Garden City Gets an Extreme Makeover

NRCS and Keep Indianapolis Beautiful recently teamed up to discover what 800 students, teachers, and volunteers from the Garden City Elementary School could do with 50 shovels, 30 rakes, and 25 wheel barrows. With some help from district conservationist Aaron Lauster, the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program, and other donors, the school grounds on the west side of Indianapolis underwent a fast makeover as students and teachers put in hundreds of plants for wildlife, several theme gardens, bird houses, and a pond.  They also improved a wetland and removed invasive plants – all while having a great time. Lauster developed the conservation plan for the school that included 2.5 acres of hardwood planting, 1.5 acres of upland wildlife habitat management, and creation of a 1.5 acre wetland on site.

The older students took on the more difficult tasks and helped the younger ones with their jobs. By noon, all the plants were in the ground and the neighborhood fire department brought several loads of water to fill the pond.  Students, teachers, and volunteers worked together to carry the water to the new plantings.

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Most of the improvements to the school grounds will be used as an outdoor classroom giving the students a number of micro-environments to observe and study. According to Joni Lawler, Garden City physical education teacher, “All of our students come from a low-income situation and most of them have never planted anything. This has been a true learning experience for them.”
Your contact is Michael McGovern, NRCS public affairs specialist, at 317-290-3200, ext. 324.