PVRS Building Resilient Landscapes
January 2012
Community Workshop Responses How PVRS can benefit from a land management plan?
Pioneer Valley Regional School rests on 85 acres of beau?ful forests, meadows, and wetlands. It is a home for several endangered species. The landscape holds many educa?onal and recrea?onal opportuni?es for our youth. A land management plan will steer its sustainable future through three goals: • Locate outdoor recrea+onal and learning opportuni+es that cul?vate environmental stewardship, healthy lifestyle choices and evolving work op?ons.
• Promote sustainable land use prac+ces
which foster thriving biodiversity, raise runoff water quality and habitat vigor.
• Inves+gate community partnerships and out-‐of-‐district supporters to boldly advance resilient landscape design and implementa?on.
TAKE A HIKE! With us to discover the beautiful land at PVRS
Saturday, February 11, 2012 @ 9:00 AM We’ll meet at the entrance Questions? ask@future-lands.com
On December 1, the community was invited to give input that would inform designs in the land management plan. Twenty-‐six community members including 6 of Mrs. Betsold’s Global Science students ac?vely engaged in proving valuable input that would inform the landscape management designs. What do you think their responses mean?
Create Engaging Des+na+ons • • • • • •
Trail signs -‐ direc?onal and interpre?ve View of Connec?cut River Places to sit and enjoy Boardwalks through wetlands, con$nued... Green roofed pavilion and classrooms Viewing plaXorm
Raise Water Quality • Capture rainwater from roof • Install rain gardens • Install grey water system • Replace old blacktop with pervious pavement
Widen Community Support
PVRS rests 84 acres of forest, wetlands, and fields.
• Green group/ club to provide workforce • Community service at each grade level Students priori?ze develop projects • • Include in Northfield’s Open Space & Recrea$on Plan
Localize Food Security • Community Garden and greenhouse • Collabora?ve school and community efforts
Provide Open-‐air Educa+on • Build curriculum to use unique opportuni?es • Encourage educa?onally sound and crea?ve use
Concerns? Who decides what gets done? Who manages this? Money? Invasive species control? What’s realis?c? Important? Summer management ? Si?ng of photovoltaic panels?
What does this mean for PVRS land management?
• Clearly defined des+na+ons will inspire people to venture onto the landscape for educa?on and recrea?on.
• Runoff water quality should be near the top of the designs with a range of opportuni?es to address this issue. • Community support requires communica?on and opportunity for people to engage on the land in posi?ve and products ways. Gardening, trail building, invasive plant management all provide sound ways for this to occur. • Many forward thinkers believe that localized food security will be key as communi?es transi?on into a new era.
Involving youth in food produc?on helps direct their diets toward a healthier choices. • Open-‐air educa+on beyond athle?cs and the sciences will require innova?ve des?na?ons to focus learning. All disciplines may u?lize the abundance of educa?onal opportuni?es land offers.
What’s next?
Do you have ideas you’d like to add about this? You can add your thoughts and view the slide presenta?on at future-‐lands.com/ blog or you can contact John by email ask@future-‐lands.com
PVRS Alternative Land Management Designs Public Input Workshop Thursday ,February 16 @ 6:30 PM
Value Summary Regenerates Forests & Native Habitat
Improves Water Quality
Builds Diversity
Preserves Natural Resources
Offers Educational Opportunities
Offers Recreational Opportunities
Rain Gardens
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Pollinator Habitat
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Perennial Edible Forest Gardens
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Potential Solutions
Community Gardens Managed Forests
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Invasive management
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Green Roof Trails, signs, map Green-Roof Outdoor Classroom
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Campus Highpoint Destination Photovoltaic System
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