Habitat News
September 2012
Two years ago the Habitat bulletin board had a suggestion box and many, many requests for more flowers were received. Here are a few photos of plants flowering in the Habitat currently. Some are new and some were there all along! |
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Summer 2012
Attention treasure hunters: The sport of geocaching has come to the Hilton
Habitat! See http://coord.info/GC2ZMKT for
details. If geocaching is new to you, learn about the sport at http://geocaching.com. The only gear you
need in order to participate is a hand-held GPSr or a smart phone with a
geocaching app.
Habitat Library...
Did you know the Hilton library has a special section for the Habitat? It is located in the narrow library hallway and includes books, field guides, indoor hiker activities for bad weather days and binoculars. Check it out!=
June 2011
Sparrows
After only one season of active bird house monitoring there is a significant reduction in the number of house sparrows in the Habitat and native cavity nesting birds are starting to return! During spring about ten house sparrow nests were found and removed each week. On June 25th there was only one! Even better than that is the news that two house wren nests were found - one with eggs! Also, a black-capped chickadee was spotted at the new thistle feeder. Hopefully chickadee nests will be found in the near future as well. Learn more about house sparrows and their effect on native bird populations at http://www.nabluebirdsociety.org/sparrowcontrol.htm.
After only one season of active bird house monitoring there is a significant reduction in the number of house sparrows in the Habitat and native cavity nesting birds are starting to return! During spring about ten house sparrow nests were found and removed each week. On June 25th there was only one! Even better than that is the news that two house wren nests were found - one with eggs! Also, a black-capped chickadee was spotted at the new thistle feeder. Hopefully chickadee nests will be found in the near future as well. Learn more about house sparrows and their effect on native bird populations at http://www.nabluebirdsociety.org/sparrowcontrol.htm.
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June 2011 - Pumpkin Patch
The pumpkin patch sure has grown a lot since the last day of school! Many of the plants are starting to flower and hopefully we'll have plenty of pumpkins, gourds and watermelons to harvest this fall. It's a good thing most of the plants are fenced in because pumpkin plants outside the fence seem to be a favorite snack for the deer and other area animals. Growing them in both areas allows the school to remain true to the mission of providing food for local wildlife while also providing the students with a chance to grow a few crops from seed to harvest.
The pumpkin patch sure has grown a lot since the last day of school! Many of the plants are starting to flower and hopefully we'll have plenty of pumpkins, gourds and watermelons to harvest this fall. It's a good thing most of the plants are fenced in because pumpkin plants outside the fence seem to be a favorite snack for the deer and other area animals. Growing them in both areas allows the school to remain true to the mission of providing food for local wildlife while also providing the students with a chance to grow a few crops from seed to harvest.
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March 2011 - Adopt
the Habitat Summer Care Program
Please sign up here to participate in the Adopt the Habitat Summer Care Program. Families, teachers and groups welcome and feel free to encourage friends to join you! We're really hoping to increase participation this year since many hands make light work and more time for fun! During you're chosen week the Habitat Committee asks that you spend a few hours working and playing in the area. Tools/supplies are available in the shed and volunteers will be provided with the lock combination. No green thumb necessary and children are highly encouraged to help. Ideas for how to spend your time are below. PSO members should record their volunteer hours on the list posted in the shed. Please contact Melanie Hauer at [email protected] or Rosemary Perl at [email protected] with questions/concerns, if you need proof of volunteer hours or have photos/stories to share on the Habitat website. Thank you so much for your help in maintaining this valuable and unique learning resource!
Water plants
Weed the paths and flower beds
in one of the garden beds! Anything growing in the paths is fair game.
Deadhead flowers
Other Tasks
Keep on the lookout for Habitat inhabitants (esp. praying mantis, butterflies and nesting birds). Please send photos to [email protected].
Please sign up here to participate in the Adopt the Habitat Summer Care Program. Families, teachers and groups welcome and feel free to encourage friends to join you! We're really hoping to increase participation this year since many hands make light work and more time for fun! During you're chosen week the Habitat Committee asks that you spend a few hours working and playing in the area. Tools/supplies are available in the shed and volunteers will be provided with the lock combination. No green thumb necessary and children are highly encouraged to help. Ideas for how to spend your time are below. PSO members should record their volunteer hours on the list posted in the shed. Please contact Melanie Hauer at [email protected] or Rosemary Perl at [email protected] with questions/concerns, if you need proof of volunteer hours or have photos/stories to share on the Habitat website. Thank you so much for your help in maintaining this valuable and unique learning resource!
Water plants
- Fun idea #1: Bring bathing suits and use the sprinklers to water plants and entertain the children at the same time.
