Our community knows that the Kimberton Waldorf School campus is a beautiful, tree-filled place, but do we really know the extent of the arboreal diversity on campus? Well now we have a pretty good idea!
The 11th grade in their main lesson time with Mr. Strevig worked to inventory and map the great variety of tree species on campus. The class identified and located on an updated campus map the location and names of at least 49 unique species of trees and shrubs on our campus. The list includes common native shrubs and trees, as well as fairly unique ornamental and imported tree species.
The students also recounted stories of their favorite trees and submitted photos of their favorites for the map. The list and map will continue to grow and evolve, as already several new native species have recently been planted in the riparian area next to Kindergarten Creek and near the track.
In the coming years, classes will work at inventorying and identifying exceptionally large trees in the wilder portions of campus. By measuring the circumference of the trees, we can find a good estimate of the age of known species. As we learn more about the individual trees and water resources on campus, we can come to a deeper understanding of the history of our campus as well as the overall health of the forest and creeks that we love so much.
The positive identification of so many trees would not have been possible without the help of our resident tree experts Celia Martin and Mike Ruhl.
