It was a hot New England fall afternoon last Tuesday, but that didn't stop students and children alike from working under the sun to plant blueberries behind the Sachar Academic Complex.Unbeknownst to most students, the area behind Sachar consists partly of wetlands-lowland areas, such as marshes and swamps, that are regarded as natural habitats of wildlife-and as part of an American Studies class, students, along with children from the Lemberg Children's Center, shoveled and hoed the ground in an effort to preserve those wetlands.

"Greening the Ivory Tower," a class taught by Prof. Laura Goldin (AMST), sponsored the event to promote environmental awareness within the University community. Goldin said the event was a continuation of a former student's initiative to protect other wetlands on campus, including ones near the Goldfarb Library.

The afternoon had the atmosphere of an elementary school field trip, with students throwing Frisbees and conversing while placing the plants six inches into the ground.

"What an empowering thing-it's fabulous!" Goldin said about the students' participation in the event.

Goldin said that even though the planting itself was mainly a recreational activity, it showed students how they can influence environmental issues at Brandeis.

Before students could plant the berries by the wetlands, they had to seek the approval of the Massachusetts Conservation Committee. Students said this helped themlearn more about legal matters and how they relate to the environment, students said.

"We all learned a lot," Cliff Silverman '07 said. "A lot of us want to become attorneys, so tackling it from that end is a pretty unique experience."

The children planted the bushes enthusiastically alongside Goldin and her students.

Dennis Finn, the University's supervisor of ground and vehicle maintenance, said he hoped the event would help students appreciate the work done around campus.

Taking a break from the digging, planting and raking, Alaine Marx '07 voiced her appreciation for the work: "I love it!