Integrating Habitat Restoration into Experiential Environmental Science Education
Abstract
This report examined the implementation of experiential, place-based environmental science education within a rural secondary school setting through a bounded case study conducted at Scio High School. Prior to implementation of the program, the school offered no Chemistry, Life Science, or Environmental Science coursework, and Oregon standardized science assessment data indicated that 51% of students were performing at Level 1 proficiency, the lowest achievement level. The purpose of this study was to investigate how experiential environmental science instruction integrated with habitat restoration influenced student engagement, conceptual understanding, and systems thinking.
Grounded in experiential learning theory, place-based education, and systems thinking, the project involved the design and implementation of a comprehensive Environmental Science curriculum emphasizing ecological restoration, climate science, preserving biodiversity, and sustainability-focused problem solving. Instruction incorporated inquiry-based laboratory investigations, outdoor ecological observations, collaborative systems modeling, and restoration-based learning activities. E-STEM projects included harvesting and milling sustainably sourced cedar to construct raised beds for a 40-foot native plant garden, developing closed-system ecological investigations, and participating in native species restoration efforts involving camas, western columbine, Oregon white oak, and Douglas-fir.
A mixed-methods case study design was used to evaluate instructional outcomes through assessment data, behavioral observations, student artifacts, journal responses, and qualitative thematic analysis. Instructional practices evolved throughout the study in response to observed engagement patterns, shifting from reading-centered assignments toward increasingly interactive, laboratory-based, and field-based instructional approaches.
Findings suggested that experiential instructional activities were associated with increased student participation, reduced behavioral disruptions, and improved conceptual understanding compared to traditional instructional approaches. Students demonstrated increasing ability to apply systems thinking to environmental science concepts including climate feedback systems, biodiversity, carbon cycling, ecosystem services, and ecological restoration. Formative and summative assessments indicated improved performance across experiential instructional units, while student artifacts demonstrated application of scientific vocabulary, visual systems modeling, and evidence-based environmental reasoning.
The project also contributed measurable ecological benefits through habitat restoration, native species planting, pollinator habitat development, and long-term carbon sequestration potential. Additionally, the program established the school’s first structured environmental science pathway and expanded opportunities for dual-credit science instruction. Overall, findings suggest that experiential, place-based environmental science education integrated with habitat restoration may provide an effective interdisciplinary framework for supporting ecological literacy, student engagement, systems thinking, and community-based environmental stewardship in rural secondary education settings in addition to improvements in ecosystem services.