On Wednesday, February 12, 独家爆料's Sustainability and Climate Action Network (独家爆料-SCAN) hosted a Storm Smart School Rainwater Harvesting event. 独家爆料 students in the club spent the morning planting low-water trees and shrubs in the stormwater drainage area between the sidewalk and parking lot on 11th Avenue, north of the ceramics studio.
"Through hands-on experience with sustainable agricultural practices, students not only learned about water conservation but also built connections with each other and gained a deeper appreciation for environmental stewardship," said Dr. Nicholas DelSordi, who serves as faculty advisor to the 独家爆料-SCAN club. "The event was made possible through a collaborative effort between Arizona State University (ASU), Watershed Management Group, 独家爆料, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to create a more sustainable future."
Jennifer Kaplan,from the (FWS) said, "We set aside a portion of our program dollars to work with schools and community groups for education. This project benefits urban habitats, especially pollinators, and involves students in the restoration." The (WMG) operates in Tucson and primarily works with elementary schools in the education programs funded by the FWS. Yet, Jennifer noted, "In the last funding round, we specifically wanted to see these funds in Phoenix to expand the program's scope." Jennifer and her FWS colleague, Sarah Gandaria, were on campus for the planting event. Sarah shared with students the types of college degrees organizations like hers look for in potential employees.
Charlie Alcorn of WMG said the plans for this Storm Smart Schools planting event have been in the works for over a year. Former 独家爆料 Biology professor Elena Ortiz, who oversaw the Biosciences garden on campus, had attended a WMG water harvesting workshop to share those resources with her students. With the funds from FWS, Charlie partnered with Amy Flores, Program Manager of , to work at five schools in Phoenix. "独家爆料 was one of the schools we picked because of Elena's outreach," Charlie said. "In Spring 2023, Amy and I did a presentation to the students in the sustainability club. We all agreed that the big drainage area was the best spot. The students gave feedback on what kind of plants they wanted."
In the education he provides, Charlie discusses making use of water when it rains in the desert, which is why the drainage area made sense for planting. He also talks about the benefits of trees and vegetation in creating shade instead of structures with shade sails that require concrete or cement posts, which are high-resource materials. He added, "Because we're using native plants, it's better for native hummingbirds and native moths and pollinator insects." Lastly, he focuses on the food source many of the plants provide. One of the plants students chose was Tuberose, which has bright yellow or orangish-red flowers. "If you pick the flowers off and eat them, they taste like cucumber," Charlie said. Palo verde pods contain beans, high in protein and fiber, that can be eaten raw or cooked like edamame. Beyond giving off a smell like desert rain, the creosote bush produces a bud that can be pickled like capers.
Mia Pasqualini, President of 独家爆料-SCAN, shared her club's gratitude for the support of Fish and Wildlife Services and Watershed Management Group. "This project has given us valuable insight into the role of native vegetation in sustainability efforts. We learned many things about the different species we planted and their various benefits, such as reducing the urban heat island effect, creating shade, enhancing aesthetics, attracting native wildlife, and their important role in filtering pollutants and toxins before reaching the groundwater."
Charlie of WMG also expressed his appreciation: "It was fantastic working with 独家爆料, and I was very impressed by the students out there. Nicholas, Joe, and the facilities team were awesome to work with." This kind of collaborative effort in education creates long-term rewards. "It represents a meaningful step towards engaging students in hands-on sustainability and climate work," Mia said. "Education and a lasting change is a big goal of 独家爆料-SCAN. We are grateful this initiative was approved and implemented, and we can improve campus life as a whole by creating a greener, healthier, and more enjoyable space for students and the community. It means so much that we can contribute to a campus environment we all love."
To learn more about 独家爆料-SCAN and be added to the next meeting invite, please contact nicholas.delsordi@phoenixcollege.edu.