Author Archives: Emily Passarelli

Freedom of the Frogs!

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By Sadie Gilliom, SPP Graduate Research Assistant

Frog thinking about taking the leap out of Ms. Sibley’s hand.  Photo by Sadie Gilliom

On a drizzly September morning, a diverse team of professionals gathered at a wetland in Pierce County. Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) representatives were part of the group that also included staff from Northwest Trek Wildlife Park (Northwest Trek), the Center for Natural Lands Management, and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). The 153 state-endangered and federally-threatened Oregon spotted frogs (Rana pretiosa) pop-corning in tubs in the middle of the group were the focus of attention, it was release day!

The frogs were released into their natural habitat with the hope of boosting the population of this struggling species. Sixty-four were reared by SPP inmate technicians at Cedar Creek Corrections Center (CCCC) while the remaining frogs were reared by zoo professionals at Northwest Trek. Late winter, biologists from WDFW gathered eggs from the wild and delivered them to the facilities where they were raised with protection from predation, disease, and habitat disturbance. Over the spring and summer the tadpoles hatched and developed into frogs under the care of zoo staff and inmate technicians.

The frogs seemed to anticipate their release. They jumped excitedly in their containers as they were carried down to the site. As the team gathered at the edge of the wetland, the sun broke through the clouds, as though to wish the frogs good luck on their journey into the wild. The frogs were released with time to adapt to their natural environment before the chill of winter sets in.

The release was an opportunity to enjoy the results of everyone’s hard work, coordination, and collaboration over the rearing season. The first frogs were released by SPP Liaison and CCCC Classification Counselor, Ms. Sibley. She popped the lid off the tub and the frogs sprang into the water. Most were gone in a flash, but a few were hesitant, staring at their new world for several minutes before springing into action. Throughout the release there were shouts of glee, handshakes, and smiles as all the frogs eventually hopped to freedom.

Sadie Gilliom encouraging the last few frogs. Photo by Lindsey Hamilton

It is important to acknowledge a few of the people that helped make this season successful. Thank you Fiona Edwards! Fiona completed her term as SPP’s Frog and Turtle Program Coordinator this season and trained me to take on the responsibilities of the position. I also want to acknowledge Classification Counselors Pickard and Sibley for the time and effort they invested to make the program possible at CCCC. As Mr. Pickard recently accepted a new job, Ms. Sibley capably stepped into the DOC Liaison role. We wish Mr. Pickard well in his new position and appreciate his contributions. A huge thank you to Mr. Nuss, the inmate technician working throughout the season to provide the excellent care that resulted in healthy and robust frogs on release day. Finally, thanks to Superintendent Cole for his continued, passionate support for the program.

Fiona Edwards giving a frog a pep talk. Photo by Sadie Gilliom

There are many other partners that help make the SPP frog program possible: Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, Woodland Park Zoo; Marc Hayes, Tammy Schmidt, and other staff at WDFW; SPP staff and leadership; and the many others who have contributed to the effort to save this valuable indicator species! Good luck Oregon spotted frogs of 2014! We wish you a successful and prolific future!

New to the Frog and Turtle Program!

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By Sadie Gilliom, SPP Graduate Research Assistant

Sadie teaching teen summer campers from Thurston County how to identify native trees at Mount Rainier National Park. Photo by Alex Gilliom.

Greetings Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) followers!

My name is Sadie Gilliom. I am the new Oregon Spotted Frog and Western Pond Turtle Program Coordinator as of August 19th.

I am excited to be a part of the SPP team and put my two great passions to work in one job: amphibian and reptile conservation and interpreting our natural world. I have always had a great love of amphibians and reptiles. I spent a great deal of my childhood watching red-legged frogs swimming in my pond, swimming with the rough-skinned newts in Shelton, WA, and watching turtles from my kayak on a lake in Michigan. Almost as much as I loved these adventures, I loved telling people about them. I have always enjoyed telling stories and using mind boggling facts to excite people about nature.

My passion for interpretation led me to become a member of the National Association of Interpretation and be certified as an Interpretive Guide. I hope to use the skills I gained in their programs to inspire stewardship in the inmate technicians at Cedar Creek Corrections Center (CCCC).

