School Kids Plant Trees for Bluebirds, Wildlife

The Southern California Bluebird Club in a pilot program with Ingrid Beaty’s third grade class at Community Roots Academy planted three sycamore trees at the Laguna Niguel Regional Park in the hopes that after the plants die, they will provide homes for local wildlife that depend on them.

“Today started with a dream,” said Gillian Martin, director of the cavity conservation initiative, “and it’s been an utter joy to see a school that’s embraced this concept so whole-heartedly and to get the children so enthusiastic about it.”  

SCBC in an effort to change public perception of dead and decaying trees, is trying to encourage landowners to retain these trees because of their value to the local environment. Though this is the club’s first project, Martin confirms that St. Johns Episcopal School, Villa Park High School, and Cal State Fullerton will also participate in their program to further educate the public on the importance of these trees.  

The 28 students raised $500 to pay for the trees through an in-class business plan that included a school recycling project and offering clay classes to students in kindergarten through second grade for $10 a student.  

“I’m very proud of these students and they have been working so hard for over the past two months,” Beaty said holding the class binoculars.  

Throughout the morning the students gave different presentations about snags or a dead or decaying tree, informing listeners on how wildlife continue to use and the local habitat.  

“I really like the project because it involves helping animals and they need homes,” eight-year-old Sofia Kachani said. “They all need the trees, the woodpeckers, the bluebirds, the crows and bats.”  

Since May the students researched holes in dead trees, made by mostly woodpeckers, which provide natural homes for local wildlife but are often removed because communities find them unattractive or hazardous. The student presentations, however, urge the community to keep these trees well after death to provide homes for wildlife.  

“This has been an amazing experience for my son and so hands on,” parent Lisa Elston said. “I don’t know if he would’ve learned that from a text book.”