Glen Urquhart Students Learn About Land Stewardship… and Invasive Species!

How many 10-year-olds do you know who can identify black swallow-wort or any other invasive plant species? Precious few, if any, one might imagine. But a curious and enthusiastic group of fifth graders from Glen Urquhart School (GUS) in Beverly are well-versed in all things invasive —as well as a variety of other topics related to land conservation and management — thanks to a unique collaboration with Greenbelt.

“Last year, our Science Curriculum Coordinator, Jen Mallette, reached out to Greenbelt to explore a potential partnership centered on land stewardship and the idea quickly took off,” says Emilie Cushing, a long-time science teacher at Glen Urquhart. “From the start, everyone at Greenbelt has been fully on board and eager to share their expertise with our students. It’s made the entire experience not only fun but also deeply meaningful.”

To launch the partnership, students visited Cox Reservation last fall for a guided tour of the property, where they learned about land management practices and explored the diverse plant life found throughout the grounds. While walking the trails, they became particularly intrigued by invasive species — black swallow-wort among them, first introduced to North America in Essex County — which they chose to continue researching back in the classroom. Building on this momentum, Greenbelt’s Volunteer Program Coordinator, John Turvey, later visited GUS to share his knowledge and help students identify invasive plants growing right on their own campus.

That classroom learning quickly turned into hands-on action. In early June, the students returned to Cox Reservation to plant milkweed — a native plant that supports monarch butterflies and other pollinators, and helps offset the impact of invasive species — which they had grown from seed to seedling in the GUS greenhouse.

This same group of students, when they return as sixth graders, plan to create educational signage for the GUS campus that identifies black swallow-wort and highlights the importance of milkweed and the need to protect it. While the role of this particular group of students will evolve, the partnership with Greenbelt is just getting started — with a new cohort ready to take the lead.

“The incoming fifth graders will ideally return to Cox Reservation in the fall for a similar tour and develop their own land stewardship project,” says Emilie. “They may choose to build on the previous class's work or start something entirely new."

Additionally, she notes the potential for cross-grade collaboration, with students now well-versed in black swallow-wort and other invasive species sharing their knowledge with pre-K learners.