Keith Anderson, Park Director for the City of North Battleford, was approached to see if the City would be interested in a partnership. Letters were sent to the City of North Battleford for permission to use the wetland, and to the Board of Education for Battleford's School Division #118 asking for their support. The City would provide the wetland, and city employee labour in preparing the wetland area (allowing grass to go natural, working the land for tree planting, cutting grass in some areas, watering tree seedlings until established). Lawrence school would provide the stewardship of the area, assist with the seedling plantings, garbage clean-up, and use the pond during all seasons for an outdoor classroom. Ducks Unlimited would provide assistance with the project, assist teachers to integrate lesson plans into an outdoor classroom setting, accompany classes on field trips, and evaluate the success of the project.

Phase II – (2004-2005) Lawrence school staff inserviced with the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority to receive the Project Wet training. This provides a manual of teacher-friendly lesson plans on wetland use by students. Staff also inserviced with Heidi Juul to develop wetland lesson plans that are grade level/curriculum appropriate. These lesson plans will be provided to schools within our school division and eventually will be placed on our school web page. On May 9, 2005, Lawrence students, City workers, and Ducks Unlimited staff had a planting day that involved planting trees and shrubs within areas around the wetland. The City workers had worked the soil and provided mulch. Lawrence students provided the man-power to plant the seedlings. The City of North Battleford provided split log benches to be used by classrooms to sit with a view of the wetland. All three organizations had input into a Wetland sign and shared the expense of its design and installation.

Phase III – (2005-2006) October 2005, representatives of Ducks Unlimited, the City of North Battleford, and the Board of Education dedicated a sign located on the edge of the pond. Students will continue to reclaim area around the pond and plant trees received from the Shand Power Greenhouse. The trees used will be at the direction of biologist Heidi Juul and Keith Anderson. Maintenance workers will ready tree planting sites, city workers will allow grass to grow around edge of the pond, students will plant trees and maintain the sites through garbage collection. Students and city workers will pull weeds, although with wood chips that should be at a minimum. Heidi Juul has been contracted by Ducks Unlimited to provide Lawrence school with a number of instructional days throughout the school year. Staff and students will use Heidi’s instructional expertise to use the Wetland area as an outdoor classroom.

Phase IV – (2006-2007) – Maintenance of the existing area, stewardship by Lawrence students, continuation of outdoor classrooms, continued support by Heidi Juul through Ducks Unlimited, and continued support by the city workers through Keith Anderson.