As well as my passions, my previous job experience has led me to feel at home in the world of SPP. Through zoo keeping at the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, interpreting Pacific Northwest wildlife at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, and volunteering for the Department of Fish and Wildlife, I have gained both experience and connections in the field. I am looking forward to continuing to work with these organizations, now as program partners, and I hope to help strengthen SPP’s link to these partners. In addition, I hope to pass my job skills to the technicians at CCCC.

I am excited to start my Master of Environmental Studies at The Evergreen State College and have a head start in becoming part of the Evergreen community by working with SPP. Although it is awhile before I will start to write, I hope to involve SPP in my thesis and, in doing so, strengthen the partnerships between Evergreen, the Department of Corrections, and SPP.

I am thrilled to continue on my new SPP adventure and will keep you all posted on new highlights on our frog and turtle programs at Cedar Creek Corrections Center.

Inmates’ Zeal is the Key to Roots of Success in Ohio

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in Education Partners Roots of Success

by Christina Stalnaker, SPP Graduate Research Assistant

Women from the Ohio Reformatory for Women and Northeast Reintegration Center graduate from Roots of Success Facilitator Training. This is the first time ODRC brought Roots to women's prisons. Photo Credit: Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.

Women from the Ohio Reformatory for Women and Northeast Reintegration Center graduate from Roots of Success Facilitator Training. This is the first time ODRC brought Roots to women’s prisons. Photo by Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.

“Roots of Success was the core component that tied together our cultural change in environmental awareness. We had begun recycling and composting. We addressed energy and water conservation, but I knew we needed education to really reach the inmates. Roots of Success took our green initiatives to a new level; it led the change that allowed inmates to be part of the environmental awareness at SCC (Southeastern Correctional Complex). The passion I saw from the inmates was amazing.”

-Warden Sheri Duffey, the first Warden to bring Roots to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC)

In prison classrooms throughout Ohio, ODRC provides facilitator training for inmates to deliver Roots of Success, an environmental literacy curriculum. These facilitators will prepare fellow inmates for re-entry into the green economy. ODRC also leverages inmates’ new-found passion and environmental education to implement sustainability initiatives throughout their facilities. ODRC brought Roots of Success to its first institution in 2011. Leah Morgan, ODRC Energy Conservation & Sustainability Administrator, informs us that the program proved to be so successful that it is now implemented in 19 out of 26 institutions, with plans to expand into all facilities within the next year.

Lorain Correctional Institution recently hosted ODRC’s largest Roots of Success train-the-trainer course to date, including both men and women from their facilities. Photo by Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.

Morgan attributes the program’s success to their inmates, “Honestly, though, it wouldn’t have taken off the way it did without the passion of the inmates behind it. They LOVE this program.  We have long-term offenders trained and certified to facilitate the program, so a) it is not incredibly staff intensive, and b) it gives them meaningful work that they don’t normally have an opportunity to have.”

You can see video testimony from two of ODRC’s original trainers here:

Video by Roots of Success.

Video by Roots of Success.

Both Tony Simmons and Willie Lagway are Roots of Success Master Trainers at the Southeastern Correctional Complex in Lancaster.

First Prison to be Certified as Wildlife Habitat!

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in Outreach Partners Sustainable Operations

The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) is pleased to recognize the Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW) in Gig Harbor as an official Certified Wildlife Habitat site. NWF celebrates the efforts of the staff and offenders at WCCW to create garden spaces that improve habitat for birds, butterflies, frogs, and other wildlife. They have provided the essential elements needed by all wildlife – natural food sources, clean water, cover, and places to raise their young.

Paula Andrew displaying the NWF Habitat Certification plaque that can be found at the front entrance of WCCW.

Paula Andrew displaying the NWF Habitat Certification plaque that can be found at the front entrance of WCCW. Photo by Joslyn Rose Trivett.

From Paula Andrew, SPP Liaison at WCCW: “I can remember the day it all started – I sat in the back of the room during [NWF’s] Sustainability lecture and kept thinking to myself, ‘We do that! We have that! We qualify as a wildlife habitat!’ I read through the application to become certified, and each category referred to a practice we already had in place at WCCW. I started thinking about what a perfect partnership this would be, with perfect timing to fit in with the sustainable practices we were adopting throughout our facility.”

WCCW joins NWF’s roll of more than 150,000 certified habitats nationwide, but is the first prison to receive that distinction in Washington State, not to mention the whole Northern Rocky and Pacific Regions. Wildlife habitats are important to year-round wildlife residents as well as species that migrate, such as some birds and butterflies. Each habitat is unique for both beauty and function.

