Natural Resources Education and Training Area

Greenhouse 

The Elma Agriculture Department in Elma, Wash., needed a facility at the local high school to teach students about growing and aquaculture, as well as to raise fish to replenish the area’s lakes and rivers. They chose a greenhouse that fit well in the space provided for the facility.

The Elma Agriculture Department in Elma, Wash., has greenhouse facilities at the local high school to teach students about growing and aquaculture, as well as to raise fish to replenish the area’s lakes and rivers. The department realized that their current aquaculture facility was no longer efficient and was costing a sizeable sum in sewer expenses. Instructors at the school, including Dave Rutherford, looked at a series of possible solutions and decided that a new structure was necessary. He and the other instructors took the needs of the students into account when choosing a new building. Rather than having a space just for aquaculture, they wanted a multi-use facility.

Rutherford explains, “Bids were accepted from a variety of local companies, along with Growers Supply. No other company could offer us a complete greenhouse with the heating and cooling systems we needed.” The Growers Supply greenhouse fit well in the space provided for the facility and could also utilize the existing drainage system. Rutherford continues, “After we decided on the structure, we approached several companies for grants to help pay for the project. The Weyerhauser Company Foundation and a Lowe’s Community Improvement Grant paid for the greenhouse.”

The greenhouse was constructed by a group of 20 high school students with the guidance of Rutherford, who is not only the natural resources instructor, but also the carpentry teacher. He says, “building this greenhouse was a great lesson for the students. They now show a tremendous amount of pride in what they were able to accomplish.”

Elma’s Natural Resources greenhouse now houses four 800-gallon aquaculture tanks, four misting tables, and is currently raising 1,000 rainbow trout for stocking a local lake and 2,000 Coho salmon to be released into the nearby Chehalis River. Rutherford concludes, “Overall, the entire project has been deemed a success. ”

www.GrowersSupply.com/ADSPM

This article originally appeared in the School Planning & Management July 2013 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • New Kent State Academic Building Earns LEED Silver Certification

    Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, recently announced that its newest academic building, Crawford Hall, has earned a LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, according to a news release. The facility was recognized for its innovative design, water conservation technologies, energy-efficient systems, and sustainable construction materials, among other features.

  • Colorado State University Global, SCTE Launch Online Certificate Program

    Colorado State University Global (CSU Global), based in Denver, Colo., recently announced a partnership with CableLabs subsidiary the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) to launch an online certificate training program for broadband professionals, according to a news release.

  • Dallas ISD Debuts New Peabody Elementary School

    The Dallas Independent School District in Dallas, Texas, recently announced the completion of the new facility for George Peabody Elementary School, according to a news release. The district partnered with Pfluger Architects and REEDER Construction on the 70,807-square-foot replacement campus, which has the capacity for 550 students.

  • Pudu Robotics Launches AI-Powered, Large-Scale Floor Sweeper

    Pudu Robotics recently launched the newest member of its MT1 series of robotic floor sweepers, the PUDU MT1 Max, according to a news release. The AI-powered, 3D perception robotic sweeper was designed for use in large, complex cleaning environments both indoors and semi-outdoors, like parking garages and semi-open building atriums.

Digital Edition