Growing Skills for Ecological Engagement

Transcription

1 Growing Skills for Ecological Engagement

2 Practical stuff Mission History Funding and Staff How we engage students Service learning and volunteer opportunities Work-study and intern positions Provide outdoor class project space Fresh, healthy produce grown for campus Educational opportunities Lessons learned

3 The learning garden is a student led initiative that grows healthy sustainable food for the LCC community while providing learning, service and leadership opportunities for students. The Learning Garden is an interdisciplinary educational model that offers students the opportunity to work with others outside the classroom and have fun.

4 Learning Garden Club started by students Learning Garden Specialist hired Work-study student jobs in garden Internship positions Students voted to increase the fee for the garden and expand duties of Specialist Expanded to a 1 acre garden that produces 3000 lbs of produce for campus kitchens and food pantry

5 The garden is student-fee funded. We receive $1.50 per student per term. We sell our produce to the student-run restaurant, conference center, and cafeteria at fair prices. Grants and donations.

6 Service learning and volunteer opportunities Work-study and intern positions Outdoor class project space for numerous courses Fresh, healthy produce grown for campus Educational opportunities

7 ~18 classes across 10 different disciplines including culinary, health, and biology. 10 hour per term service learning requirement. Approx 2,000+ hours of volunteer time per year.

8 Federal Workstudy: ~6 students per year hired. Internships Culinary Program Water Conservation Program

9 Bioswale design and build- Water Conservation class Shelter and Toolshed Construction- Construction class Native plantings- Forest Biology class

10 Student-run restaurant buys produce directly from the garden. Culinary Program uses produce for big events like the 100 mile meal and the Local Food Connection. Food donated to the Child Care Center and Food Pantry on Campus Any other food is given to volunteers in the garden. 3,000 lbs of produce harvested/year

11 Weekly Friday Workshops Free and open to all Garden Tours Host classes for a lesson in the garden Ethnobotany, Menu Management, ESL and others Teacher In-Service workshops Introduce how garden can be integrated into the classroom Childcare Center tours Pumpkin harvest Credit Class

12 This course is designed to be an elective for students in the Culinary Program and Sustainability Program. The focus of the class is understanding land use and ecology, basic sustainable agriculture skills, soil and crop management, and human rights as it relates to food and agriculture. This is a lecture/lab course that spends half of the time in the classroom and half in the field (Learning Garden and field trips).

13 Started as a Learning Garden Club but this has since dissipated. Lane Community College considerations: High turnover of students (2 years generally) No housing for students nearby main campus Get instructors involved Focus on working with instructors to incorporate the Learning Garden into their curriculum. Focus on the Learning Garden being an academic experience by hosting a 3 credit course, hosting service learning opportunities, and internships for credit. Visit classes in person at the beginning of each term to introduce the Learning Garden to students.

14 Offer open work parties for students on Tuesdays and Fridays to be available for different students schedules. Expand offerings and projects in the garden to incorporate more student involvement such as riparian restoration, water catchment, native plantings, and construction. Have projects available at all times for people of different abilities and for people who need sitting activities.

15 Learning Garden Specialist: Rosie Sweetman