School Habitat Project

MEA Native Garden

Overview

The Mt. Everest Academy Native Garden is a permanent natural, outdoor area on campus to educate students and provide habitat for local wildlife.

4350 Mt Everest Blvd, San Diego, CA 92117

Note: This project was restarted in 2023 after being destroyed.

MEA Native Garden Club

The MEA Native Garden will work to create a permanent natural, outdoor area on campus to educate students and provide habitat for local wildlife.

Before & After

MEA Native Garden

LOCATION AND SECTIONS

The garden is located at the West end of the Mt. Everest Academy campus and is separated into two sections. The garden area borders houses and private properties and is encircled by asphalt and classrooms. It is also located in the vicinity of the school agricultural garden. The total area of the garden space is approximately 0.4 acres or 17,300 square feet. The planting area is flat with no slopes. The soil is extremely compacted which limits plant growth and makes digging difficult.

North Section

This section is smaller and closest to irrigation. There were already a few native plant species and small trees growing in this area, so planting began here. There is an invasive Brazilian pepper tree in this section, the tree was trimmed down in 2025, but its growth must continue to be controlled. No planting has been done right next to the Brazilian pepper tree.

Note: Below are the first 15 natives planted in the garden, along with a few existing desert brooms. Unfortunately, during fall 2022, the garden was cut down by maintenance workers for the school district. Only one plant from the 2022 plantings survived the incident, and the project was restarted the following year.

South Section

This section is larger and farther from irrigation. There are two native plant species that grew without any external help, but later died. Plant survival is much lower here, although with additional watering and mulch covering, we have had some success.