Students at Rossland’s École des Sept-sommets spent last Friday building a future greenspace on their school’s playground.
With the help of a $1,000 grant from Tree Canada, the students and volunteer parents planted more than 150 trees, shrubs and other plants as part of the organization’s green intiatives for school yards.
These plantings will liven up the school grounds by attracting a wide range of creatures from birds and squirrels to insects, worms, and fungi. This space will be used for garden projects and outdoor learning.
It’s the second year of the project that’s seen new plantings on the property, especially on the southeast end of the school which is very dry and arid.
Last year, ÉSS partnered with EcoNova and received a “Nouveaux Horizons” grant from the federal government. This grant supports initiatives involving elders from the community, and was used to build five planting beds and a compost bin. Many francophone elders from the community collaborated with ÉSS staff and students to plant herbs and vegetables.
This year, the school wanted to take steps to create a better environment for those planting beds. After receiving the grant in June from Tree Canada, the school’s parent advisory committee purchased native trees, shrubs and flower bulbs, as well as gardening equipment.
Over the summer, parent volunteers Caley Mulholland and Jon Severin prepared the ground for the tree planting by adding rocks, soil and wood chips.
That set the stage for last Friday, when Mulholland and Randy Trerise from Tree Canada helped the students plant the trees and bulbs.
The project was possible thanks to grants from Tree Canada, The Nelson District Credit Union, and CBT as well as donations of mulch from ATCO and trucking from SUTCO Transportation Specialists.
There’s more work to be done. Next, the students will add fall leaves as mulch to all the planted areas, and in the coming year or two the school hopes to add a small tool shed and shade structure.
