Fifth graders from Sitton Elementary teamed up with the all-volunteer nonprofit Friends of Pier Park to get their hands dirty in the name of biodiversity and watershed health. Pier Park, with its old and impressive canopy, saw 26 students plant native understory as part of a FOPP program engaging community youth. Students have been learning about the importance of native ecological plants through a Native American lens and how plants filter water naturally. About 100 plants went in the ground, mostly ferns, to improve ground cover. “When kids get connected to the nature around them and they get connected to planet Earth, even something as small as planting a fern will make a big difference in the nature around us,” said Friends of Pier Park Vice Chair Stephanie LaMonica. “They get to watch their investments grow, literally. One plant at a time.” In addition to Sitton Elementary, FOPP’s partners include the Columbia Slough Watershed Council, Portland Parks & Recreation, and Confluence. This was the second year of the youth program. Funding came from a Trail Blazer’s Foundation Live Greener Grant, Friends of Pier Park, Sitton Elementary and the Columbia Slough Watershed Council. For more information visit the FOPP website: friendsofpierpark.org. Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/c/KGWNews8 Watch the latest KGW newscast: https://www.kgw.com/watch Get the KGW app: https://kgw.com/appredirect