What can we do to solve

the flooding and soil

erosion problems at our
Community Garden?
To answer this question we need to step
back in time and look at when the garden
was first built…
 So why has there been so much flooding
and soil erosion? Let’s do some
investigating…

This is a diagram of the existing layout. We have decided to call this Phase
One. We have also decided to name each box and label the problems we have
noticed.
There has
been lots
of
Phase One flooding
Mindanao Luzon and soil
erosion

The pathway is too

The pathway often gets
narrow and it is difficult
very muddy and slippery
to access the garden.
Palawan

All the plants

There has
have died
been an
and the soil
infestation of
level has
aphids
dropped
 So, what has caused these problems?

When the boxes were built, some spaces were left in-between some
bamboo stakes.

Since then a lot of the bamboo has moved apart due to the heavy wind and
rain. As a result, lots of soil has been washed away through the gaps
between the stakes.
Some of the plants have died due to infestation…

… as well as the effect of too much heavy rain. There have not been many
plants growing in our Luzon box for the past two months. We have
observed that there has since been an increase of flooding in this box.
 What can we do to solve the To extend our
problems? garden we are
adding
another raised
bed.
After lots of discussions, we have decided on the following layout for Phase Two!
Phase Two

Mindanao Palawan Luzon Bohol

The inner pathway will be

widened by shifting this entire box
closer to the pavement.

We are adding The blue boxes are the original boxes.

We areBamboo another pathway to
widening improve access to
the box by the garden. Bamboo
extending that is removed
it to the from this area will We will also be placing pebbles on the pathways to make them
pavement be moved to the less slippery and to improve the appearance of the garden.
orange areas.
 What do we have to do to change to
the new layout?

This is a list of what needs to be done to improve the productivity of each box.
To reduce erosion, we will be re-aligning the bamboo stakes so that there are
no spaces between them. This means that all stakes will have to moved closer
together.

Step One:
Mindanao

1. Remove grass between box and pavement.

2. Realign all the bamboo stakes so that they are close
together. Make sure there are no spaces in between.
3. Extend the box using new bamboo.
Step Two:
Luzon

1. Realign all the bamboo stakes so that they are close together. Make sure
there are no spaces in between.
2. Follow the measurements on the notice board and remove the bamboo
from the blue area and move it to the orange area.

Step Three:
1. Follow the measurements on the diagram and use string and bamboo
sticks to mark the perimeter in the area that our new bed will be built.
2. Remove the grass from the area with the roots so it can be transplanted.
3. Dig up the ground.
Step Four:
Palawan

This will be done at our after school activity on Wednesday, December 8th or on
Saturday December 11th.

1. Follow the measurements on the diagram and move the entire box to the
edge of the pavement.
2. Move the trellis to new location.
3. Realign all the bamboo stakes so that they are close together. Make sure
there are no spaces in between.
4. Follow the measurements on the notice board and remove the bamboo
from the blue area and move it to the orange area.
 Step Five
Bohol

After adjusting the bamboo and re-arranging the boxes into the following
layout, we will begin to build the new raised bed on Saturday, December 11th
at our Community Garden Build.

Mindanao Palawan Luzon Bohol

1. Follow the measurements and mark the perimeter.

2. Remove the grass.
3. Dig up the ground
4. Build the fence
5. Fill the raised beds with soil
We hope that many community gardeners will come
forward to follow these steps to solving the flooding
and erosion problems.

In order for everyone to know what they can do to

help, this information has also been posted on the
Community Garden Notice Board.

We have also posted a diagram with measurements

and several sign-up sheets.
We hope that our friends from all over ISM will be able to help our garden
become healthy again. If students or teachers would like to sign up for any of
the activities, please email me or just sign your names up on the sheets and
join in when you can!

Our goal is to change the layout over the course of this week. Grade One
students are investigating factors which affect plant growth and plan to plant
their seedlings in the garden soon! That is why we have invited the WHOLE ISM
community to attend the Community Garden Build on December 11th

We also plan to build the raised beds on December 11th with Middle School
students who are being empowered to Change Our World!

We are always thinking about what we can do improve the condition of our
community garden. We hope that during Phase Three we will be able to design
solutions to make our community garden more sustainable. We need help to
answer lots of questions so that we can take better care of our garden.
By caring and collaborating to solve problems in our very own
Community Garden, we are being global citizens who display
our school-wide goals, involving our community in sustainable
solutions and positive action that safeguard our environment

We have the power to Change Our

World!

Can we solve the

flooding and soil erosion
problems at our
Community Garden?

Yes…WE CAN!