- Fun idea #2: Bring bathing suits, fill the kiddie pool with water and give young children the opportunity to use the small watering
Weed the paths and flower beds
- Fun idea: Encourage children to help by offering to pay them a penny per weed or giving a small prize to the child who pulls the
in one of the garden beds! Anything growing in the paths is fair game.
Deadhead flowers
- Fun idea: Encourage children to help by offering to pay them a penny per spent flower or giving a small prize to the child who
Other Tasks
- Mow the area, esp. if the grass is getting really long
- Refill/clean the birdbath and birdfeeders
- Harvest fruit, veggies and herbs. They are yours to keep!
- Remove litter
Keep on the lookout for Habitat inhabitants (esp. praying mantis, butterflies and nesting birds). Please send photos to [email protected].
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February 2011 - Volunteer Information
Dear Habitat Volunteers,
This is Rosemary Perl (Habitat Volunteer Coordinator). I have a couple of save the dates for our Spring cleanup/ garden preparation for the class plantings. There will be a posting on the Signup Genius on the Hilton school website in the near future and I will also send a reminder closer to the dates. We will be dividing perennials during the cleanup (among other things) so please bring your own pots if you wish to take daylilies or daisies home. No green thumbs required!!
Event 1: Wednesday April 27th 11-2. (Rain date May 4th). Spring cleanup and preparation for classroom planting. Volunteers needed.Teachers are welcome to sign up too with their classes.
Event 2: Saturday April 30th 1-4. Finish Spring cleanup with high school volunteers and families. Please bring your children!! Pizza and treats will be provided for this cleanup party. This date was originally scheduled for May but was changed due to the high school volunteers already scheduled for RiverSweep downtown. We rely on our HS help!!
Event 3: Summer Maintenance: There will be a sign up posted for weekly maintenance of the Habitat over the summer. We are happy to have organizations such as the scouts help out as well as our Hilton families. If you are a PSO member please keep track of hours. If you are in high school and need volunteer hours ,please keep track so so we can let your HS advisor know, too.
Dear Habitat Volunteers,
This is Rosemary Perl (Habitat Volunteer Coordinator). I have a couple of save the dates for our Spring cleanup/ garden preparation for the class plantings. There will be a posting on the Signup Genius on the Hilton school website in the near future and I will also send a reminder closer to the dates. We will be dividing perennials during the cleanup (among other things) so please bring your own pots if you wish to take daylilies or daisies home. No green thumbs required!!
Event 1: Wednesday April 27th 11-2. (Rain date May 4th). Spring cleanup and preparation for classroom planting. Volunteers needed.Teachers are welcome to sign up too with their classes.
Event 2: Saturday April 30th 1-4. Finish Spring cleanup with high school volunteers and families. Please bring your children!! Pizza and treats will be provided for this cleanup party. This date was originally scheduled for May but was changed due to the high school volunteers already scheduled for RiverSweep downtown. We rely on our HS help!!
Event 3: Summer Maintenance: There will be a sign up posted for weekly maintenance of the Habitat over the summer. We are happy to have organizations such as the scouts help out as well as our Hilton families. If you are a PSO member please keep track of hours. If you are in high school and need volunteer hours ,please keep track so so we can let your HS advisor know, too.
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January 2011 - BREAKING NEWS!!
Because of the bug hunt suggestions and the need to manage pests without the use of chemicals, I began to look into the possibility of a praying mantis release in the spring.
I’m excited to announce the generous donation of 4 praying mantis egg sacs to the second grade classes by Insects4sale.com. They have already been received and are being kept cold until the weather warms up. Once hatched, the nymphs will be released in the Habitat and other areas around the school this spring.
Keep on the lookout for them and please send mantis photos to me at [email protected]. Your photo may be selected to represent our mantis friends on the Inhabitants tab of the Habitat website! Melanie Hauer Habitat Committee Chair
Because of the bug hunt suggestions and the need to manage pests without the use of chemicals, I began to look into the possibility of a praying mantis release in the spring.
I’m excited to announce the generous donation of 4 praying mantis egg sacs to the second grade classes by Insects4sale.com. They have already been received and are being kept cold until the weather warms up. Once hatched, the nymphs will be released in the Habitat and other areas around the school this spring.
Keep on the lookout for them and please send mantis photos to me at [email protected]. Your photo may be selected to represent our mantis friends on the Inhabitants tab of the Habitat website! Melanie Hauer Habitat Committee Chair
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December 2010
The Habitat Committee has received exciting news: our Monarch Waystation application has been approved! Keep an eye out for the new sign this spring. The school community should be quite proud that our beloved
Habitat is receiving the recognition it deserves as an important wildlife area.
Visit www.monarchwatch.org to learn more.
