Standing above the Sweetwater Creek on Walking Mountains’ new 224-acre Precourt Family Sweetwater Campus, the George Family Education Center welcomed eager Red Hill Elementary fifth graders for their 3-day, 2-night residential field science program. Over this brief, but impactful period, students engaged in team-building activities, trail building, invasive species removal, climate change education, unstructured ecosystem exploration, and a student favorite - s’mores by the campfire. Students’ curiosity blossomed more than the endemic Harrington’s Penstemon (a topic for future exploration) during their field science program as they braved chilly nights, sleeping close to their friends in tents, as well as unusual stormy afternoon weather, seeking refuge in both the Holzworth and Boca Family Yurts.
The George Family Education Center served as a great dining hall for the students' time at the Sweetwater Campus. Many smiles were observed and laughs reverberated throughout the room as students chowed down on spaghetti, tacos, scrambled eggs, and much more. And of course, the Tesla Power Wall was a huge topic of conversation during meals. “Wait, that's not a Tesla….” stated many students. Our Foley Graduate Fellows did a great job of explaining to students, “those are actually batteries, storing all of the energy from the solar panels above, to make sure that you have light tonight to brush your teeth and go to the bathroom.” Needless to say, students thought that was a really cool feature, demonstrating the positive impact that a sustainable building can have on students.
During the 3-day program, fellows dove into our “At Home in the Hydrosphere” program which highlights the importance of water conservation and how the scarcity of water can be linked to climate change. Armed with knowledge, students took advantage of the new sheltered learning spaces at Sweetwater and created a mural of the actions that they can do to reduce the impacts of climate change. One student added to the mural, “I think how we should save the planet is by not using so much gas and electricity. Maybe spend time outside to see how much you love it so you want to save it.” We will hopefully be seeing this student as a Graduate Fellow in the future!
Graduate Fellows also engaged students in ecosystem exploration during the Sweetwater program. They provided several opportunities and support for unstructured exploration. This was a crucial component of the program, allowing students to connect with nature on their terms. From bones, to baby lizards, to fossils, to walking sticks and “animal homes”, students were immersed in the 216 acres of Sweetwater magic that are held in conservation easement by the Eagle Valley Land Trust. The exploration ended with students transforming into a variety of local animals striving to survive in a large game of “Predator Prey,” played throughout the unique sagebrush, grassland, pinyon-juniper, and riparian communities at Sweetwater.
As the sun set over the Sweetwater Campus, evenings came alive with campfires under the starlit sky. Gathered around the flickering flames, the students savored the simple joys of s'mores and engaged in several graduate fellow-led songs. Students also had the opportunity to experience Sweetwater at night during a night hike, deepening their connection with and comfort in the outdoors.
There is still some work to do on the Sweetwater campus with the restoration of the land at the forefront. Red Hill 5th Graders did not hesitate to jump in and and helped to delineate a new trail that goes from the Education Center to the beginning of Rosie’s Way, one of the first trails established at Sweetwater. In addition, students went to work physically removing hundreds of Russian thistles in an attempt to prepare the land for native grass planting. Students were extremely proud of their hard work and one student was overheard yelling “I helped make this!” as they ran down the new trail.
Walking Mountains is not only excited to continue this land restoration in the near future, but to also invite more Eagle County students to experience the magic of Sweetwater. The magic is captivating, as students did not want to leave and were literally dragging their feet to get on the bus to head back home. One Red Hill student summed up their experience with the following: “I never had so much fun camping. This is the best.” We can’t argue with that!
We are thankful for all of the generous donors that made the Sweetwater Campus and Education Center possible, allowing students who have been coming to the Tang Campus for several years to expand their knowledge of the natural world within the Colorado River Watershed.
Written by Dustin Hall. Dustin Hall is the School Programs Manager at Walking Mountains. Dustin’s favorite part of Sweetwater is the ecological biodiversity that can be found while exploring the property. Dustin is excited to schedule more field science programs at the Precourt Family Sweetwater Campus in the future!