New Education Initiatives

This fall, the Newport Tree Conservancy has laid the foundation for programs designed to engage Newport youth at multiple age levels.

The experiences will increase environmental literacy, helping students to build critical thinking skills that empower them to create positive environmental change. Our goal is to instill a love and knowledge of Newport’s urban forest and dovetail with service-learning opportunities to plant trees in students’ neighborhoods.

Young students from Pell Elementary School recently joined NTC for a guided walk through Miantonomi Park. Curious students examined the different shapes of fallen leaves, counted birches amongst other tree species, and discovered the soft needles of larches planted by NTC last year. We look forward to continued opportunities to connect Pell students with their neighborhood park.

NTC has also led several walking field trips with Thompson Middle School students. This program is part of a year-long series of outdoor experiences designed to support their science curriculum through the study of local trees. Students learned about basic tree identification, the benefits of trees for humans and wildlife, and why our city’s trees are especially impactful for the surrounding community.

At the high school level, NTC has continued working with students from Rogers High School’s Newport Project. This is a year that has demanded creativity, and Rogers teachers have embraced a series of virtual arboricultural programs with outdoor assignments set to recur through winter and into the spring. Getting outside to learn in the fresh air has been a highlight for everyone this fall, and we look forward to upcoming school programs across Newport.