Above: Billy Van Wart from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and an assistant work with gr. 6 students from LDMS to assess water quality of Woods Creek during an all-day Boxerwood-led field program. DEQ personnel partner with NEST every season, introducing local students to science careers and enhancing instruction with their professional expertise.

It takes a team.​
Project NEST represents a successful 10-year collaboration between Boxerwood Nature Center, three area school divisions, and community partners and donors. In simplified term:
  • Boxerwood provides the expertise and some funding.  
  • School divisions provide the students, teachers, transportation and a bit more of the funding.
  • Community partners provide additional technical expertise, volunteer instruction, program venues, additional resources and the rest of the needed funding.  

It's an interwoven collaboration…like a nest.

NEST School Partners Kling & Enderly Heights Elementaries, Parry McCluer Middle School, Parry McCluer High School

Harrington Waddell Elementary, Lylburn Downing Middle School
​ Central, Fairfield, Mountain View, and Natural Bridge Elementaries, Maury River Middle School

Funding Partners
2016-17: U.S. NOAA/Bay Watershed Education Training Program, Chesapeake Bay Trust, Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund, Washington and Lee Community Grants, The Laurie Landeau Foundation, The Cacapon Institute, Virginia Society for Ornithology, Lexington Sunrise Rotary, The Waller Family Foundation, The Mohawk Carpet Foundation, Computer Doctor LLC, and private citizens (NEST School Scholarship donors), and individual donors to the NEST School Scholarship Fund.

Pro-Bono Partners
The City of Buena Vista (Glen Maury Park, Wastewater Treatment Facility), The City of Lexington (Jordan's Point Park), Mallard Duck Campground, Natural Bridge of Virginia, Miller's House, Rockbridge Master Gardeners, Rockbridge Master Naturalists, Rockbridge 4-H Extension, Virginia Dept. of Environmental Quality (Harrisonburg/Staunton offices), Washington and Lee University (Environmental Studies, Education, and Geology Departments), Rockbridge Bluebird Conservation Project, U.S. Park Service (Blue Ridge Parkway), Trout Unlimited.

Boxerwood Education Association (BEA)
Boxerwood is the coordinating entity for Project NEST. Boxerwood is a non-profit community-based organization whose mission is "to educate and inspire people of all ages to become successful stewards of the Earth." Widely regarded as a community treasure, Boxerwood carries out its mission through operation of environmental education programs for local children and their families, including Project NEST.