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Making Planter Boxes Behind Classroom
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As you look out the back windows of the Tule
Ponds visitor center, you can see the planter boxes built in a neat row
along the edge of the path.
These boxes serve a few purposes.
Primarily, the boxes serve as habitat for plants favored by
butterflies. They also act as an erosion stop, pedestrian traffic
control fence, and as a form of beautification for the area.
Building the boxes was not easy.
Two main challenges made the construction more difficult than
would be initially expected.
The first challenge to be solved was that of the slope upon which the
planters were built. In the
end, this entailed both digging out a wedge shaped cut into the dirt,
and putting extra boards in the back of the box.
The boxes are made from pressure treated wood to slow the effects
of decomposition, but this added another challenge as the chemicals used
to treat wood are hazardous when breathed.
This added a bit of complication when cutting and handling the
wood.
Despite these challenges, the planters were
finished in an acceptable time frame, to an excellent standard.
To this day, they sit out back keeping silent watch over Tule
Ponds.
Thanks to all those who helped, including Edric
Zheng, Brian Cisto, Jai Tamboli, Zaid Vellani, Arvindh Balaji, Sunjay
Kumar, Pranav Kumar, Jayden Gravett, Govind Nainani, Jai Tamboli,
Sambhav Mehta, Mr. and Mrs. Walker, Mr. Cooper, Mr. Gravett, Mrs. Kumar,
Mr. Gulati, and my endlessly supportive family: dad, mom, and Claire.
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| lining up planter boxes |