A family of bunnies spotted at WCCW, living proof of their wildlife habitat!

A family of bunnies spotted at WCCW, living proof of their wildlife habitat! Photo by DOC staff.

The WCCW habitat is a many-faceted gem, sprawling among 65 acres that play home to squirrels, birds, butterflies, and an adopted aging cat. The horticulture program has saturated the grounds with 28 varieties of food crops that are used to feed the 900-plus offenders that can be seen daily, diligently working the flower beds and fruit & vegetable growing areas with an admirable sense of pride.

Gardens at WCCW.

Gardens at WCCW. Photo by Benj Drummond and Sarah Joy Steele.

WCCW has recently reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable practices throughout the facility. Proof of that can be witnessed in the just-completed composting project; it is turning out rich soil to be used to in the many food and ornamental gardens.

For more information on gardening for wildlife and details on how an entire community can become certified, visit www.nwf.org/habitat or call 1-800-822-9919. The mission of the National Wildlife Federation is to inspire Americans to protect wildlife for our children’s future.

Environmental Justice and Hope for the Commons

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in Education Evaluation Outreach

by Tiffany Webb, SPP Lecture Series Coordinator

Working with SPP as a graduate student has provided more opportunity and professional experience than I could have imagined when I started as the Lecture Series Coordinator. Since then, my interest in social and environmental justice has blossomed, spurred by regular interactions with incarcerated individuals and the excitement they display for environmental topics. Thus I found myself presenting at the Just Sustainability: Hope for the Commons conference hosted by the Center for Environmental Justice and Sustainability at Seattle University this past weekend.

Science and sustainability lecture at Stafford Creek Corrections Center. Photo credit: Benj Drummond

Sustainability workshop at Washington Corrections Center for Women. Photo credit: Joslyn Rose Trivett

Lecture versus Workshop

I presented on behalf of Sarah Weber, a former SPP coordinator and MES graduate, whose thesis research focused on environmental education in prison. More specifically, her research compared teaching methods (lecture vs. workshop-style presentations) and their influence on inmate attitudes and knowledge of environmental topics. Interestingly, when reanalyzing Sarah’s research for publication, we found results that differed from the original analysis: female students benefited more from workshops and male students benefited more from lectures (see figure below). This finding is particularly helpful for ensuring that the environmental education opportunities we offer are tailored to the audience. As the Lecture Series Coordinator, I plan to use these findings to better promote environmental learning through offering more workshops for women and lectures for men.

Results from Weber research

Results from Weber’s research.

“You never know what you can’t do.”

Presenting at the conference was a great experience, but my most appreciated take-away came from the wonderful plenary speakers. We heard from Bill McKibben of 350.org, the most widespread political action organization in our history; Sarah Augustine, a sociologist at Heritage College and indigenous activist; and Denis Hayes who coordinated the very first Earth Day and has gone on to do so much more.

They spoke about the global extraction industry and its impact on the environment as well as the displacement and rights violations of indigenous communities. The ecological problems they outlined were sobering, but they all offered a similar call to action. They encouraged everyone to reach beyond what you think is possible, because, as Denis Hayes put it, “You never know what you can’t do.” And while exercising political will can sometimes be uncomfortable, it is always necessary in encouraging effective change. I learned so much from these amazing people and the lessons they shared from years of environmental activism. Hearing their stories sparked a fire in my consciousness, and I feel reenergized in the work I do with SPP, the research for my Master in Environmental Studies, and in my personal life.

If you’re interested in getting involved with environmental action in the PNW, check out:

350.org

Beyond Coal WA

Climate Solutions

The E3 Network

Sierra Club, WA State Chapter

WCCW Sustainability Workshop

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by Tiffany Webb, SPP Lecture Series Coordinator

Inmates discuss sustainability while creating their group diagram. Photo credit: Joslyn Rose Trivett

On July 1, SPP offered a sustainability workshop at the Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW) as part of the Science and Sustainability Lecture Series. The workshop was led by Scott Morgan, the Sustainability Director at The Evergreen State College, with the help of SPP staff Lindsey Hamilton, Tiffany Webb, and Joslyn Trivett.

