Take a walk around our school to see all the different projects in different phases of implementation. You might just happen to encounter Adriana, our Permaculture Specialist sponsored by Green Wave, giving a hands-on workshop to one of the grade level classes during environmental education class.
Each grade level at Futuro Verde has a different environmental focus related to sustainability and permaculture. The science teacher, environmental education teacher, and our Permaculture Specialist collaborate in hands-on workshops where students learn how to implement a specific permaculture technique to then be followed up with regular visits and attention in weekly environmental education and science activities.
All of the grade levels work in collaboration to support the greater effort to become a more sustainable school. Some of the most recent workshops have been very exciting and in perfect timing with the upcoming green season, which is ideal for planting. 3rd grade has now added two more lasagna compost piles to create a 3 pile system to later be used as compost in the garden beds. 7th grade has started adding to our school seed bank after investigating different techniques for storing seeds and has begun creating a seed database.
The follow up to seed saving comes with 4th and 5th grade projects to prepare the soil and also filling pots and trays while they practice different propagation techniques for a diverse plant population. 2nd grade then followed through the process by sowing seeds in trays and then planting them in the garden beds, following the moon cycle for best yielding. As they planted seeds, they also increased their organization skills by labeling each plants they sowed and by creating a watering schedule.
The 6th grade permaculture project to introduce the creation and use of different fermented natural foliar sprays is easily applicable by the creation of sprays then put into practice to help control pests and promote growth in the school garden areas.
Several grade levels are working together to help keep our chickens feeling content and comfortable in their surroundings. We are currently hoping to better secure the chicken coop area fence as we also look for creative ways to keep them fed over the breaks. Last week several grade levels worked together to plant banana trees which will provide food for the chickens over the mid-year break. As a school, we are always looking for sustainable solutions to implement on a daily basis, starting with something as simple as asking ourselves, “how can we keep our chickens fed and happy over school vacations?”
All of these workshops and ongoing projects have just taken flight in the last few months and there are more to come. Next up, Futuro Students will be visiting the Cabo Blanco Reserve to look at Food Forests and how to imitate them at our own level within the current curriculum and institution.
As our school continues to grow in numbers, we continue to look for sustainable solutions to help us grow responsibly. Permaculture is one of our solutions and we are so thankful that we have the support of the local community to implement permaculture practices in our school.