School Campus a Haven for Owls
March 19, 2006By JULIE LEVIN
The Miami Herald
Science class was conducted outdoors at Pioneer Middle School recently, and John Maresca was ready to roll up his sleeves.
The seventh-grader was one of dozens of students helping to dig a butterfly garden at the Cooper City school at 5350 SW 90th Ave.
"We are taking the time and money to make something that animals can come to," John said.
The garden was but one part of an environmental honor handed to the school on March 10. The campus was officially declared a certified schoolyard habitat by a representative of the National Wildlife Federation, a conservation group based in Reston, Va.
What drew the group is a pair of burrowing owls that have taken up residence in the school's front yard. The habitat is just feet from the school's driveway.
"One of the greatest causes of mortality is getting hit by cars when they take off," said Sue Sturgis, manager of the group's regional education programs.
With the assistance of the students, the wildlife federation helped refurbish the barrier around the habitat, installing wooden posts with a rope fence.
The hope is that the butterfly garden will work in tandem with the owl home.
"It gives them a chance of finding more bugs with all the insects coming to these plants," she said.
"The caterpillars can eat the plants and grow to be butterflies, seventh-grader Joelle Jeter said.
Finding a South Florida school with an owl habitat was of particular interest to the National Wildlife Federation, which is helping to promote the upcoming movie Hoot, based on the novel by Miami Herald columnist Carl Hiaasen.
In the Newbery Award-winning book, a middle-schooler and his friends fight to preserve a population of endangered animals.
Having the opportunity to pass along environmental awareness to her students was too good for science teacher Jeri Habenicht to pass up.
Habenicht worked to make sure that the school met certain criteria: no chemical pesticides or fertilizer on the lawn, proper irrigation systems, and, of course, wildlife on the property. Another owl burrow is located in the back schoolyard.
"This is a great way to build awareness about the importance of our environment and preserving habitats for our wildlife," said Habenicht, who organizes an environmental awareness day at the school each year.
Over the past weeks, her students have been reading Hoot, documenting all references to South Florida plants, animals, climate, culture and food.
"I think it's special because we're helping support animals," said Angela Tripodo, 12.
Come April 3, singer Jimmy Buffett, one of the film's producers, will attend a school assembly and video footage of Pioneer's owl habitat will go live on the National Wildlife Federation website.