Regular lecture series attendees add colorful drawings to their diagram. Photo credit: Joslyn Rose Trivett

Scott opened the workshop by asking those in attendance what sustainability meant to them. Then the women split into small groups and he tasked them with creating a systems diagram of human needs, the natural resources necessary for those needs, and the positive and negative human impacts on these resources. While some focused on basic needs like food and water, others included things like “community and belonging” and “interaction with other living things.” The participants’ diagrams were creative, including innovative ideas for managing resources as well as beautiful, colorful drawings.

An inmate adds ideas for how to maintain important natural resources. Photo credit: Joslyn Rose Trivett

One group’s vibrant diagram. Photo credit: Joslyn Rose Trivett

At the end of the workshop, Scott covered a broad range of environmental success stories, offering resources and organizations that are making great strides in sustainability. The activities closed with an open discussion about the various topics that came up during the workshop, offering an outlet for the women to share their knowledge and experiences in sustainability.

A few women who participated in the workshop display their work. Photo credit: Joslyn Rose Trivett

After the workshop, many participants contacted the SPP liaison at WCCW with comments about the activities and lecture series.The image above shows a few of the messages that were received. Source: Paula Andrew, WCCW

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Certificates Too!

Before the workshop began, attendees were awarded certificates for on-going participation in the lecture series. This was the first round of certificates to be given out at WCCW, a recent addition to the lecture series. Women were awarded a certificate of science and sustainability education for attending 5, 10, 20 or more lectures throughout their time at the women’s center. Many women are already eligible for the next round of certification and have expressed excitement at receiving awards for their environmental education achievements!

Paula Andrew, the SPP liaison at WCCW, awards a lecture series certificate. The recipient has attended more than 20 lectures in her time at WCCW. Photo credit: Joslyn Rose Trivett

“Participating in the transformation of the world” : Roots of Success at Stafford Creek Corrections Center

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in Education Prison Life Roots of Success

Students meet in small groups to discuss the material

Roots of Success students meet in small groups to discuss the material.

By Amory Ballantine, SPP Roots of Success Coordinator
Photos by Joslyn Rose Trivett, SPP Network Manager

“Education either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system and bring about conformity or it becomes the practice of freedom, the means by which men and women deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world.”
― Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed

On Wednesday, May 7, I had the privilege of sitting in on my first Roots of Success class and, later, attending the previous cohort’s graduation ceremony. The class I visited is held at Stafford Creek Corrections Center (SCCC) in Aberdeen and team-taught by inmate instructors. It was the second class in Roots of Success’s curriculum, titled “Fundamentals of Environmental Literacy.” I was moved and impressed by how the curriculum’s structure engages students in thinking critically about challenging technical concepts, and by the learning environment instructors and students have created.

Inmates in SCCC’s Roots program are clearly committed to environmental justice and to each other. Instructors and administrators encouraged students to generate ideas for institutional changes and to educate each other, drawing parallels between commitments to environmental sustainability and commitments to one another’s success.

We sat in the back of the classroom, behind twenty-seven students in khaki and beige. At the front of the room were flipcharts, a table, a podium, and three instructors: Grady Mitchell, Cyril Walrond, and David DuHaime. They took turns teaching for about an hour each, separating sections with short bathroom breaks. Now team-teaching Roots for the fourth time, the instructors are excellent at what they do. Their styles are unique, complementing each other well, and they worked together seamlessly. Mitchell’s presence is commanding and dynamic, DuHaime’s careful and personal, and Walrond’s heartfelt and encouraging. All of them joked with the room, putting us at ease, while gently challenging every student to contribute to discussion. Because they are inmates themselves, instructors use examples relevant to students, creating an environment which promotes collaboration and camaraderie. While teaching the concept of bioaccumulation, for example, Instructor Mitchell described the formaldehyde added to prison sheets to keep them from sticking together. “Shake an unwashed new sheet and you’ll see the powder that comes off! I sleep with a towel on top of the pillow now.”

Instructors DuHaime, Walrond, and Mitchell facilitate conversation about the waste cycle

Instructors DuHaime, Walrond, and Mitchell facilitate conversation about the waste cycle.

Instructor Walrond writes students’ answers during discussion of perceived obsolescence

Instructor Walrond writes students’ answers during discussion of perceived vs. planned obsolescence.

Instructors posed lots of questions to the class, who had good, interesting and insightful answers. They learned about waste and consumption cycles, how small amounts of toxins accumulate in our bodies over time (bioaccumulation), climate change, environmental justice, and more. Students’ diverse backgrounds and life experiences made for very interesting and enriching discussions.

