Palouse Prairie K-12 Place-Based Education Program

The beautiful prairie that once covered the rolling hills of the Palouse is almost completely lost, with less than 1% remaining. Restoring Palouse Prairie is crucial to prevent further losses in biodiversity and ecosystem services. The biggest challenges to restoration are limitations in public land, plant materials, and funding; but perhaps most importantly a lack of public awareness. Even among lifelong residents, very few know what the Palouse Prairie is. Given that less than 1% remains intact, this is perhaps unsurprising, as opportunities to see it are few and far between. This is especially unfortunate for children growing up in the Palouse, who have few opportunities to spend time in nature and develop an ecological sense of place. Connecting with nature is vital for childhood development and education, particularly for developing the capacity to form ideas, think critically, and spark creativity, as well as for physical and mental health. Sadly, even among parents trying to ensure that their children have these vital opportunities, few know where to find these "wild" spaces, and many feel they have to leave the region to find them. Limited public access to such spaces is an especially problematic obstacle for lower-income families, and Whitman County has one of the highest poverty rates in Washington State. To address this problem, we need projects that increase public access to both native areas and relevant educational resources. The Phoenix Conservancy’s AmeriCorps Palouse Place-based Education Program aims to achieve this through a unique combination of education and conservation service work. A team of education-focused members will develop and help implement Palouse Prairie related educational materials for K-12 teachers, while a team of restoration-focused members will install “Pocket Prairie” outdoor classrooms on public school campuses and restore prairie habitat on other public lands.