BJHS Begins the Creation of a Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat 

 

Bloomington Jr. High’s courtyard is getting a new look!  In early October, a pondless waterfall was added to the courtyard as the first step in a renovation that will be completed over the next 18 months.  The school’s Jr. Master Gardeners club is working towards having the courtyard certified as a Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat through the National Wildlife Federation.  The waterfall will provide a water source for birds and other animals.  

 

The funds for this project were donated by the Central Illinois Water Gardeners, who also provided guidance and much of the labor in the building of the waterfall. Generous donations from Wendell Niepagen Greenhouses, Growing Grounds, and Acme Roofing helped keep the costs down and left plenty of funds to buy plants to help finish the landscaping portion of the project.

 

The Master Gardeners of McLean County also provided some of the labor in building the waterfall and will be helping the students in the club plant bulbs.  We plan to have over 200 tulips and daffodils in the ground yet this fall.   While much of the actual planting will have to wait until spring, the students in Jr. Master Gardeners will spend this winter planning each section of the garden.  When completed, the courtyard will have five different “themed” gardens, each of which will be used to teach different aspects of gardening in Illinois.

 

Building the Pondless Waterfall - PowerPoint Presentation

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