Students Put Their Learning to Work in Willow Lake Nature Preserve

June 20, 2012

H.B. Fuller nature preserve director shows students a buck-thorn leaf H.B. Fuller is passionate about sustainability. It’s a commitment that runs deep, right to the root of where we live. Hosting classes for specific local students at our Willow Lake Nature Preserve, a 285-acre natural area and the site of our global headquarters, gives us an opportunity to support local schools, while sharing our environmental commitment with young minds.

For example, in May, five classes of 7th graders from White Bear Lake Central Middle School were on site exploring native and nonnative plant species, and putting their classroom learning to work in the Nature Preserve. As they hiked the trail with Nature Preserve Director Dana Larsen-Ramsay and staff, students practiced plant identification and observed seeds and resident wildlife. Their experience culminated with their science class service learning project, pulling invasive buckthorn trees.

H. B. Fuller Nature preserve students work on pulling out invasive buck-thorn trees.

Working in groups of three, students used Weed Wrenches to remove dozens of buckthorn from the Preserve. The bigger the tree the greater the sense of accomplishment! After pulling the roots from the ground, participants carefully compressed the soil to prevent other invasive species from easily taking root, and proudly added their trees to the growing pile. In the end there were five large piles of buckthorn, with each group comparing its pile to those of the previous class. Leaving as accomplished buckthorn eradicators, students were challenged to help remove this invasive species in their own yards and neighborhoods.

H. B. Fuller Nature preserve director shares a buck-thorn leaf with students

While our Willow Lake Nature Preserve is not open to the general public, we are happy to host specific audiences such as these young learners to help them gain interest and insight into STEM (science, technology, engineering and math)-related careers. We may even inspire a few to one day drive the future of our company.

To learn more about how we are giving back to our communities, visit our community page at www.hbfuller.com/community.

Dana Larsen-Ramsay
Director, H.B. Fuller Willow Lake Nature Preserve

Tags: technology, Willow Lake Nature Preserve, STEM, Nature Preserve, White Bear Lake Central Middle School, sustainability, engineering and math, science, Dana Larsen-Ramsay,

Students Put Their Learning to Work in Willow Lake Nature Preserve

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