institutions of higher learning to provide students with the best education possible,” said John Helmholdt, director of communications & external affairs at Grand Rapids Public Schools. “The ongoing partnership between KCPF and GRPS gives students hands-on experience and emphasizes the importance of preservation.”
Last year’s project provided students with a hands-on experience building nesting boxes to help increase the local and regional population of wood ducks. Students were able to learn outside of the classroom, letting them take part in a project they might not otherwise been able to experience as inner city youth.
“Prior to the making of the duck boxes and now the garlic mustard project, students hear that they can make a difference, but they don’t believe it" said Sergio Cira Reyes, Kent School Services Network community cchool coordinator at Sibley Elementary. "The partnership with KCPF has shown them that they can and that learning can happen outside the classroom.”
“The removal of the invasive species, garlic mustard, is important to the preservation of natural habitat areas at Millennium Park,” said Ginny Sines, Volunteer Coordinator for Kent County Parks. “The plant can spread and affect the native plant species that feed and nourish the wild life, birds, butterflies, and other foliage.”
Community park projects assist in raising awareness of the current and future effects of invasive plant species on park lands. Partnerships between KCPF and other organizations provide opportunities to promote the vitality and community benefit of county parks.
Interested in learning more about the Kent County Parks Foundation? Visit their www.kentcountyparksfoundation.org or find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kcpfoundation.
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