Vision

To create a local Indigenous plant garden to increase biodiversity at our school. This garden will be a place where we can learn about these species and their traditional Indigenous uses. This garden will attract and create a habitat for pollinators and other beneficial animals like birds. We will be able to invite local traditional knowledge keepers into our school to teach us about traditional uses and harvest plants once they are established.

Action

We created a local plant garden in the front of our school. They are local Indigenous plants that are great for pollinators and help increase biodiversity on our school grounds. The school district cleared the area of massive hedges. Kindergarten, Grade 1 and 2 students helped prepare the area removing stones, roots and by raking it. Grade 1/2 and 4/5 buddies researched local plants in our area that have traditional local Indigenous uses and healing properties. They created an information sheet which is created into a booklet to share knowledge with rest of the school. The book will go in the library. We bought these plants from Streamside Native Plants. Students planted them together and mulched them to protect them. We also planted some local plants we have been growing in our school garden to increase biodiversity on our school grounds. K/1/2/4/5 students help water as temperatures got up past 22 C and there was a week without rain. The garden will be a place where we go to learn about local plants, their traditional Indigenous uses and pollinators in years to come. All students and staff at school will enjoy watching these plants grow, observing their life cycles and benefiting by seeing these local species attract pollinators and birds.

Reflection & Celebration

As a school community we are able to go to this garden and take care and learn of these plants. We have all benefited by being able to help the earth by taking these steps to make our school grounds a more diverse ecosystem for plants and animals. This will now be a learning space for years to come. Students benefited from these hands on learning activities which cater to all learning styles.