What began nearly a year ago with community conversations is now a reality. At the May 15, 2025 School Board meeting, the Rim of the World Unified School District (ROWUSD) trustees approved a lease agreement with California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) to establish the Mountain Lab at the Lake Gregory Educational Center (LGEC).
The Mountain Lab will be operated in partnership with CSUSB’s Institute of Watershed Resiliency, turning classrooms into a hub for environmental monitoring, data collection, and student learning. The lease, approved as Consent Calendar item 11.22, allows CSUSB to use more than 4,000 square feet of space resulting in the expansion of shared educational and research opportunities.
Regional Collaboration and Investment
The Mountain Lab is more than a local project; it is part of a regional movement to strengthen watershed resilience and wildfire preparedness through the Inland Empire Headwaters Resiliency Partnership (HRP), which began in 2021. HRP unites water agencies, universities, nonprofits, and government agencies to coordinate projects that protect the Inland Empire’s natural resources.
To date, partners have contributed more than $35 million towards forest health, wildfire prevention, and conservation initiatives. Highlights include:
- $9.8 million from the Southern California Mountains Foundation for community-based wildfire resilience and education programs.
- $7.1 million from the Inland Empire Resource Conservation District through a state block grant for watershed and forest management.
- $5.6 million from the National Forest Foundation for wildfire prevention and $4.2 million for forest health restoration.
- Additional investments from TreePeople, CAL FIRE, the U.S. Forest Service, and private foundations like the Inland Empire Community Foundation.
ROWUSD itself is recognized as a partner, contributing in-kind funding and student access to these efforts through our agreement. By participating, the district ensures its students are not only beneficiaries of regional conservation work but also active contributors to protecting local forests, watersheds, and communities. You can learn more about HRP from this presentation created by the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District.
A Vision Years in the Making
The idea for the Mountain Lab was first introduced publicly in November 2024 at a stakeholder meeting hosted by ROWUSD Superintendent Dr. Paul Sevillano and CSUSB’s Dr. Jennifer Alford, Director of the Institute for Watershed Resiliency. Representatives from local water agencies, conservation groups, nonprofits, and the Rim of the World Educational Foundation gathered to explore how K–12 students, higher education, and community organizations could work together on watershed monitoring and resilience.
As Dr. Alford described then, the Mountain Lab would become a knowledge and learning hub, spanning early childhood through professional education, to better protect the ecological assets of the San Bernardino Mountains for generations to come.
What the Mountain Lab will do
At its core, the Mountain Lab will serve as both a classroom and a research station. Students, teachers, university researchers, and community partners will be able to engage in projects that bring science to life right in the San Bernardino Mountains.
The scope of the work is broad and ambitious:
- Water Quality and Quantity – Monitoring rivers, lakes, and groundwater to understand the health of the local watershed and ensure reliable water supplies for mountain communities.
- Snowpack and Meadows – Measuring snow levels and meadow conditions, which are critical indicators of water storage and ecosystem health in the face of climate change.
- Air Quality and Weather – Collecting data on pollutants, temperature, and storm events to better understand local air and climate conditions.
- Forest Health and Wildfire Resilience – Tracking forest growth, tree mortality, and fire impacts, while studying strategies to prevent catastrophic wildfires.
- Native and Nonnative Species – Identifying plants and animals that thrive in the region, as well as invasive species that threaten biodiversity.
- Wildlife Populations and Habitats – Observing species diversity, migration patterns, and habitat health to guide conservation efforts.
This monitoring effort is not just for scientists as it will be woven into K–12 STEM instruction, offering students fieldwork opportunities, research experiences, and even pathways into environmental careers. As Superintendent Dr. Sevillano emphasized in early discussions, this partnership will “develop real-world science learning experiences” that prepare Rim students for both college and careers.
What’s Next?
With the lease approved and the lab’s framework in place, CSUSB and ROWUSD will begin preparing the Lake Gregory Educational Center for student and research use. The Mountain Lab will give Rim students a front-row seat to some of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time while equipping them with the skills and experiences to be the next generation of scientists, leaders, and stewards of the San Bernardino Mountains.