The Providence Parks Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership is a collaboration between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the RI National Wildlife Refuge Complex, the City of Providence Parks Department, and the Partnership for Providence. Together, this partnership strives to bring a conservation message to the neighborhoods of Providence in the places where families live, work, and play.
Established through a collaborative agreement in 2013, this Urban Partnership was one of the first six designated nationwide through the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Urban Refuge Initiative. With 80% of Americans living in cities, the initiative aims to meet children and families in their own neighborhoods to nurture an appreciation of wildlife conservation and foster a better understanding of the role of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in conserving natural resources. Currently the Providence Parks Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership works with a variety of partners, including Park Friends Groups, schools, teachers, local non-profits, conservation and environmental education-focused organizations, and, most importantly, families and communities in Providence!
The Providence Parks Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership focuses on exploring nature found in our city in city parks, within neighborhoods, and right outside our residents’ schools and doorsteps. This includes assisting in facilitating walking field trips in the neighborhoods, public programs in city parks, professional development opportunities for formal and informal educators to help connect their students to nature in urban areas, and summer camp programs for Providence youth.
The Providence Parks Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership also helped to establish Providence as an Urban Bird Treaty City through the national Migratory Bird Program; committing to create bird-friendly environments and provide people, especially in historically excluded, diverse communities, with opportunities to connect with nature through bird-related activities.
- To learn more about the nationwide Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership programs, including the Standards of Excellence that guides our program, please visit: https://www.fws.gov/urban/
- Follow the Providence Parks Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/urbanwildliferefuge
- To learn more about the Urban Bird Treaty program, visit: https://www.fws.gov/birds/grants/urban-bird-treaty.php
- To contact Conservation Program Coordinator, April Alix, please email: aalix@providenceri.gov or call 401-680-7253
Providence Parks Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership Events
Narducci Learning Center Schoolyard Habitat / Huerta Escolar del Narducci Learning Center
- To complete a short survey for the Schoolyard Habitat, please visit: https://forms.gle/FwjRZedf7V3mhY1Q8
- Para completar una pequeña encuesta para la Huerta Escolar, por favor visite: https://forms.gle/FwjRZedf7V3mhY1Q8
What is a Schoolyard Habitat? / De que se trata una huerta escolar?
A Schoolyard Habitat is a community space, intended for students, family and guests to enjoy during and after school hours. It can be a space that connects educators and students to local natural wildlife, along with addressing flooding issues, loss of pollinator habitats and heat island impacts. The Schoolyard Habitat Program is led by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Schoolyard habitats are similar to “outdoor classrooms.” These spaces provide close access for schools to take their lessons outside and integrate elements of nature into the curriculum. Additionally, these spaces may also include gardens, compost sites, plants and/or conventional play equipment. Community input and feedback are important in ensuring that schoolyard habitats are welcoming spaces that fit community needs.
Una huerta escolar es un espacio comunitario, destinado a que los estudiantes, la familia y los invitados disfruten durante y después del horario escolar. Puede ser un espacio que conecte a educadores y estudiantes con la vida silvestre natural local, junto con abordar los problemas de inundaciones, la pérdida de hábitats de polinizadores y los impactos de las islas de calor. El Programa de huerta escolar está dirigido por el U.S Fish and Wildlife Service. Las huertas escolares están relacionados de manera similar con “aulas al aire libre”. Estos espacios proporcionan un acceso cercano para que las escuelas tomen sus lecciones al aire libre e integren elementos de la naturaleza en el plan de estudios. Además, estos espacios también pueden incluir jardines, sitios de compostaje, plantas y / o equipos de juego convencionales. Los aportes y comentarios de la comunidad son importantes para garantizar que los hábitats de los patios escolares sean espacios acogedores que se ajusten a las necesidades de la comunidad.
Community Benefits of a Schoolyard Habitat / Beneficios comunitarios de una huerta escolar
Urban areas tend to lack natural environments. Schoolyard Habitats and other green spaces present a wide array of benefits to a community. Studies show that schoolyard habitats not only motivate students to come to school, but these green spaces contribute to better academic performance, longer attention spans and improved engagement and positive mindsets. In the community, these green spaces provide benefits to general well-being, such as improved social-emotional well-being, increased physical activity and healthier eyes and vitamin D levels. COVID-19 demonstrated a great need for outdoor classrooms. Schoolyard Habitats bring teachers, and students, outside and more closely connect them with native plants and species and serve as a shared space for the local community.
Las áreas urbanas tienden a carecer de entornos naturales. Las huertas escolares y otros espacios verdes presentan una amplia gama de beneficios para una comunidad. Los estudios muestran que las huertas escolares no solo motiva a los estudiantes a venir a la escuela, sino que estos espacios verdes contribuyen a un mejor rendimiento académico, períodos de atención más largos y un mejor compromiso y mentalidades positivas. En la comunidad, estos espacios verdes brindan beneficios para el bienestar general, como un mejor bienestar socioemocional, una mayor actividad física y ojos más saludables y niveles de vitamina D. El COVID-19 demostró una gran necesidad de aulas al aire libre. Huertas escolares trae a los maestros y estudiantes al exterior y los conecta más estrechamente con plantas y especies nativas y sirve como un espacio compartido para la comunidad local.
Examples provided by Space to Grow / Ejemplos proporcionados por Space to Grow
Wadsworth Stem Elementary School / Escuela Primaria Wadsworth Stem
Chicago, IL
Before and after a Schoolyard Habitat was implemented / Antes y después de que se implementara un Huerto Escolar