This semester we have scheduled thirteen projects which will serve up to 350 students. We have six sites of interest in and around Marion County. Eagle Creek, Marott Park, and Southeastway Park have alredy taken place with a great turnout!
We will be able to diversify our invasive species targets to include privet hedge, burning bush, jetbread, oriental bittersweet, and purple wintercreeper, as well as continuing our work with Amur bush honeysuckle. The most recent project focused on forest management of a reforestation plot at Southeastway Park.
Service learning activities provide students with the opportunity to apply what they have learned in the classroom to a field setting. With each service learning project, we make a point of connecting their restoration efforts to concepts learned in the classroom. In doing this, it is our intention that students will walk away not only with a hands-on, concrete application of their learning, but also an appreciation for the complexity of nature and their place in it. Because IUPUI is an urban campus, it can make connecting with nature a bit more difficult; service learning projects are one solution to that problem.
This season has also brought an encouraging number of volunteers who are participating outside of classwork. We admire their dedication and hope the trend will continue. We still have openings in November at Sodalis Nature Park and Felege Hiywot Center. More information about projects and how to sign up can be found on the service learning page. If you have any questions regarding service learning at CEES or would like to suggest a new service learning site, please do not hesitate to contact us!
