High School Students from Campolindo and De La Salle Visit Mangini Preserve
On October 26th and November 2nd, high school students paid our Mangini Ranch Educational Preserve a visit as part of our Diablo Conservation Experience program.
Photo by Scott Hein
Our Diablo Conservation Experience program, formerly known as our Conservation Collaboration Agreement program, connects students with nature and empowers them to give back through a service project.
The Campolindo students got to work mulching our new pollinator garden, helping prepare the plants for the winter and keeping weeds from sprouting throughout the area.
One week later, the De La Salle students spread mulch and removed invasive weeds in the picnic area at the end of the Chupcan Canyon Trail.
Desert olive. Photo by Scott Hein
Breathing in the crisp autumn air, students trekked through the preserve on the interpretive hike crossing the bridge over Galindo Creek. They passed chaparral, grassland, oak woodland, and a rare desert olive grove.
At the end of the trail, they reached their destination, an oak woodland where they would experience a reflective solo, which has become a foundation of our outdoor education experiences.
In a world with more and more noise and distractions, opportunities to sit in nature and reflect are becoming scarce, especially for busy students.
Photo by Scott Hein
“In this day and age, there are so many demands on students.
“They must keep up with homework, tests, college applications, and numerous extracurricular activities like sports, music, and even jobs,” says Save Mount Diablo Education & Outreach Coordinator Kendra Smith.
Photo by Scott Hein
“The demands of school and society to do more all the time contribute to intense stress and anxiety for these students.
“Creating space and opportunities for them to slow down and find a place of calm in nature and within themselves is not easily done, which makes it all the more important to do.
“Outdoor education, among other things, is a tool to help students connect with nature and take a pause from the demands of daily life.”
A reflective solo is a core part of the Diablo Conservation Experience. Photo by Scott Hein
When the experience concluded, the students described it as relaxing, meditative, zen, calming, peaceful, and beautiful.
In total, 67 students participated in the two recent Diablo Conservation Experiences at our Mangini Preserve, enjoying an interpretive hike, taking a moment to contemplate in a reflective solo, and stewarding nature.
De La Salle students, staff, and volunteers with our staff at our Mangini Ranch Educational Preserve for their Diablo Conservation Experience. Photo by Scott Hein
We’re grateful to the students from Campolindo and De La Salle who came out with us to connect with and give back to nature.
As the impacts of biodiversity loss and climate change accumulate, experiences like this will become more vital for the next generations, inspiring people to have hope and take action for nature.
Photo by Scott Hein
See more photos in our De La Salle Diablo Conservation Experience photo gallery.
