For the past 4 years in a row, LCFEG has hosted field trips and educational events in celebration of Earth Day!
Earth Day at the Toutle River Confluence
On Earth Day 2025, over 120 CASEE students from Battle Ground Public Schools visited Harry Gardner Park for a full-day restoration project and site tour. Students planted 500 Douglas firs and 200 native plants from the Seeds to Salmon program, removed invasive species, and helped construct beaver dam analog structures to enhance salmon habitat. They also toured the site to observe past restoration work, including log jams and previous plantings. This hands-on experience gave students the opportunity to contribute directly to habitat restoration and the importance of healthy waterways for salmon and other wildlife.
Earth Day at the Toutle River Confluence
On Earth Day 2024, over 115 CASEE students from Battle Ground Public Schools visited Harry Gardner Park for a full-day Earth Day work party and site tour. The project, started in 2015 with large log jams, and has been continually maintained and revegetated. Students removed invasive plants like Scotch broom, toured the site to see past log jams and plantings, installed about 200 native plants from the Seeds to Salmon program, and harvested and planted willow stakes to support ongoing habitat restoration.
Earth Day Discovery Camp at Camp Hope of Southwest Washington
On April 22nd, 2023, students at Camp Hope of Southwest Washington participated in the Hope For Salmon Educational Program’s Earth Day Discovery Camp. They collected and surveyed aquatic macroinvertebrates from the East Fork Lewis River, learning how these “water bugs” serve as food for juvenile salmon and indicators of water quality. Students practiced identifying, sorting, and counting different groups, discovering how the presence of sensitive versus tolerant species can reveal the health of the river ecosystem.
Earth Day on the Little Washougal
On April 21st, 2023, in partnership with the Watershed Alliance of Southwest Washington, about 100 CASEE students from Battle Ground Public Schools participated in an Earth Day field trip at a restored site along the Little Washougal River, where 14 acres have been rehabilitated since 2019 with over 15,000 native plants. Students learned about stormwater, riparian health, and salmon habitat while spending the day removing invasive species, planting natives, and maintaining restoration areas.
