The grant is from the National Earth Science Teachers Association and will support an ongoing collaborative project called “Living Land Legacy: Habitat Restoration and Conservation at Providence Montessori."
Providence Montessori, a private K-12 school in Alamance County, has received a grant in partnership with Elon faculty Kelsey Bitting and Evan Small.
Over the span of the grant, this project will involve collaborations between several Environmental Studies and Outdoor Leadership and Education courses and students at Providence Montessori to address the urgent need for habitat restoration and the protection of native, edible and medicinal plant species. Elon students will be engaged in course-based research and community-based learning projects to support Providence students and teachers in restoring damaged habitats, identifying and mapping key plant species, evaluating soil health, and integrating environmental stewardship and mindfulness into K–12 learning. Through hands-on work at both Providence’s food forest and outdoor nature school, students will document species and their habitat, study cultural and historical uses, and create advocacy tools to protect these habitats on campus and in the wider community.
Faculty say addressing these issues is critically important because restoring native ecosystems not only protects biodiversity but also strengthens community resilience, improves mental health and empowers students to become responsible stewards of the planet. Through research, restoration, and hands-on learning, faculty say the project seeks to revitalize natural spaces, promote environmental justice, and reconnect students with nature in ways that foster gratitude, responsibility and long-term care for the earth