Description
At Prospect Sierra Elementary School, teachers saw the large, often brown expanse of lawn at the school’s entrance not as a wasteland, but as a potential habitat for birds, bees, and butterflies—and as an inviting outdoor learning laboratory for students. Collaborating with the facilities director, who was motivated by a desire to reduce water use—and in alignment with California’s recently enacted AB 1572, which prohibits potable water for nonfunctional turf on institutional and public properties—the site was reimagined using drought-tolerant, sun-loving native plants that both attract wildlife and conserve water.
The front native garden quickly blossomed into a dynamic learning environment where students engage with ecology, plant life cycles, and water-wise gardening. The vibrant plantings invite pollinators and curiosity alike, blending science, art, and play in the school’s everyday life. So successful was the transformation that the initiative expanded: a series of additional garden beds within the campus were also re-planted with native, low-water species. Teachers wove the gardens into their curriculum, teaching lessons on biodiversity, ecological stewardship, and the importance of thoughtful landscaping in response to climate and resource concerns.
This transformation powerfully demonstrates how school grounds can become colorful, sustainable, and welcoming spaces—serving both ecological and educational purposes. It exemplifies how local action can align with state-level water conservation policies like AB 1572, advancing the cultivation of living classrooms where students connect with the land, building a sense of place, and environmental responsibility.
Presenter Bios
Melody Esquer Gil
Prospect Sierra School
Melody Esquer Gil is the elementary science teacher at Prospect Sierra Elementary School in El Cerrito. She has used the native gardens at the school to teach topics to Tk-4th grade students such as indigenous uses of plants, nature sketching, observation making, and plant care. Her own garden has been featured on the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour numerous times.
Whendy Costa
Prospect Sierra School
Whendy Costa is the Lead TK Teacher for Prospect Sierra Elementary in El Cerrito, CA. She strives to bring the outdoors into her curriculum by facilitating the connection to the land through play, exploration, foraging, and nature-based learning. After joining the Prosect Sierra team, she was inspired by the native gardens that were created on campus and expanded the space in front of her building as a native garden.
DateSaturday, February 7
