By Cathy Chybowski
As a high school environmental science teacher, I have a simple goal: Get kids outside! Once there, nature provides special events of all kinds. I believe that where we teach is as important as what we teach. For nine years I have been leading students to Lulu Lake Preserve, where unknowingly, they learn lessons not described in any textbook.
Our first field trip to Lulu Lake is in September. Equipped with hip boots, nets and water quality tests, students discover for themselves that the species diversity is related to the quality of the water. For several hours, they wade in the Mukwonago River, identifying invertebrates and performing water quality tests. They begin to ask pertinent questions, leading to our discussion on land use in the watershed and how it impacts the water quality in the river and Lulu Lake.
Students previously had no idea that this diverse habitat is home to over 50 native species of fish. They knew little of bogs, fens and sedge meadows. Most did not know the difference between a Painted turtle and a Blanding’s turtle. They learn that Lulu Lake was formed thousands of years ago when a block of ice broke off the main glacier, and was buried in outwash. As the ice melted, a kettle formed, resulting in Lulu Lake.
After lunch on the same day, we hike the trails and gather native prairie seed, which will be used to restore the native prairie to Lulu. This, I believe, is the least we can do for the privilege of spending the day here. As we hike, we talk about how the prairie plants evolved. Prior to pioneer settlement, lightning and Indians set fire to the land. Over time, the native plants adapted to fire, drought and grazing animals. These conditions perpetuated the prairie, until the arrival of the early settlers.
 As students move among the tall Silphiums, Big Bluestem and Indian grasses, they wonder what it would be like to hear the thundering hooves of a bison herd or the roaring of a fire sweeping the dry prairie. They begin to ask questions about plant and insect diversity, and the effect of mammals on the grassland. They are curious about The Nature Conservancy’s use of prescribed burning as a prairie management tool today, and they begin to understand.
The bus ride back to school is typically a quiet one. It’s been a full day. Students agree, among other lessons learned is a simple one: Lulu Lake Preserve is a very special place—one that’s practically in their own backyards!
After this introduction to Lulu, and throughout the school year, groups of students join the volunteer work sessions scheduled by The Nature Conservancy. I am often asked, "How do you manage to convince teenagers to get up early on the weekend, dress for all types of weather, and do physical work for hours at a time, without pay?" For most students it is the promise of extra credit and the chance to learn something new about their environment, and some are even considering a natural resource career. Others simply find it fun to work with peers and interested adults doing something meaningful. The project at hand doesn’t seem to matter; whether it is harvesting prairie seed, removing invasive species or cutting fire breaks for prescribed burning.
 I recall a couple of students asking me after a three-hour work session, "How much do the adults get paid to do this work?" They were impressed that a group of dedicated adults volunteer routinely at Lulu because they are committed to making it a better place. This was an important lesson! After listening quietly, their only comment was, "That’s awesome!"
I am at times intimidated by the responsibility of educating, but at the same time it brings immense self-satisfaction. I feel very fortunate in working daily with young people that will eventually take over as caretakers where older generations leave off. I have no doubt that they will be able to manage future environmental challenges.
It would not be an easy task for me to list the lessons that students learn from playing and working outdoors. On that list would probably be such basic things as knowledge, understanding, awareness, appreciation and respect for nature and how humans impact it. I hope that working together outside the classroom also instills a strong sense of place and a feeling of individual responsibility. Though these are important lessons, undoubtedly the main lesson is the most difficult to articulate—the sense of stewardship each student carries with them as they begin to form their own worldviews and go their separate ways.
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