activities · 24
what they do
direct service · 20
- Community volunteer engagement in garden programs Urban Tree Planting & CareHosts volunteer workdays at school and community gardens in Flagstaff during the growing season, supporting garden maintenance and community involvement in environmental projects.
- Culturally relevant education for Native and non-Native studentsOffers culturally relevant lessons and connections for Native and non-Native students through school garden programs and partnerships, including Hopi gardening, seed saving, harvesting, food processing, and cooking classes in collaboration with community partners.
- Culturally relevant education for Native and non-Native studentsOffers culturally relevant lessons and programming through School Gardens and BIRDS@Work, including partnerships that deliver Hopi gardening, seed saving, harvesting, food processing, and cooking classes.
- Educational Blog and Online Learning Resources Online Environmental Education ResourcesOperates an educational blog, "Terra BIRDS Lessons Blog," intended for students of all ages globally, sharing information and ideas for learning, including daily journal work and a chat function for participation in the Greenhouse Class.
- Global educational outreach via online platforms Online Environmental Education ResourcesOperates an educational blog and online resources intended for students of all ages globally, sharing curriculum materials, gardening lessons, and interactive tools for remote learning.
- Hopi Gardening and Cultural EducationConducts Hopi gardening, seed saving, harvesting, food processing, and cooking classes in partnership with Terra BIRDS, providing culturally relevant lessons and connections for Native and non-Native students.
- Hydroponic Tower Installation and Curriculum Development School-Based Garden & Hydroponics EducationInstalls hydroponic towers in classrooms in 33 schools in Flagstaff, Page, and Grand Canyon to enable year-round indoor gardening. This is supported by a three-part comic book series, "Space Salad," which blends hydroponic growing principles with STEM skills and embeds lessons on the care of classroom hydroponic grow towers.
- Hydroponic classroom gardening program School-Based Garden & Hydroponics EducationInstalls and supports hydroponic grow towers in classrooms across 33 schools in Flagstaff, Page, and Grand Canyon, enabling year-round indoor gardening and integrating STEM education through the "Space Salad" comic series.
- K-12 School Garden Education Programs School-Based Garden & Hydroponics EducationImplements environmental stewardship, urban habitat restoration, and food production programs in K-12 schools across Flagstaff Unified School District, Coconino County Accommodation School District, Grand Canyon School District, and Page Unified School District. This includes culturally relevant lessons, hands-on gardening classes, and maintenance of school gardens. In one year, programming was offered to 14 schools, serving 1,719 students through 303 hours of garden education across 175 school and 67 individual class visits.
- Land Stewardship and Habitat Restoration Urban Tree Planting & CareStewards over 13 acres of land in Flagstaff, including transforming an empty patch of dirt around the Ponderosa High Greenhouse into a diverse habitat with plants, birds, and other organisms, and adding structures for community use. This work engages 300 to 500 people, leading to personal growth and transformation for participants.
- Online educational outreach and blog Online Environmental Education ResourcesOperates an educational blog—Terra BIRDS Lessons Blog—for students of all ages globally, sharing curriculum resources, ideas for learning, and interactive features such as chat participation in the Greenhouse Class.
- Remote and hybrid educational programming during school closures Virtual Skill-Building WorkshopsProvided remote learning support during the pandemic, including coursework, video messages, and journaling activities for high school Greenhouse Classes, and maintained engagement through the Lessons Blog and chat functionality.
- School and community garden maintenance and volunteer engagement Urban Tree Planting & CareOperates school garden maintenance programs supported by volunteers and hosts seasonal volunteer workdays at school and community gardens in Flagstaff; transformed the area around the Ponderosa High Greenhouse into a biodiverse habitat and community space, engaging 300–500 participants.
- School-based environmental and garden education programs School-Based Garden & Hydroponics EducationImplements garden education, environmental stewardship, urban habitat restoration, and food production programs for K-12 students across multiple school districts in Northern Arizona, including Flagstaff, Grand Canyon, and Page; served 1,719 students with 303 hours of instruction and 175 school visits during the reporting period.
- School-based garden education and programming School-Based Garden & Hydroponics EducationImplements garden programs in K-12 schools across Northern Arizona, including curriculum delivery, school garden maintenance, and hands-on classes such as the Greenhouse Class at Ponderosa High School. Programs include daily journaling, coursework, and virtual participation options during school closures.
