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December
2000
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Teenagers at Palo Verde Magnet High School wanted to beautify a neglected area in the center of their campus. Scattered among dead trees and shrubs, old desks, broken glass and trash littered a high-traffic courtyard area. With team work and long hours after school, the students successfully transformed the area into an artificial wetland, which doubles as an outdoor laboratory and learning center.
An ecosystem typical of the Santa Cruz River Valley, wetland habitat is increasingly threatened in southern Arizona, yet it plays a critical role in the overall health of the environment. To draw attention to the importance of wetlands, the students named their project "Tierra Mojada" which means "wet earth" in Spanish. Taking nearly two years to build, the wetland now serves as wildlife habitat and attracts local fauna. Through permits from the Arizona Game and Fish Department, the wetland also serves as a refugia for native species, including some of southern Arizona’s most endangered fish, including the gila topminnow and desert pupfish.
Coordinating everything from digging and hauling dirt in the 105°F Tucson sun to drafting the CAD landscape plans and working with community business partners, the students at Palo Verde learned how initiative, hard work and a shared vision can make a real difference in "their own backyard." Today, the Tierra Mojada Environmental Research Center continues to be maintained and operated by students, offering programs for a diverse range of grades and disciplines, including biology, earth science, chemistry, special education, language arts, social studies, fine arts, physics, mathematics and engineering.
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