It was a classic grey day in the Peninsula as 60 Blue Heron students crossed a small bridge over Salmon Creek to complete their last day in our Real Learning Real Work (RLRW) education program.

Real Learning Real Work takes students from Jefferson and Clallam County out of the classroom and into the field to work alongside real restoration professionals at real restoration sites. Students perform a variety of tasks from developing plot maps, taking soil samples, identifying common trees and shrubs, answering questions about why plants are vital for salmon habitat, to tree plantings and invasive removal!

On this particular day, we set up three stations for the Blue Heron students to cycle through. It appeared that invasive removal was the place to be. At the root of any Himalayan Blackberry (a highly invasive species) lies what some call, a dragon heart. The dragon heart is essentially the life force to the plant. So to remove the Blackberry, you have to remove the dragon heart. Once the students caught wind of the whole dragon heart concept, it was off to the races as who could find the biggest heart.

Another station consisted of plot maintenance. Students planted these trees in early March, and were now checking in on their trees to determine if any needed blue tubes, or if they were healthy, stressed, or dead.

And finally, the last station worked to slow things down, taking students to Salmon Creek for some nature viewing, and poetry writing.

Not only does NOSC’s RLRW program work with Blue Heron Students, but also students from Chimacum. Flash forward a couple weeks and spring seemed to hit out of no where. Lucky for the Chimacum Middle School because they got to enjoy their RLRW day at the NOSC nursery without a cloud in sight!

Different from the stations the Blue Heron students experienced, the Chimacum students primarily performed plot maintenance to meet the needs of this specific restoration site. They worked hard on their plots installing 225 blue tubes, and mulching 237 trees.

The RLRW program not only works to plant future forests, but also the seeds for a new generation of environmental stewards.

NOSC had an absolute blast with our new environmental stewards, and can’t wait for next year!