Vision

After being inspired by another school at the Climate youth forum in Winnipeg, the students of our Changemakers club were determined to create a wildflower garden in our school yard. This desire stemmed from the growing need for environmental awareness and connection to nature among students and staff. By introducing native plant species, we aim to enhance biodiversity, create a more sustainable ecosystem, and foster a deeper connection to the natural world among the school population. This initiative aligns with our club’s commitment to environmental stewardship and provides numerous educational opportunities for experiential learning.

As we look around our school yard, we see a lot of opportunities for growth and restoration. We currently have few trees, no native plants, and wide-open grass fields. Our yard makes a great soccer or football field but does not allow for much else. We strongly believe that there is great power in making a space appealing, diverse, and just interesting to look at and “get lost in”. We hope that by creating a beautiful space, rich in native plants, we will see an increase in curiosity, more play, and our greatest hope; a certain level of accountability and ownership among our staff and students to take care of our shared outdoor space.

Action

To bring our vision to life, we researched local companies that could help us out with the layout, and list suitable plant species. We reached out to a Winnipeg based company called Beez Please, a company that specializes in pollinator friendly yards.

We used our $500 from Learning for a Sustainable Future to cover the cost of a consultation, a landscape plan, as well as a 3D rendering and site design. This will be a huge undertaking and is part of a multi-year project. Now that we have the plans in place, including plant specifications, we can move forward with applying for grants to help further fund this student-led action plan. Our school has also made outdoor learning a priority for next year, and any school-wide fundraisers will also go towards supporting this initiative.

Reflection & Celebration

Even though we have not been able to put our shovels in the ground yet, we have done much of the foundational work to bring our plan to life soon. We are very excited to tackle this project, one piece at a time, and celebrate our impact when we see the school, wider community, and all creatures enjoying the space we created.