Join Boone County District Energy Manager, Karen Lenihan, and Boone County High School Environmental Science Teacher, Lenny Beck, for the culmination of this Green Apple Day of Service project.

Environmental Science students have spent the fall and winter studying current and potential outdoor campus native plant and tree species. They have made presentations to the District's Energy Coordinator and Facilities Manager for recommendations to establish native plants and trees in this area, improve natural wildlife habitat and remove invasive plant species.

The plants and tree selections and placements were optimized to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and improve the school's energy efficiency. Trees, plants and soils can capture carbon and remove carbon dioxide emissions (i.e., greenhouse gas emissions) from the atmosphere by retaining or storing the carbon within the trees, plants and the soils that support the plants. This carbon capture and sequestration is a natural process that can be used to combat the effects of global warming.

Students will learn firsthand how plants and trees will be used to efficiently reduce our carbon footprint, how creating a sustainable area is important to climate change and how sustainability is something we can all work toward together.

The placement of trees at Boone County High School will provide shade and windbreaks that will ultimately save energy at the school. Students estimate that the trees will ultimately reduce school energy use by 278 kilowatts a year.

Trees also reduce storm water runoff by absorbing rainfall that will not need to be filtered and treated: another way of saving energy at the school. It is estimated that the 7 trees being planted will reduce stormwater runoff by 15,030 gallons a year.

Trees also take in the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen into the atmosphere, thereby providing cleaner and healthier air. The carbon sequestration benefits of the trees is estimated at 1960 pounds a year.

BENCHMARKING ENERGY USE: The District Energy Coordinator will benchmark energy usage at the school before the project and a year or two after completion.

AVOIDING LANDFILL: Reused, recycled or compost-used materials for paving, mulching, etc., will be used that will contribute to a sustainable development area.

Greeters/sign in

Planting trees/plants

Spreading hay

Presentation table about sustainable sites

Working the pre-event day and the event itself

Assisting in constructing a path/trail

Hauling

Planting trees/plants

Constructing a path

Assembling items

Skilled work:

Carpentry - signage

Bird nesting boxes

Assembling Benches

Constructing a path

Shovels (various sizes)

Gloves

Rakes

(Donated supplies are greatly appreciated. If you have a connection at a local vendor who sells or makes these supplies, please ask them to donate for this cause. We will provide a tax receipt for the donation.)

Top soil

T-post

T-post adaptor

Material to construct a trail

Bird nesting boxes

Bird feeders

Bird food

Outdoor Classroom sign - Nat'l Wildlife Federation

Plants requested:

Kentucky Coffee Tree

Red Maple Tree

Eastern Redbud tree

Plants (ex.: Common evening primrose, butterfly weed....)

Purple Coneflower

Black eyed Susan

Poverty Oat Grass

Little Bluestem & Prairie Dropseed

In-kind donations of supplies requested from local vendors and supporters:

(Donated supplies are greatly appreciated. If you have a connection at a local vendor who sells or makes these supplies, please ask them to donate for this cause.