Restoration, Ecology and Action

Restoration, Ecology and Action program engages classrooms in the Chico Unified School District in service-learning components that focus on anadromous fish, riparian habitat restoration, and creek ecology. Our objective is to balance the species focus with field trips about restoration of riparian habitat and regional ecology, where students use problem- solving skills to do real-life restoration. This is a service learning component where students do restoration in Bidwell Park as part of the the Park Dept. vegetation management program. Restoration methods start with manually removing or girdling invasive plant species such as Himalayan blackberry, ailanthus, privet, vinca, English ivy, pyracantha, and star thistle. Once exotics have been removed from an area, students plant native trees, shrubs, and grasses to create new habitat.