Window of Opportunity Grant Project

Brevard Academy

1110 Hendersonville Hwy, Pisgah Forest, NC

Transylvania County

Project: Rooted in Resilience - A Native Plant Learning Garden

Application Request/Project Summary:

Brevard Academy

Rooted in Resilience: A Native Plant Learning Garden at Brevard Academy

Purpose

The purpose of this project is to create a Native Plant Learning Garden at Brevard Academy that serves as an outdoor classroom, supports local wildlife, and demonstrates storm-resilient landscape design in response to the impacts of Hurricane Helene. This project aligns directly with the mission of Keep North Carolina Beautiful by providing hands-on, student-led environmental learning in a highly visible outdoor space.

Brevard Academy is located within the Appalachian temperate rainforest, one of the most biologically diverse temperate ecosystems in North America. This unique setting provides an exceptional opportunity for place-based learning, allowing students to study native plants, water systems, and ecological relationships in a real-world environment shaped by high rainfall and diverse habitats.

Severe rainfall from Hurricane Helene caused drainage failure at the front entrance of our campus, requiring the removal of all existing plantings. While this disruption posed challenges, it also created an opportunity to reassess how landscaped spaces function under extreme weather conditions. Rather than returning to traditional landscaping methods, this project emphasizes native plants and site-adaptive design to improve long-term resilience and ecological health.

Through active participation in planning, planting, and maintaining the garden, students will learn why native plants are essential to local ecosystems, how landscapes can be designed to manage water responsibly, and how environmental stewardship can restore beauty and function after disruption. The completed garden will enhance our campus appearance, provide habitat for pollinators and birds, and serve as a visible example of sustainability and recovery for the school and the surrounding community.

Narrative / Scope of Work

This project will establish a Native Plant Learning Garden on the Brevard Academy campus to function as both an outdoor classroom and a habitat for local wildlife. The garden will feature native trees, shrubs, and perennials selected to support pollinators, birds, and biodiversity while withstanding variable moisture conditions resulting from recent storm events.

WOO Grant Rooted in Resilience: A Native Plant Learning Garden at Brevard Academy 1

Storm Recovery & Site Preparation

Students in grades K–8 have already begun clearing the project site as part of Hurricane Helene recovery efforts. Existing river rock and landscape fabric are being carefully removed and saved for future reuse so that effective drainage is re-established. Students and staff will continue site preparation by incorporating compost through double digging, completing final grading, and reinstalling portions of the river rock to edge the foundation once drainage improvements are complete. These activities provide students with hands-on experience in site assessment, problem-solving, and environmental restoration while reinforcing teamwork and responsibility.

Planting Phase

Once site preparation is complete, the next phase will focus on installing native plants, applying mulch, and preparing the area for long-term educational use. The $1,000 WOO Grant will fund a defined planting section of a larger Native Plant Learning Garden plan. This section will function independently while laying the groundwork for future expansion through additional funding and community support. Native plants included in this phase were selected for their ecological value, storm resilience, and instructional potential, and include native trees, shrubs, and flowering perennials that provide year-round interest and habitat.

Student Involvement & Outdoor Classroom Use

Students will participate in all phases of the project, gaining meaningful, hands-on experience with native plants, ecosystems, and environmental stewardship. Students will:

● Learn why native plants are important to local ecosystems

● Collaborate in planning and mapping the garden area

● Prepare the site and assist with planting

● Label plants and document observations over time

● Maintain the garden through watering, mulching, and monitoring

WOO Grant Rooted in Resilience: A Native Plant Learning Garden at Brevard Academy 2

The garden will be used across grade levels for science instruction, outdoor education, observation, journaling, and reflection activities throughout the year. This project aligns directly with North Carolina Science Standards by engaging students in hands-on investigation of ecosystems, plant life cycles, weather impacts, and human-environment interactions within their local temperate rainforest.