Manchester School Receives FoGR Environmental Grant

From Manchester School

Friends of the Gualala River awarded Manchester School its first grant to help develop a system of nature paths and outdoor classrooms on the school campus.

Randy Sinclair presents FoGR’s first ‘Eco-Hero’ award to Cindy Gonzales, principal of Manchester SchoolThe nature trail, with a raised walkway and meeting areas for classes, is a significant component of the plan for Manchester School Park, the playground and community park being built on the school property.

A network of paths through the area called the “Woodland Park” at Manchester School has existed for many years. This nature trail has been used as an outdoor classroom.

Cindy Gonzales, currently Superintendent of the school district, reports that when she taught the 6th, 7th and 8th grade class, her students collected owl pellets found on the pathways.

According to Gonzales, “These consist of regurgitated bones from what the owls have eaten. To study the habitat, the class dissected these pellets to learn what animals the owls were eating. We also sold the pellets at $1 each to other schools to use in the same way.”

A raised walkway is planned to protect the habitat of native plants and to allow the paths to be used year round by both students and visitors. Construction of the raised walkway is scheduled for 2007.

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