Great Falls Elementary School students planted a habitat garden with native plants on June 23, 2023 with support from the Great Falls Rotary club, the Great Falls Optimist Club and Earth Sangha, a local nursery that provided a matching grant and the plants for the garden. Principal Sara Harper, Vice Principal Chris Litz, students, and parents helped plan and plant the garden.
Great Falls Garden Club member, Dr. Meghan McGinty, advised students on using the garden to bring back birds, pollinators, and other endangered species losing their habitat to asphalt and lawn coverage. The habitat garden will also be used to teach students about taking care of the environment, food chains and animal lifecycles. Students learn that specific types of plants and animals provide need particular types of resources in different stages of their lifecycle. The students expect the habitat garden to attract lizards, frogs, pollinators and songbirds seeking shelter and food.
The garden was organized by Climate Conservation Club, a student organization based at Great Falls Elementary School. Club member Stella Scannell explained additional benefits of the garden, including that it attracts birds that eat mosquitos, and gets kids outside. Under the guidance of Dr. McGinty, the Club is organizing students to care for the garden until it becomes self-sustaining.