They appeared wholly absorbed in a discussion of climate change, including concepts of “climate injustice” and environmental injustice. Instructors asked the class how global warming might impact health, and students came up with several examples of ways poor people might be affected: being unable to afford air conditioning in the summer or heat in the winter; keeping doors and windows shut in the summer because of safety concerns in high-crime areas; being unable to afford to go to the doctor when sick; being unable to afford insurance coverage for their homes in case of climate-related disasters. One student pointed out that you could say it was the other way around, and in fact social and economic injustice are exacerbated by climate change. In a discussion of planned vs. perceived obsolescence, someone shared the powerful insight that not only products, but people– including entire neighborhoods or communities–could be perceived obsolete.

A student asks if homes can be perceived obsolete, leading to discussion of perceived neighborhood obsolescence

A student asks if homes can be perceived obsolete, leading to discussion of perceived neighborhood obsolescence.

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Western Pond Turtle Release

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in Conservation Programs Partners

by Fiona Edwards, SPP Graduate Research Assistant

Anthony, Fiona, Tim, and Jamar prepare to release the turtles.

Fiona, Anthony, Tim, and Jamar prepare to release the turtles.

In mid-April, 10 western pond turtles (WPT) were released from Cedar Creek Corrections Center (CCCC) back into the wild. The turtles were housed at CCCC for 4 months where they received care from 2 inmate technicians, Jamar Glenn and Timothy Nuss, for shell disease. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and veterinarians at PAWS determined the turtles were healthy based on new shell growth, regular basking, and consistent appetite. WDFW biologists will monitor their progress as they reenter their natural habitat.

turtle-release-blog4

Tim and Jamar finish releasing turtles.

The release marked the end of SPP’s first season participating in the WPT recovery effort. A WDFW biologist organized the release. Participating in the release were: inmate technicians Mr. Glenn and Mr. Nuss, along with SPP Liaison and CCCC Classification Counselor Anthony Pickard, CCCC Superintendent Douglas Cole, CCCC Correctional Unit Supervisor Cheryl Jorban, Correctional Officer James Erwick. Upon arriving at the site, we geared up into our muck boots and carried the turtles into the water. Mr. Glenn and Mr. Nuss released the first set of turtles, wishing them well as they swam away. Then the rest of us took turns returning the turtles to their home. Afterwards, the biologist taught us more about the turtles’ habitat and their behavior in the wild. We were shown a turtle nest and learned about how they lay their eggs and the long period the eggs and hatchlings remain underground before emerging and crawling towards water.

Fiona releases a turtle.

Fiona releases a turtle.

After months of hard work, including the construction of a new turtle facility at CCCC, it was rewarding to be a part of this crucial step toward recovery. It was especially enjoyable because the inmate technicians were able to attend the release, a first for SPP – thank you to WDFW and CCCC for making their attendance possible. Visiting the site allowed all of us the chance to better understand the significance of rehabilitating the turtles and reminded me of the importance of each of our partners’ contributions to the recovery effort. The turtle release wouldn’t have been possible without the collaborative power of PAWS, WDFW, CCCC, and Woodland Park Zoo. Thanks for your continuing support!

Stay tuned for a blog from SPP Technician Jamar Glenn about his experience working with the turtles. For a video on the release, click here.

WDFW Biologist, Mr. Erwick, Jamar, Tim, Superintendent Cole, Mrs. Jorbin, and Anthony look at a turtle nest.

WDFW Biologist, Mr. Erwick, Jamar, Tim, Superintendent Cole, Ms. Jorbin, and Anthony look at a turtle nest.

Beekeeping Behind Bars

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Beekeeping Behind Bars

By Tiffany Webb, SPP Education and Evaluation Coordinator

This fall, inmates gathered with enthusiastic faces for a presentation from the Olympia Beekeeper’s Association. The presentation was hosted by Stafford Creek Corrections Center (SCCC) as part of the SPP Science and Sustainability Lecture Series. Renzy and Laurie of the Olympia Beekeeper’s Association covered bee behavior, needs, habitats, a beginner lesson on beekeeping, and how to become a certified beekeeper in Washington.

David Supensky, Olympia Beekeeper’s Association, describes to inmates how bees form detailed structures.

Renzy Davenport, Olympia Beekeeper’s Association, describes to inmates how bees form detailed structures.

