Sand County Foundation is inviting high school educators in the Wiregrass region of Alabama to apply for the Pollinator Habitat Grant program, which awards selected schools with $500 to support project expenses to create native habitat in their area. The lead teacher receives an additional $200 stipend for participating, and also receives Conservation Career Curriculum training and lesson plans developed by Sand County Foundation’s Education and Outreach Specialist.
Over two-years, lessons will be shared which give students hands-on experience in habitat restoration tailored to their region, with a goal of exciting students about careers in conservation. The first year a "Site Preparation" unit with six lessons will be shared with teachers, and the second year a "Habitat Creation" unit with six lessons will be shared, including topics such as forestry, soil science, botany, and ecology.
Students will learn about technical methods of site preparation including burning, solarization, and herbicide application, and gain firsthand skills in the growing, planting, and maintenance of local native plant species.
Applicants must identify a suitable site where they will create or restore native habitat, relevant to their local ecosystem. This may include plantings of longleaf pine saplings, warm-season native grasses, and wildflowers. After attending training webinars, teachers will guide students in site preparation, raising native plants, and establishing habitat. Schools may also receive plastic growing trays, native seeds, and live plants to supplement their plantings as part of this program.
To be eligible to apply, you must be a high school educator in the wiregrass region of Alabama. Applications will be accepted until November 1, 2024.
Award recipients will be notified if they have been selected by December 1, 2024. Project activities run from January 2025, to May 2026.