Vision

Our school has a very depleted garden bed full of stones and invasive weeds. It is a contained space that will hold a good selection of native plants beneficial for our important pollinators: birds, bees and butterflies.

We are linking this project to the UN Sustainable Development Goals: Life on Land and Zero Hunger. We want to take a wasted space and turn it into a productive area for both the mental well-being of our staff and students and our community and planet. Through this garden, would are trying to stop biodiversity loss and promote the improvement of land degradation. We want to ensure that the bees and butterflies continue to work their magic in our world. We would like to show students that growing your own food is possible and that this is something we can do to try and promote the Zero Hunger goal.

Action

Our school Eco-Team worked extremely hard to make this depleted plot of weeds into a haven for a variety of pollinators such as birds, bees and butterflies. The students researched the types of plants native to our area and then which of those are also beneficial pollinator plants. Once we had a list, we ordered the soil for the garden, and the work began. Students worked hard to clear the area of weeds and stones and then added the new soil. Once the plants arrived, the students arranged them in the area, ensuring that they each had room to grow. A decomposing log was brought in as a source of insects and decomposing organic matter. Students got their hands dirty and started planting. Once all the plants were in, we added the mulch and then gave each plant a generous drink of water. Students then prepared the Bee and Butterfly Baths using a clay pot saucer filled with some rocks and water. We added some student-painted signs and birdhouses. Our garden was a labour of love that will continue to bloom.

Reflection & Celebration

Students were very excited to get their hands dirty and plant some beautiful and beneficial plants. There was a lot of learning for everyone, and the learning and wondering continue as we wait to see the success of our hard work. Students of the whole school are eager to see the visitors we get to our garden, and I believe this is the start of something good for our school. There are many other areas around our schoolyard that can be made into a beneficial space for the people, plants and animals of our area. We are excited to see how far we can take this initiative! Next on the agenda is to try a create a food garden to show students how easy it is to grow our own food. This would help them see how we can work on improving another Sustainable Development Goal: Zero Hunger.