Dalton, GA — Park Creek Elementary School has been at the forefront of environmental stewardship through an innovative project designed to enhance outdoor learning spaces and support community engagement. Initially launched several years ago as a garden space to encourage student involvement and provide food resources for the community, the project has since evolved into a significant ecological initiative.
During the project’s early stages, it was discovered that a small stream flowing into Mill Creek—which borders the school’s property—serves as a critical breeding ground for the Tri-spot Darter, an endangered fish species. This discovery garnered attention from multiple environmental organizations, including the United States Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Tennessee Aquarium, Limestone Valley Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D), and the Coosa River Basin Initiative. These partners, who are dedicated to the protection and improvement of natural habitats across the region, recognized the ecological importance of the area and allocated significant resources to support the project.
Efforts to enhance the streams and their surroundings have focused on improving plant diversity along the stream’s edge. Over the past two growing seasons, significant progress has been made through the removal of invasive, non-native plants and the restoration of native species. These efforts are critical to improving water quality, protecting wildlife habitats, and ensuring the survival of the Tri-spot Darter.
As part of this ongoing restoration, plans are in place to conduct a controlled burn of a section of Park Creek’s pollinator garden in late December or early January while students are on winter break. The exact date of the burn will depend on weather conditions to ensure safety, minimize smoke, and effectively reduce invasive plant populations. Controlled burns are a proven ecological management tool that improve growing conditions for native plant species, which in turn support pollinators and wildlife.
The Dalton Public School Board of Education has approved the project, and all required permits will be obtained prior to the burn. Coosa Ecological, a locally owned and operated habitat restoration service, will coordinate the process. With extensive experience in land management, including work with the U.S. Forest Service and private landowners, Coosa Ecological brings proven expertise to the project.
Community members will receive additional notifications as the burn date approaches, based on optimal weather conditions.
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