- Stewardship of 13 acres of land in FlagstaffManages and maintains 13 acres of land in Flagstaff for environmental and educational purposes.
- Stewardship of land and environmental programs in Flagstaff Urban Tree Planting & CareStewards over 13 acres of land in Flagstaff, implementing environmental stewardship, urban habitat restoration, and food production initiatives. These efforts include transforming underutilized spaces into biodiverse habitats, such as the project around the Ponderosa High Greenhouse.
- Youth Job Training and EmploymentProvides environmentally sustainable job training and employment opportunities to at-risk youth in Northern Arizona through the BIRDS@Work program, focusing on sustainability, garden education, urban habitat restoration, and green space rewilding. In one year, 30 youth interns worked 1,246 hours and were paid over $23,000.
- Youth job training and employment through BIRDS@Work ProgramProvides paid job training and employment opportunities to at-risk youth through the BIRDS@Work Program, focusing on sustainability, garden education, urban habitat restoration, and green space rewilding; 30 youth participated across spring, summer, and fall sessions, earning $23,194.22 for 1,246 total hours of work.
- Youth job training and engagement programsProvides environmentally sustainable jobs and job training to local at-risk youth through garden-based programming, engaging 300 to 500 people in hands-on land work that supports personal growth and development.
capacity building · 4
- Educational Comic Book Series Development School-Based Garden & Hydroponics EducationDeveloped a three-part comic book series, "Space Salad," which blends hydroponic growing principles with STEM skills and embeds lessons on the care of classroom hydroponic grow towers.
- Fiscal SponsorshipProvided fiscal sponsorship to Ita Hopi Lavayi from 2018 to 2019 and resumed fiscal sponsorship near the end of 2025.
- Fiscal sponsorship for Indigenous-led initiativesProvides fiscal sponsorship to Indigenous-led projects, including Ita Hopi Lavayi, from 2018–2019 and resuming near the end of 2025, supporting community-based food and cultural systems.
- Fiscal sponsorship for community initiatives Local Community GrantmakingProvides fiscal sponsorship to community-based projects, including Ita Hopi Lavayi, from 2018–2019 and resuming near the end of 2025.
strategies · 15
how they think
Theories of action extracted from this org's own source material. Click any to see the full field of orgs running the same approach.
- Cultural Transmission and Indigenous Knowledge Integration indigenous_cultural_transmissionTerra BIRDS supports Indigenous rights by integrating cultural knowledge, languages, and traditions, particularly through activities aligned with the Hopi agricultural calendar, to educate and empower future generations.
- Equitable and culturally grounded environmental education equity-in-environmental-educationPromotes inclusive access to nature education regardless of identity and supports Indigenous cultural transmission through calendar-based, language-integrated programming rooted in traditional ecological knowledge.
- Equitable and culturally rooted environmental education equity-in-environmental-educationPromotes inclusive access to nature and gardening education across race, income, and identity, while supporting Indigenous cultural transmission through language, tradition, and calendar-based learning.
- Organic site preparation and mulching for grass plug success proper_grass_plug_installationEnsures survival and growth of native grass plugs through precise planting techniques and organic mulching with natural debris to retain moisture and protect roots.
- Problem-to-Opportunity Framework for Global Challenges problem_to_opportunity_transformationTerra BIRDS addresses global challenges like pandemics, climate change, and social inequities by reframing them as opportunities for positive change, promoting individual responsibility and home-based stewardship as foundational to environmental balance.
- Problem-to-opportunity systems thinking problem-to-opportunity transformationApplies a transformative framework that reframes global challenges like climate change and inequity as opportunities for innovation and lasting systemic change.
- Problem-to-opportunity transformation framework problem-to-opportunity transformationReframes global challenges like climate change and social inequity as opportunities for innovation and systemic change through education and community action.
- Self-directed, journal-based learning for personal and ecological growth self-directed_learningEncourages young adults to pursue independent, interest-driven education through journaling, observation, creative expression, and critical thinking as alternatives to traditional schooling.
- Self-directed, journal-based learning for youth self-directed_learningEncourages young adults to pursue independent, interest-driven education through journaling, observation, creative expression, and critical thinking rather than traditional schooling.
