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Miller Creek is a rural/suburban creek that drains Lucas Valley and the Marinwood area of San Rafael, CA into San Francisco Bay. Restoration projects coordinated by the Marin County Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program (MCSTOPPP) and the STRAW project (Students and Teachers Restoring A Watershed) incorporate hands-on learning for school children with community volunteers to rehabilitate suburban streams. Photo provided courtesy of The Bay Institute.
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Students from nearby schools including Mary Silveira School in San Rafael, have been working for the last 4 years to remove exotic invasive plants such as Himalayan blackberry. Photo provided courtesy of The Bay Institute.
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Students then plant native species in the cleared areas. Students from Dixie School joined in to restore this section of creek bank next to the Dixie playground. Photo provided courtesy of The Bay Institute.
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Students are trained and supervised by MCSTOPPP scientists to insure successful transplanting and safety. Plant protection is installed to ensure survival from predation during the plant's three year establishment period. Photo provided courtesy of The Bay Institute.
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This year's (2003) work showing native plants where Himalayan blackberry recently smothered the ground. Students planted over 25 plants this year. Species planted include willows, elderberry, bee plant, California rose, and Flowering currant. Photo provided courtesy of The Bay Institute.
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At nearby Miller Creek Middle School, 7th grade science students are working to restore another section of Miller Creek downstream by pulling non-native English Ivy. Photo provided courtesy of The Bay Institute.
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Students work together in teams with a parent or community volunteer. Photo provided courtesy of The Bay Institute.
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STRAW teachers incorporate watershed studies into all aspects of the curriculum. Here Mary Silveira students reflect on their restoration experience in their journals. Photo provided courtesy of The Bay Institute.