Field Trip, Rewilded: A Day of Discovery on a Regenerative Farm
An average high school field trip usually involves a visit to a museum or historic location; it doesn’t typically involve regenerative farming, bird banding, and tree plantings. But that is just what 40 students from the International High School at Largo, Prince George’s County Public School, MD. experienced on Tuesday, June 10th. The field trip was co-hosted by Eldon Farms, Smithsonian’s Virginia Working Landscapes (VWL), and World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
The event was designed to introduce students to the role that regenerative farms can play in biodiversity conservation. Specifically, how our farmlands — when managed correctly — can reach their production goals while simultaneously restoring soil health, cleaning our shared waterways, and providing critical habitat for our native wildlife. It also allowed these multilingual learners to learn more about conservation, agricultural, and environmental careers.
Small groups of students rotated across the landscape to seven different hands-on learning stations. Those stations each had a theme, including: nest-boxes and cavity-nesting birds, turtles and wetlands, pollinators and native plants, regenerative grazing practices, bird banding, nature photography, and riparian buffers. Each station included activities to engage students with the lessons.
For some students, this was their first time stepping foot on a regenerative farm. For others, it was the first time they ever got up close to a wild bird, or their first time planting a native riparian buffer. And for all the students, the day provided an excellent opportunity to meet and network with staff from nine different conservation organizations, including: Smithsonian’s Virginia Working Landscapes, Migratory Bird Center, and Turtle Conservation Ecology Lab, along with The Piedmont Environmental Council, Clifton Institute, Hill House Nursery, Friends of the Rappahannock, Rappahannock League for Environmental Protection, and Quail Forever. Meeting the diverse staff members showcased the myriad of ways people can get involved in conservation professionally.
“Connecting students to the real-life work of Smithsonian staff, scientists and researchers is so rewarding and impactful,” said Jennifer Brundage, Project Specialist in the Office of the Under Secretary for Education who attended the event. “Experience shows that this kind of immersive learning encourages the students to conserve their school campus landscape in innovative ways, and inspires them to consider their own futures as environmental stewards.“
Dr. Lynson Ablaza, one of the teachers, was extremely happy with how the experience played out. A student he spent the day with remarked: “At first I thought that this field trip would just be an ordinary outdoor activity. However, when I looked around, I felt refreshed because I missed my country (of birth). The scenery reminds me of my town. All activities engaged me to reconsider my career choice. I hope there will be more field trips like this.”
The event coordinators, Justin Proctor (VWL) and Jessica Leung (WWF), finished the day sporting big smiles. “This was the third year we’ve held this event as an opportunity for urban-based students to interface with Virginia’s rural conservation and ag scene”, said Proctor. “Eldon Farms has been the perfect venue for doing so, and it’s incredibly uplifting to see these students having such a good time out here.” Leung was quick to piggyback those sentiments: “These learners are most engaged when they’re doing hands-on activities — whether it’s holding up their first-ever pair of binoculars or touching a bird band. Our aim was to have students see how different skills and knowledge can advance conservation outcomes. I knew we were successful when one of our students delightfully showcased his own photos and techniques at our nature photography station and staff provided positive feedback and insights on how to turn a hobby into a career.”