- Stewardship-based environmental engagement stewardship educationFosters individual and community responsibility for environmental care through hands-on nature engagement, home-based stewardship, and incremental personal action to improve both self and environment.
- Stewardship-centered environmental education stewardship educationFosters individual and community responsibility for environmental care by connecting people to nature through hands-on engagement, home-based action, and incremental improvement of self and environment.
- Vocational training in urban agriculture and habitat restoration vocational_trainingProvides underprivileged youth aged 15–22 with job training and employment in urban agriculture, habitat restoration, and green space rewilding to build skills for sustainable economic sectors.
- Youth Empowerment through Experiential and Sustainability-Oriented Education youth_empowerment_through_experiential_learningTerra BIRDS empowers youth by engaging them in hands-on, justice-centered, and sustainability-oriented gardening and nature education. This approach fosters independent learning, critical thinking, and a connection to nature, enabling young people to create lasting change and develop personal stewardship.
- Youth empowerment through experiential gardening and vocational training experiential_learningEngages youth in hands-on gardening, sustainability education, and job training to foster personal growth, environmental stewardship, and economic opportunity, particularly for underprivileged youth aged 15–22.
- Youth empowerment through gardening and experiential learning experiential_learningUses hands-on gardening and sustainability education to connect youth to nature, build job skills, and foster personal growth through experiential, self-directed learning models.
named programs · 3
what they call their work
BIRDS@Work Program
An internship program offering job training and employment opportunities to local at-risk youth in sustainability and garden education, focusing on growing food, restoring urban habitats, and rewilding green spaces.
School Garden Program
Provides gardening education on school grounds for K-12 students in Flagstaff Unified School District, Coconino County Accommodation School District, Grand Canyon School District, and Page Unified School District, emphasizing sustainability, stewardship, and community wellness.
Space Salad
A three-part comic book series developed by Terra BIRDS Illustrator Robert Chambers, blending hydroponic growing principles with STEM skills in a sci-fi narrative, embedding lessons on classroom hydroponic grow towers.
relationships · 20
who they work with
- Arizona Ethnobotanical Research Association Network — Coordinated fiscal sponsorship transitions for Ita Hopi Lavayi alongside Terra BIRDS.
- Carbon Copy Journal Partner — Ted Martinez, a board member, is a Managing Editor at Carbon Copy Journal.
- City of Flagstaff Partner — Natalie Jacobs, a board member, consults for the Flagstaff Sustainability Office to help identify funding opportunities to implement climate goals and policies.
- Coconino County Accommodation School District (CCASD) Partner — Provides gardening education on school grounds for K-12 students.
- Coconino County Education Service Agency (CCESA) Partner — Partnered to install hydroponic towers in classrooms for year-round growing.
- Coconino County Juvenile Detention Center Transition School (JDCTS) Partner — Youth participants in the BIRDS@Work program are primarily from this school.
- Flagstaff Foodlink Partner — Elizabeth Taylor, a board member, is an emeritus board member of Flagstaff Foodlink.
- Flagstaff Unified School District (FUSD) Partner — Provides gardening education on school grounds for K-12 students.
- Flagstaff schools Partner — Collaborates with schools in Flagstaff to maintain and support school garden programs.
- Grand Canyon School District Partner — Provides gardening education on school grounds for K-12 students.
- Ita Hopi Lavayi Partner — Collaborates to provide culturally relevant lessons and programming in School Gardens and BIRDS@Work programs.
- Liz Partner — Board member of Terra BIRDS who shared reflections on resilience during the pandemic
- Northern Arizona University Partner — Ted Martinez, a board member, is a Teaching Professor in NAU’s Honors College and Academic Director of NAU’s Grand Canyon Semester.
- Page Unified School District Partner — Provides gardening education on school grounds for K-12 students.
- Ponderosa High School Partner — Collaborates on a greenhouse class and provides educational support to its students.
- Ponderosa High School Partner — Collaborates with Ponderosa High School to provide coursework and educational support to students.
- Ponderosa High School (PHS) Partner — Youth participants in the BIRDS@Work program are primarily from this school.
- Prince EA Partner — Collaborates on educational content about pandemic preparedness and personal resilience
- Shoshin Partner — References Shoshin (Beginner’s Mind) as a foundational concept for its educational approach.
- Trust for Public Lands Partner — Lindsay Withers, a board member, works as a cartographer at Trust for Public Land.