Site Features

Outdoor Wildlife Learning Site (OWLS) will vary in size and makeup because each will be tailored to the school grounds or area being considered. Each site should contain at least a planting of small trees and shrubs beneficial to wildlife and/or a plot of native prairie; and a water source consisting of bird baths, a frog pool, or even a segment of creek, larger marsh, or pond. Each site may be groomed to fit the available landscape and designed to achieve specific learning objectives. Other OWLS features may include:

• feeding stations for birds, squirrels, etc;
• woody plantings that include trees and shrubs to be used as nesting cover, food, and perching sites (may be associated with feeding stations);
• shrubs that represent woody songbird plants;
• butterfly and/or hummingbird/wildflower gardens;
• stands of native prairie;
• animal tracking plots;
• wildlife brushpiles;
• rotting stump/log station;
• plant succession areas;
• weather station;
• nesting structures for songbirds, waterfowl, or small mammals;
• interpretive or nature trails through OWLS;
• water - a lined pond or developed wetland, incorporating wetland plant species
  

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Additional Considerations and Options

• Additional Considerations and Options
• Use native plants whenever possible.
• Incorporate feeding stations to bring wildlife into view where they can be identified, observed, counted, photographed, and recorded.
• Use bird nesting boxes to observe behavior and reproductive activities.
• Consider small mammal nesting boxes to allow close inspection of the residents.
• Utilize brush piles to provide cover and nesting sites for wildlife.
• Consider weather stations to help correlate weather to habitat conditions and animal behavior.
• Construct an area with animal tracks pressed into clay or cement to help students learn to find and identify tracks in the wild.
• Incorporate trails and interpretive signs to offer students a chance to learn about wildlife by preparing material.
• Consider fencing, if needed, to ensure protection of the site.
• Include teachers, administrators, maintenance staff, students, parents, businesses, and community resource people in the planning, implementation, and maintenance of the site and development of learning activities.
• Apply learning activities that are site-specific and encompass many disciplines such as science, math, art, writing, and social sciences.
• Utilize and incorporate other programs such as Project WILD Water Education for Teachers (WET) and Project Learning Tree.

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DEVELOPING AN OWLS PLAN MORE QUESTIONS ??

Who should be responsible for planning, implementing, and maintaining the OWLS?

The OWLS Committee.

Who should be on the OWLS Committee?

A school administrator.
A teacher.
At least two students.
At least one person from the school maintenance staff.
At least two parents.
Private sponsors.

The more people you involve, the more likely your project will succeed, both in short and long term. Experience has shown that projects developed by one or two people expire when those people leave. However, long-term committee involvement should take into consideration workable numbers in order to expedite business. Normally, committees should number more than six but less than fifteen. The ND Game and Fish Department will have initial input along with other area resource specialists, cooperators, and prospective funding partners.

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What are the responsibilities of the OWLS Committee?

• Inventory teacher interest (involve all interested teachers).
• Inventory the potential site(s).
• Decide what features are feasible for the site.
• Decide where the features will be located.
• Make a map of the site with desired features (see map in Appendix).
• Determine the cost of development and maintenance.
• Prepare a budget (see budget in Appendix).
• Publicize the project.
• Obtain funding (involve other prospective funding partners in the OWLS).
• Decide who will be responsible for developing each of the features.
• Decide what equipment is needed for feature development.
• Decide who will be responsible for the maintenance of each of the features.
• Decide what equipment is needed for maintenance.
• Decide who will be selecting learning activities for each feature.
• Decide what kind of in-service training is necessary for teachers (should be ''hands on'').
• Decide how often teachers should participate in in-service training (at least once per year).
• Decide how the in-service training is going to be funded.
• Re-evaluate every year.
• Update every year.
  

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What do we need for the inventory and site mapping?

• Aerial map.
• Soil map.
• Topographical map.
• Plant identification book.
• Site map.
  

Example of Site Map

What should be include in our inventory?

• Topographic and geologic features (rocks, outcrops, boulders, slopes, streams, lakes, ponds, wetlands, etc.)
• Soil types (see your county soil survey book and ask your county Soil Conversation Service district conservationist to help with this).
• Soil profiles (stream cuts, road cuts, slopes, etc.).
• Plants (grasses, shrubs, trees, vines, flowers, harmful plants, old field vegetation for plant succession studies, etc.).
• Animal habitats (den and nesting trees, brush piles, food plants, old stumps, fallen logs, snags in ponds, wetlands, etc.).
• Historical remnants (fences, foundations, orchards, outbuildings, etc.).

The remainder of this guidebook gives more details on the development of site features, the selection of learning activities, and the contents of the school wildlife resource center.

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OWLS PROJECT SEQUENCE OF EVENTS

1. ND Game and Fish Department office sends guidelines to school or community upon request.

2. School forms an OWLS Committee, selects an OWLS project director, starts in-service training program, and begins fund raising.

3. School OWLS Committee prepares grant proposal with assistance of biologist and other resource persons

4. School OWLS project director contacts ND Game and Fish Department OWLS coordinator for guidance.

5. Project director sends grant proposal to OWLS coordinator for review.

6. OWLS office approves proposal or returns to project director for further refinement.

7. Grant contract is sent to school project director.

8. School project director returns signed grant contract to OWLS office.

9. OWLS grant check is sent to school.

10. OWLS coordinator visits OWLS site to inspect and discuss plan.

11. OWLS Committee implements plan and maintains site.

12. ND Game and Fish OWLS coordinator monitors progress of OWLS.

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