The Habitat Committee has received exciting news: our Monarch Waystation application has been approved! Keep an eye out for the new sign this spring. The school community should be quite proud that our beloved
Habitat is receiving the recognition it deserves as an important wildlife area.
Visit www.monarchwatch.org to learn more.
September Work Party - 2010
Thank you to all the wonderful, good-spirited, hard-working volunteers who attended the September 12th Work Party, especially our new friends from the high school Safe and Key clubs: Rosemary Perl – Habitat Committee Member (Extra thanks for organizing volunteers and providing refreshments!)Nadine Macasek and family – Habitat Committee Member Lori McGlashan– Habitat Committee Member Pam & Michael Bowler,Emma Bixenstine, Hollie Pruchinski, Brittany Johnson, Rhiannon Ross, Nishok Karthinkeyan, Chris Phillips, James Phillips, Evan Alien, Vinny Hennel, Alex Ponikin, Sarah Adriananyaz, Kaleigh Hudak, Jessica Nackend, Aleyna, Sierra Prinzbach, Joanna Schnell, Sam Ritchie,Brittany Squirel |
With our volunteers help, during our Work Party, we freed the wetlands area from invasive goldenrod, deadheaded what seemed like millions of daisies, reined in overgrown plants, retrieved and spread soil from the compost bin, “weeded” lots of spearmint from the log pile (aka snake habitat), collected daylily and marigold seeds, collected and planted common milkweed seeds, cleaned out approximately half the bird houses, dug out and potted garlic chives and much, much more. And all of this was accomplished during the span of only three hours!
During the work party one house sparrow and two wren nests were found in the bird houses. We’re hoping to find evidence of other inhabitants when we clean out the rest of the bird houses in October. We also came across a woolly bear caterpillar (who successfully hid when we ran to get the camera), a wicked cool garden spider, several monarch butterflies and a teeny, tiny butterfly we will, hopefully, identify soon. Some of the harvest was shared with PSO members at the September meeting. The Habitat Committee brought baskets of mint sprigs and goldrenrod flowers for attendees to take home and gave potted garlic chives, chameleon plant and lamb’s ear to Habitat volunteers.
Feel like you missed out on the fun? Well, you’ll have another chance to join us at our October Work Party (date TBD). Snacks/drinks will be provided and children are welcome. And don’t forget, the more volunteers available, the more opportunities the students will have to enjoy this amazing outdoor space.
Please contact me at [email protected] if you’d like to volunteer for Habitat Hikers, future work days and/or as Habitat liaison for your child’s class. Regarding Habitat Hikers and classroom projects: Rosemary Perl is in the process of creating the Hiker schedule while I have contacted the teachers to see which classroom projects, if any, they are interested in for September. We are quite excited for students to visit the Habitat and participate in this year’s new activities. Melanie Hauer Habitat Committee Chair
During the work party one house sparrow and two wren nests were found in the bird houses. We’re hoping to find evidence of other inhabitants when we clean out the rest of the bird houses in October. We also came across a woolly bear caterpillar (who successfully hid when we ran to get the camera), a wicked cool garden spider, several monarch butterflies and a teeny, tiny butterfly we will, hopefully, identify soon. Some of the harvest was shared with PSO members at the September meeting. The Habitat Committee brought baskets of mint sprigs and goldrenrod flowers for attendees to take home and gave potted garlic chives, chameleon plant and lamb’s ear to Habitat volunteers.
Feel like you missed out on the fun? Well, you’ll have another chance to join us at our October Work Party (date TBD). Snacks/drinks will be provided and children are welcome. And don’t forget, the more volunteers available, the more opportunities the students will have to enjoy this amazing outdoor space.
Please contact me at [email protected] if you’d like to volunteer for Habitat Hikers, future work days and/or as Habitat liaison for your child’s class. Regarding Habitat Hikers and classroom projects: Rosemary Perl is in the process of creating the Hiker schedule while I have contacted the teachers to see which classroom projects, if any, they are interested in for September. We are quite excited for students to visit the Habitat and participate in this year’s new activities. Melanie Hauer Habitat Committee Chair
Spearmint - Harvested 2010
This renegade spearmint was found growing in the log pile/snake habitat area. In the Habitat Photo's section their is a picture of high school volunteers harvesting the spearmint for Hiker use. It must have escaped from the herb garden at some point. All types of mint spread by underground stems and can be invasive in the garden.
Spearmint is the most commonly grown mint. Its flavor and scent are often associated with chewing gum. Mint is repelling to household pests such as ants and mice.
Spearmint is the most commonly grown mint. Its flavor and scent are often associated with chewing gum. Mint is repelling to household pests such as ants and mice.