Most of us know that animal and plant species are going extinct, but few know how alarming the rate is--and that includes the students in Dave Ketter's environmental science class at Sequim High School in Sequim, Wa. 

While many students knew that species like the passenger pigeon and the dodo bird became extinct due to the actions of humans, they did not realize that the rate of extinction due to human activity is as much as 100 times the natural rate of extinction.  Students were shocked to learn this and expressed a great deal of concern. They wanted to know specifically why species were becoming extinct and what could be done about it. 

With help from a Heritage Institute World We Want mini-Grant, the students started to model what a more native ecology would like like, even though tended by humans. As they learned about the importance of biodiversity, students learned that efforts are being made to teach community members how to landscape with native plants in a way that is both attractive to home owners and serves as habitat for wildlife.  When students were presented with the idea of designing and installing a model native plant garden and schoolyard wildlife habitat right at the school, they jumped at the opportunity.  Through their Herculean efforts and with significant support from a variety of community members, business owners, conservation district employees, school district maintenance staff and many more, students were able to learn about, design, coordinate and install the first round of plantings for this three phase project.