IRVINE : Cultivating Lessons on the Drought

When University Park Elementary School students and teachers began growing drought-resistant plants around campus in 1991, school officials saw it as a modest way of saving water and reducing maintenance costs during the height of the drought.

But over the last two years, the planting program has blossomed into a model in Irvine and was recognized last month by a conservation group as being the best water-savings effort of any school in the state.

What makes the program all the more rewarding, Principal Craig Ritter said Wednesday, is that in helping the environment, students develop hands-on knowledge about plants and water.

“This is helping educate our kids,” Ritter said. “We have several environmentalists as staff members . . . (and) this is a way of educating children about the importance of these principles.”

Officials from the Irvine Ranch Water District agreed, noting that conservation and education is important even when the state is not facing a serious drought.

“During the drought years it was extremely important. But permanent water conservation is the right thing to do for the environment,” said Joyce Wegner-Gwidt, the district’s community relations director. “They are doing the right thing in terms of water conservation.”

The University Park planting program began when students and staff members replaced some shrubs at the entrance to the school with colorful drought-tolerant plants such as tall-bearded irises and California poppies.

The old shrubs required frequent trimming and watering by custodians. In contrast, the new drought-resistant plants need little or no maintenance and are watered just once a week through a “drip system” that prevents excess water runoff, Ritter said.

“There’s a big difference . . . they are (almost) self-sufficient,” he said. “It’s a very vibrant garden.”

More recently, students have helped grow drought-resistant plants inside the campus. Plants from Australia, the Mediterranean and the Southwest were grown at three separate theme gardens.

Much of the planting activities coincided with environmental lessons as students learned about what makes the drought-tolerant plants different from the plants they replaced and why water conservation is important.

Funding for the plantings was provided by the Irvine Ranch Water District. About $850 has been received by the school so far and officials hope to do more plantings if additional money is found.

University Park received its award from the California Water Awareness Committee, which also honored Hines Nurseries Inc. in Irvine for employing a variety of water-conservation techniques that have reduced its water consumption by 55% since 1985.