Each year the Ivy Creek Foundation (ICF) is asked for assistance with environmental education from schools and other groups. These requests can range from specific help with an environmental or nature project to a specific presentation on a particular animal’s life cycle. In 2008, ICF decided to try and respond to these requests in a more systematic, long lasting way, and also to more proactively seek engagement with schools that would enhance programming already in place.

Last year we worked in the schools on explaining the problem of stormwater runoff and the role of green roofs, which the county already had and the city was establishing. We also helped a grade in a school develop and refine a rain garden and native plant project. We provided the expertise and knowledge resources while they did the hard work of putting it together and polishing the craft.

This year we’re working on a number of new projects about animal skulls, Monarch butterflies, stream monitoring and resource conservation. So far we have presented the skull program to one middle school grade as part of their seventh grade science program and are actively seeking funding to refine and run this and other programs.

We are also working to expand our research on the African American history of the Ivy Creek Natural Area, formerly known as River View Farm, and the surrounding area. We are hoping to develop and deliver educational units for local area schools so that while our students learn about well know national African American figures, they are also learning about the rich African American history from right here in the Charlottesville-Albemarle area.

This year we are also working with several school groups on invasive plant removal and trail maintenance. A number of local schools have adopted specific trails at the Ivy Creek Natural Area and are not only maintaining the trail, but also considering how their relationship with the trail relates to their work in the classroom.