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C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 1 7 197 These days, students in participating RON classrooms start the seeds for 15,000 to 20,000 plants annually. Seed trays get transferred to green- houses at CSUMB to grow, and students are then looped back in to help transfer some of those plants to school gardens across Monterey County. Other native plants are used in habitat restoration projects at Fort Ord National Monument, Moss Landing State Beach, Salinas' Upper Carr Lake and beyond. RON buses school groups to those sites, so that students can participate in plantings and enjoy the results of their efforts. "We really try to give kids experience in three settings: in school gar- dens, at local parks, and in more wild places, like sand dunes or creeks or Fort Ord," Lienk says. RON leaders also try to reach students at all stages of their school career. The Nature Detectives program, for example, engages kinder- garten through third-grade students in basic field research activities. Fifth- grade students at all eleven Monterey Peninsula Unified School District (MPUSD) elementary schools are establishing gardens through the inno- vative Eco Ambassadors program. More than 1,500 Seaside and Marina students visit places like Marina Dunes and the BLM-Fort Ord National Monument backcountry through RON's Cycle of Restoration initiative. ©2016 MUFG Union Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. Member FDIC. Union Bank is a registered trademark and brand name of MUFG Union Bank, N.A. April Robbert VP, Sr. Mortgage Consultant 831…234…2088 april.robbert@unionbank.com NMLS ID #384061 1 Loans subject to credit and collateral approval. Financing available for collateral located in CA, OR, or WA. Restrictions may apply. Terms and conditions subject to change. Doing right starts right here. Community banking is at the heart of what we do. From giving customers more convenient access to their money to "inancing their homes in the neighborhood, Union Bank® believes in acting locally. 1 We also believe that investing in local businesses helps everyone. For over 150 years, Union Bank has grown strong, one community at a time. We live here. We do business here. And we're here, for you. Experience the strength of community banking. Stop by your local branch today. unionbank.com A strong community starts with a strong bank More than 25 schools participate in RON and students get hands on and dirty planting native species to restore the Monterey County landscape.