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Welcome to the Lebanon High School Environmental Wetlands Project Website! As winter approaches, life in the nature study area seems to slow. The trees shed their leaves for the cold months ahead. The orchestra of insects whose sounds usually fill the air leave cold silence in their absence. The ground hardens, and the wetland becomes frozen. The warm touch of the autumn sun convincingly promises the return of warmth. The transition from fall to winter is a remarkable time of year, a time when life in all forms prepares to persevere through the coming cold season.

Through the funds provided by the D.A.R. Wetlands Recovery Project: A Learn and Serve of America Grant (http://www.learnandserve.gov/Default.asp), we have continued our dedication to environmental education and awareness. We have constructed a low impact footbridge through a part of our wetlands, allowing the community access to the outdoor learning center. An interactive kiosk and flower garden now greet our guests giving the public some general information about the Environmental Wetland Area, EWA. Field tables have been installed along main paths, giving students and visitors a place to conduct tests and take notes without leaving the nature study area. Steps now lead the way up to Lebanon High School. The outdoor classroom has been improved to better accommodate students.

The impact of the first members of Lebanon High School’s Ecology Program is evident in EWA’s transformation since their arrival. The 2008-09 class is continuing our program’s commitment to the environment. These students continue to educate the public about ecological concerns and continue to provide the public with an outdoor education area from which the community can benefit. This year’s class will also undertake several projects to improve our nature study area to better serve the community and the program. Most importantly, however, these new students will have the privilege of experiencing nature, of learning hands-on about the world around them.

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