Eagle Ridge ‘Green Team’ gets dirty for a good cause

Thanks to a grant funded by the Bosch Community Fund, Eagle Ridge Middle School (ERMS) has a new rain garden. The garden will help protect area ponds and streams by slowing down runoff from storms and winter melting, and by filtering pollutants such as salt, fertilizer and silt before water enters the city storm water system.

On Wednesday, Oct. 4, the ERMS Green Team, which consists of about 25 students, and other volunteers planted 600 seedlings in the garden. The garden features native prairie species including 5 species of native grasses such as big bluestem and Indian grass, and 10-12 species of prairie wildflowers including butterfly weed, purple coneflower, brown-eyed Susans and wild onion. It will take about three years for these plants to fully develop and fill in the garden. These species were selected not only for their ecological importance, but also to provide a living classroom space highlighting native plants for study by science, social studies and other classes.  

Scott County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) developed the site plan for the rain garden, and the District’s operations team coordinated the site work, which included grading the garden area to better direct rain water.

“With funding and technical expertise from both Bosch and SWCD, and commitment from ERMS staff and District 191, students will learn about native Minnesota plants, protecting water sources, pollinators and conservation,” said Kathy Funston, director of Strategic Partnerships and Pathways.

The Green Team, which is an environmental club offered at both middle schools, is led by 6th-grade teachers Tim Lundahl and Teresa Mikelson at ERMS.