Our LAND (Learn Admire Nurture Dream)

Michigan Nightlight: What really differentiates this program?
The Greening of Detroit's Environmental Education Manager Kristen Martinez: The Our LAND program is unique in that it not only teaches children about natural spaces at their schools, homes, and parks but gives them the tools to become stewards of those spaces as well. It’s one thing to learn about concepts such as habitats and ecosystems in a classroom, and there’s value in that, but it’s another to stand outside and walk through the forest, overlook the Rouge River, identify native plants in the prairie, and observe animals and birds interacting throughout all of these habitats. Outside and observing nature for themselves, children can really start to formulate their own questions and begin to understand how intricately connected organisms in ecosystems are. Students also have a hand in identifying and designing a stewardship project at Rouge Park that is completed on Rouge Appreciation Day with the support of Friends of Rouge Park. Giving students the ability to leave a lasting, positive impression on the environment is something this program really drives home, in hopes that it will empower them to make similar choices and decisions in the future.      
 

Outside and observing nature for themselves, children can really start to formulate their own questions and begin to understand how intricately connected organisms in ecosystems are.

What are the keys to success for your program?
The keys to success of this program lie in the support and involvement of the hard working teachers in the Detroit Public School system and the curiosity and excitement that the students bring to every field trip and lesson. Also, partnering with local conservation organizations, specifically Friends of the Rouge, gives this program a depth that it would never have without their guidance and support.  Understanding that there are dedicated organizations in the city devoting time to maintaining their natural spaces helps to illustrate the principles of stewardship and positive human interaction on the environment and provide students with a path to follow in the future. 
 
What existing challenges remain with this program and how do you plan to overcome them?
The big challenge that this program faces is funding. It’s expensive to provide busing for the students to get out to Rouge Park for their four field trip experiences, and the schools don’t have the ability to fund all four field trips for the students. We are addressing this challenge through continued promotion of the program; pre- and post-program evaluations of the students and teachers to capture concept retention and attitudinal change; and presenting these program results at conferences such as the Michigan Alliance for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE).
 
How does your program take a collective, collaborative approach to creating systemic change for children and the environment in which they are living and growing? 

The students in Our LAND have been overwhelmingly inspired by spending time in the diverse habitat -- forest, prairie and riparian -- that is present in the portion of Rouge Park that we explore.

Our LAND has a stewardship component built into the program’s core, which is what it’s really all about. Working with local, established environmental organizations, and providing students with the practical tools to create and implement their own stewardship project that has a positive impact on the environment is something that, in our minds, is an irreplaceable experience.  Once students have the tools and knowledge to take charge in their communities, the hope is that they will feel empowered to use those skills to make a positive change.
 
What are the students in your program most inspired by? 
The students in Our LAND have been overwhelmingly inspired by spending time in the diverse habitat -- forest, prairie and riparian -- that is present in the portion of Rouge Park that we explore. Their excitement as they step off the bus, even in the winter, is tangible, and those that have been able to observe wildlife in their natural habitat have been excited beyond words.