MPES Green Program

Check out our article in the local section of today's Sun-Sentinel!!! Thank you everyone that helped to make this project a reality!!!

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/palm-beach/delray-beach/fl-morikami-tree-planting-20120605,0,5179556.story

Development rule creates new native habitat at Morikami Park Elementary An empty field next to a Delray Beach elementary school will soon become a lush pine forest, filled with birds, frogs and bugs, thanks to a Palm Beach County rule that requires developers to replace the trees they destroy.

We are thrilled that the field is being prepared now for the final stage of our restoration project!!! Hundreds of trees and shrubs will be planted in June to create an Oak Hammock and Pine Forest. Please check out the press release issued today!

http://news.palmbeach.k12.fl.us/pao/2012/05/30/morikami-park-elementary-school-pta%E2%80%99s-green-task-force-completes-habitat-restoration-project/

Public Affairs Office » Morikami Park Elementary School PTA’s Green Task Force Completes Habitat Res Morikami Park Elementary School PTA’s Green Task Force is thrilled to announce the planting of hundreds of trees and shrubs to complete the final phase of the Habitat Restoration Project located in the two-acre field adjacent to the school’s playground and Lawton Chiles Park. During the development...

We are thrilled to announce that it is likely that we will be receiving trees and shrubs from PBC Environmental Resource Management as part of a mitigation project to complete the planting portion of our Habitat Restoration!!! We met with members of ERM and the School District yesterday and it went very well. Our Habitat Restoration Team Members are creating the plant list now. The project will need to be officially approved by the District (although it sounds like that should not be a problem) and then be officially approved by ERM in January. If all goes well, planting would start in Feb/March and the entire field would be restored with native trees and shrubs. On December 14th, I will be presenting a plan to raise money for a nature path at the Grade Chair Teacher meeting. After teachers give feedback to Mrs. Quinones, she will decide if we are allowed to go forward with raising the money to build the path, including some interpretive signs. Because the Green Task Force is being asked to also raise money for 5 years of maintenance, we will probably need to eliminate the plans for the 30'x30' shaded learning area. The price for the nature path with interpretive signs and 5 years of maintenance is estimated to be $30K. We would love to hear your feedback!

The October rains filled our wetland, providing habitat to many native birds, including Great Egrets, Wood Storks, Great Blue Herons and schools of ducks. The wetland provides an area for the water to slowly filter down into the soil (rather than running off into a storm drain and out to sea). The filtration process removes pollutants as the water slowly moves through layers of soil before reaching the Biscayne Aquifer, our main source of drinking water. We are so fortunate to have this incredible learning opportunity right here in our backyard at Morikami Park!

Aftercare art mural students in the "Brushstrokes" club chose the wetlands for the Wyland "Water is Life" art mural contest in October 2010.

50 volunteers planted over 400 native plants and trees in the Morikami Preserve.

Please join us for our first Friends of Morikami Preserve meeting, Monday Sept. 12th at 2:15 in Mrs. Russell's classroom. All ages welcome!

Log on to our website at www.morikamiparkgreenpage.org to find out how you can become involved to help create an outdoor learning area for our students. There are many rewards for all levels of corporate and private tax-deductible giving.

Log on to our website at
www.morikamiparkgreenpage.org to find out more about how teachers may use our planned outdoor learning area to teach IB and science curriculum.

Welcome Check out http://morikamiparkgreenpage.org! Home Page

Studies show that students who learn in outside classrooms have improved test scores, stronger problem solving, critical thinking and decision making skills and less behavior issues.

Become part of history in the making here at Morikami Park Elementary as we raise $45,000 through private and corporate sponsorships to create an outdoor learning area for students to be completed in the 2012-13 school year. The learning area will include a concrete nature path, and a 30’x30’ concrete learning area surrounded by Pine Flatwood, Oak Hammock and Wetland habitats as well as a Bird and Butterfly garden.