By Colleen Wixon
staff writer
July 6, 2005

SEBASTIAN — Pelican Island Elementary students and teachers are hoping to continue the work they have done on the endangered coastal scrub habitat near their school.

The school is seeking an additional $3,000 Nature of Learning grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to maintain a butterfly garden students helped create at the Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge and to continue learning about the environment. The school applied for $13,000 last year from the foundation.

"Through this project, the students of Pelican Island Elementary will gain a deeper appreciation for environmental issues, especially as they relate to the Florida environment, the coastal scrub habitat and the importance of preserving, conserving and restoring our natural habitats for present and future generations," according to the grant application, which was completed by teacher Deb Berg and Principal William Honey.

The grant application first must be approved by the School Board, which is expected to take action at its meeting next week. The 7 p.m. meeting will be Monday, a change from the usual Tuesday meetings. The board agreed in November to make a change in the meeting time because of a scheduling conflict with district staff.

The foundation grant that Pelican Island Elementary got last September helped pay for a part-time environmental educator to teach students about the National Wildlife Refuge system. Using money from the grant, Pelican Island students worked with the Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge staff to create a butterfly garden, according to a letter from refuge Manager Paul Tritaik to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

"The refuge needs this continued partnership with (Pelican Island) to continue maintaining the butterfly garden," Tritaik said in his letter. "We hope you will make a favorable decision regarding their funding request so that they can continue to fulfill both their environmental education goals and the management goals of the refuge."

In 1997, an ECO-Troop of fourth- and fifth-graders was created to raise money to buy scrub jay-inhabited lots behind the school. The group raised $65,000 from donations and fundraising events and got $180,000 in grant money from the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Fifteen lots were bought in 2003, and the deeds were turned over to the School Board. The lots have been combined to form the Aloa Lorton Trail adjacent to the school. The trail is named for a retired teacher.

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