There is a lot of construction in Green Valley Ranch: new houses, new shopping centers and new schools. All that construction creates an unsettled feeling in people and leaves wildlife scrambling for food and shelter. The Community Adventure Program (CAP) students at KIPP Northeast Denver Leadership Academy (KIPP NDLA) looked at the neighborhood on an interactive map and found out that within just one square mile of the school, there were nine endangered species that called the area home. How were those animals and plants coping with all that growth? The students decided that they wanted to try and help restore natural habitats for these species.

With further research, the class determined that all the listed species were struggling with habitat loss as the main reason for their decline. At the same time, the students at the nearby schools are struggling with stress and a disconnection with nature. The CAP students explored whether a nearby ditch could be turned into a nature area to help plants and animals and students at the same time. The students did research on nature deficit disorder and participated in a study to determine if more time in nature improved their outlook on life and their cognitive abilities. They also invited a Wildscape Ambassador from the Audubon Society to help them learn about the elements they needed to include to make the area more hospitable to wildlife.

With not much time left in the school year, the students were determined to do as much as they could to restore the area. The good news was that the area already had many of the elements of a good habitat. The bad news was that the school system could not approve some of the improvements the students wanted to make (like benches and a trail) within their time frame. So the students concentrated on what they COULD do. They got native grass and wildflower seed donated and seeded the area that was left muddy from recent construction. They planted cottonwood, sumac and chokecherry trees to improve the habitat, increase food supply, and provide cover for birds. They planted some understory plants like currants, rudbeckia, and sunflowers. And they crowned the area with birdhouses that they built themselves. They learned that maybe they couldn’t do everything they wanted to change the world, but by working together they could make their community a little better for some creatures who can’t speak for themselves.

See more photos from our project here

Written by CAP class instructor Erin Angel