Many of the inmates in attendance have the opportunity to work directly with bees, as SCCC houses thousands of bees in three hives. Because of their opportunity for direct experience with beekeeping, inmates showed enthusiasm and energy for the lecture, and offered an incredible assortment of questions for the beekeeping experts.

Housing for bee boxes at Stafford Creek Corrections Center.

Housing for bee boxes at Stafford Creek Corrections Center.

Following the lecture, Renzy and Laurie met with Chris Idso, the SPP liaison at SCCC, and other DOC staff and inmates who are involved with beekeeping. The experts guided the group’s work to reorganize and improve the structures of the prison’s bee boxes. After more than an hour, the beekeepers answered final questions and departed from Stafford Creek Corrections Center, leaving an abundance of useful information on beekeeping for inmates and staff alike.

Claudia Supensky, Olympia Beekeeper’s Associate, talks with inmates about beekeeping practices at SCCC.

Laurie Pyne, Olympia Beekeeper’s Association, talks with inmates about beekeeping practices at SCCC.

The Sustainability in Prisons Project and WDOC staff at Stafford Creek are working with the Olympia Beekeeper’s Association to implement a beekeeper certification program at the prison. Inmates wait eagerly for the opportunity to gain the skills and knowledge associated with beekeeping that they will be able to take with them upon release. For many, this is a chance to learn a useful skill while behind bars, and develop an affinity for environmentally relevant work.

Olympia Beekeeper's Association shows inmates the best ways to organize the hive.

Olympia Beekeeper’s Association shows inmates the best ways to organize the hive.

Check out the Olympia Beekeeper’s Association HERE.

And Then There Were Three: Third Hoop House Complete at Washington Corrections Center for Women

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By Bri Morningred, SPP Graduate Research Assistant and Washington Corrections Center for Women Conservation Nursery Coordinator

This third hoop house at WCCW differs from the first two in that it does not have doors; this will allow us to grow plants who like things a little colder.

The third hoop house at WCCW differs from the first two in that it does not have doors; this will allow us to grow plants who like things a little colder.

At long last the third hoop house in SPP’s conservation nursery at Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW) is complete! There they stand, all in a row, ready to shelter the upcoming rounds of sowing and hard work that the WCCW crew will complete. As I started with SPP after the first two hoop houses were already constructed, it was an amazing experience getting to see one built from the ground up—literally!

It all begins with marking the space where the hoop house is supposed to go, measuring the width of the poles and their spacing from each other, and marking everything with spray paint or tape. Next comes the hole-digging. This is a really difficult task but the WCCW crew made it look like a piece of cake. 🙂

Once the holes are dug, cement is poured into the holes, the base poles are set into the cement and left to harden. Further construction can’t happen until those poles set otherwise everything will tip over! Next comes attaching the frame to the supporting poles—here’s the cool part—and these frames and all the pieces to connect them are created at Stafford Creek Corrections Center! A very cool part of the partnership to get these hoop houses built, I think.

Once the frame is attached, boards are attached horizontally along the lower sides of the houses as base-boards for the wire lock track (I’ll get to that part in a minute). To do that, and to attach the wire lock track to the rest of the metal frame, we actually had to drill holes into the metal—a feat I had no idea was even possible until this project. The track for the wire lock is a groove that the wire lock (or wiggle-wire 😉 ) fits into; this holds the plastic in place without ripping it. With the wire lock tracks in place, now we can unroll and place the plastic. This was the most difficult part as the plastic is in a giant roll which is insanely heavy, and has to be hoisted up above the frame and unrolled little by little. Once again, the crew made it look so easy! After that, all that was left to do was to trim the plastic, attach it to the frame with the wiggle-wire, and lay the black ground cloth inside the hoop house and TA-DA third hoop house done!

Unlike the first two hoop houses, this one will not have doors on either end; it will be open in order to accommodate those plants that prefer to be more cold than warm throughout the growing season. After a very successful first sowing season at WCCW, we are excited to grow additional prairie plant species in this new hoop house in the coming season. We will keep you posted—thanks for tuning in!

The three hoops houses at WCCW lined up in the dawn sunlight--they will be supporting over 10 species of native prairie plants through the next sowing season.

The three hoops houses at WCCW lined up in the dawn sunlight–they will be supporting over 10 species of native prairie plants through the next sowing season.

Thanks to Joint Base Lewis-McChord for funding construction of the third hoop house.

Cheers,

Bri