Prairie Learning: Integrating the Arts and Environmental Education with Ecological Restoration in Ann Arbor, Michigan

Abstract

This practicum was centered around the ecological restoration of study plots located in a former athletic field of non-native turf grasses at the Freeman Environmental Education Center in the Ann Arbor Public School District in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The objectives of the project included increasing the biodiversity and ecological function of the site by creating the beginnings of an educational prairie in study plots, using ecological restoration as a tool for environmental education and fostering human-land relationships, providing a management plan for restoration expansion based upon observations of the plots, and integrating the arts as a key component of restoration and environmental education practices. Site preparation methods tested included smothering and repeated tilling to eradicate turf grass, and propagation methods included planting native seedlings and broadcasting native seed mixes. Environmental education curriculum and programming for K12 students was developed and implemented throughout the process. This included the development and implementation of an educational module which culminated in a collaborative sculpture built with students who learned about prairie ecosystems and stewardship. This educational module was developed to be place-based, interdisciplinary, exploratory, collaborative, and multi-sensory. The final component of this project was a children’s book written and illustrated to tell the story of a community of humans and other animals who work together to restore a prairie. The book is a tool for people of all ages to learn about prairie restoration and stewardship, and includes an educational guide to promote further action.