Some say “It takes a village.”
Two teachers had a dream of building a conservation garden at Boerne Middle School North. Nicole Willingam and Amber Waltz had a vision to extend the classroom beyond traditional settings by expanding learning to take place outdoors. Gardening provides students with hands-on opportunities to gain knowledge and experience in an interactive setting while increasing environmental awareness.
“It was a coincidence that we started this project together,” Willingham said.
The two teachers not only wanted to work together to create a beautiful garden, but they also wanted to create a Monarch Waystation and bring their students together around a multidisciplinary and collaborate garden space in the BMSN courtyard.
Willingam and Waltz quickly realized that a high-caliber conservation garden would take more than just a few seeds. Garden boxes, plants, soil, a butterfly nursery, hydroponics and much more would be needed.
“Mrs. Willingham and I knew that the best thing about Boerne is that everyone is always willing to lend a helping hand,” Waltz said.
The generosity of parents was immediate. They donated lumber and other materials. Panache Landscaping provided soil and drainage materials. Several grants were awarded for plant purchases, including a Boerne Education Foundation grant. Many other BMSN teachers came together to build out the garden.
“After we had our garden built, we decided to reach out to our community for some expertise and advice,” Willingham said.
The Cibolo Center for Conservation wanted to support what BMSN envisioned. The Cibolo’s director of programs, Laurie Brown, and Vice President of Development Leigh Owen became a consulting resource.
Last summer, the Cibolo’s pollinator garden at Herff Farm also was recognized by the Boerne Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas. They were able to give advice on what plants would work best to provide a hospitable environment for and array of butterflies, birds and nature alike, as well as provide plants that would make a monarch’s journey much more successful.
The sense of community began to become apparent. With everything set in place, students began to plant and begin observations. Fast forward into the second year.
“This year is really when we have begun to see things come together,” Willingham said. “We received a second year of grants and funding, including a second BEF grant. Also, we went from contacting sources to them contacting us and wanting to be a part of our student led conservation efforts.”
A partnership with NPSOT started when Willingham and Waltz began talks of recognizing the conservation garden as a Hill Country Pollinator Garden. The local NPSOT chapter was able to provide advice and plants that would allow the garden to become more than 75 percent native.
“This provided us a pivotal goal that would elevate our garden to what we had been hoping for,” Willingham said. “Students really wanted to meet the challenge of succeeding.”
And succeed they did!
The momentum did not stop there. With flowers blooming, caterpillars crawling, frogs singing and butterflies fluttering, students and staff began to see an entire ecosystem budding before their very eyes. Students saw value.
In response, BMSN started a conservation club that meets weekly to work on new projects. Other clubs, classes and teachers have volunteered to help as well. Students are involved in a global citizen’s science project via INaturalist. Not only do they document their research at the BMSN Conservation Garden, but also at the Boerne Welcome Center.
“It’s an amazing feeling to see how bright our future is with young conservationists standing before us,” Waltz said. “They are excited and they are learning the importance of our part in this world. One tiny seed can make way for an entire ecosystem.”
What started as one small hope has turned in to a citywide dream. Truth be told, it does take a village.
Last year, Mayor Tim Handren signed the Mayor’s Monarch Pledge, an initiative created by the National Wildlife Federation as a conservation effort to restore and create habitat for pollinators and monarchs to thrive. As a driving partner of this initiative, the Cibolo collaborates with the city of Boerne and the Boerne Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas to encourage the community to take a deeper interest in saving all of the native pollinators who call Boerne home or pass through on migration paths.
The Cibolo is a proud of the entire BMSN campus for its thoughtful dedication to nature and expanding the conservation learning of our future generations and conservation leaders.
Amber Waltz is a science teacher at Boerne Middle School North.
Cibolo Happenings
May 21
• Ranch Walks: Frost Easement, 10 a.m.-noon. The Frost Solay Easement is a rare opportunity to explore big views and wild lands of original Herff Ranch, having been in the family for 165 years. Guest naturalists will come along to answer questions. Ranch walks are $25 per person with a limit of 20 people per walk. Registration is required and space is limited. Register on www.cibolo.org.
• Dog Days of May at the Farmers Market at Herff Farm, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Join us at the Farmers Market and enjoy locally produced products and goods from small businesses and farms in the Texas Hill Country. This month we will feature more dog-friendly vendors to join our regular amazing vendors. Herff Farm offers trails and programming for children and adults. More information is available on www.cibolo.org. Also happening on May 28.
May 27
• Family Night Hikes Explore the Cibolo at Night, 8-9:30 p.m. Join the Cibolo Staff as they walk the trails learning about all the nocturnal animals that call the Cibolo home. This is a hike suitable for children. Attendees should bring comfortable shoes, a flashlight, and a water bottle. Register on www.cibolo.org.
May 28
• Forest Bathing – Adult Wellness Class at the Nature Center, 10 a.m.-noon. Held on select Mondays and Saturdays, Forest Bathing or Shinrin-yuko and Forest Therapy or Shinrin-ryoho are research-based practices allowing people to slow down from their daily lives and enjoy healing through participation with the natural world.We will meet in the parking lot, complete some forms, and prepare for our walk, which will take approximately two hours and cover one and a half miles. Learn more and register at www.cibolo.org. There also is a special class on Sunday, May 29.
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