Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma
Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma
Participating in "The Big Dig" are Live Oak students, from left, Emily Weber, Taylor Sanchez, Sam Lockhart, aide Natalie Sperling, teacher Janice Faxon, Addie Vilardi, and Liberty Benitez. Nancy Heins-Glaser photos (Participating in "The Big Dig" are Live Oak students, from left, Emily Weber, Taylor Sanchez, Sam Lockhart, aide Natalie Sperling, teacher Janice Faxon, Addie Vilardi, and Liberty Benitez. Nancy Heins-Glaser photos)
Sponsors of transportation for the field trips to Los Jilgueros Nature Preserve include George Garcia, left, and Brenda Garcia, right, owners of The Rib Shack, seen with Save Our Forest chairperson Jackie Heyneman during the Frazier School field trip in the afternoon of Jan. 25.
John Scoll of Fallbrook Land Conservancy directs students in the planting of their seedlings at Los Jilgueros Nature Preserve.
Bob Sabus, left, an adult volunteer with Save Our Forest, instructs Jesus Rojas, center, and David Mendoza on how to plant their seedlings during the students' field trip to Los Jilgueros.
Diane Kennedy from the FLC Native Plant Committee helps student John Alexander plant a tree and replace the soil around it.
From left, Trevyon Jackson and Judith Arguello participate in the planting project with Miranda Kennedy, member of Fallbrook Land Conservancy's Native & Wildflower Plant Committee.
Live Oak Elementary students take a tour of Los Jilgueros Nature Preserve during their planting field trip.
FALLBROOK – Fifth grade students from elementary schools in Fallbrook are enjoying short field trips to plant trees in local preserves. Making this happen were Save Our Forest volunteers, supported by the Fallbrook Land Conservancy's Native Plant and Wildflower Team and long time supporters.
Some 90 students from Live Oak Elementary School were the first to participate in "The Big Dig" for the winter of 2015 and 2016, the morning of Jan. 25. A group from William Frazier Elementary traveled to the site that afternoon.
This year, the destination for the Save Our Forest Environmental Education program is Los Jilgueros Preserve, located just east of South Mission and one of seven preserves open for public use owned and maintained by the Fallbrook Land Conservancy (FLC).
Save Our Forest, a branch of the FLC, has worked to promote restoration of native growth at the FLC preserves and open space since 2001 when Live Oak School was the first to participate with planting trees at the biological reserve adjacent to the Strawberry Fields development on Reche Road. This site was named a San Diego County Reserve to protect open space deemed wetlands.
The goal of this environmental education program is to teach students how to enhance and restore the rural qualities of their community while protecting and ensuring a healthful environment. These young people will be the stewards of the future.
The program starts with a seedling planting project in the fourth grade when SOF highlights the benefits of trees and plant material, an understanding of the importance of conservation and, more meaningful still, community service. Finding the students again at fifth grade and transporting them to actually plant their seedlings a year later, is the fun part.
Jackie Heyneman, spokesperson for SOF said that students and adults alike must accept ownership, especially in an unincorporated community such as Fallbrook. It is an important factor in all areas of community support. Learning this early in life will provide for the future care of this rural environment.
This project was made possible by two local businesses that funded transportation costs for the field trips. Major donors for this specific project include the owners of The Rib Shack, George and Brenda Garcia.
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