The greening of Beaver Valley Community School (BVCS) continues as students, staff, and families welcome the addition of an immaculate new outdoor natural space! Students and staff were joined by parents/guardians, volunteers, donating businesses, and a representative of Tree Canada on Thursday, October 10 for the launch of the Backyard Habitat Project.
Spearheaded by dedicated volunteer Arnis Pukitis and Grade 2 teacher Audrey Macdonald, the project was funded through a $9,500 grant received this past March from Tree Canada, to plant trees and shrubs benefiting insects and birds. Since the early 1990s, Tree Canada has greened more than 720 schoolyards across the country. The initiative at BVCS marks a logical next step to build upon the Butterfly Gardens project completed in 2023. With that project, funding support was provided by the School Council to make the schoolyard more attractive to local wildlife, including five local butterfly species. Primary classes prepared flower beds and planted over 200 native wildflowers, which they continue to maintain.
The funding from Tree Canada for the Backyard Habitat Project covers the cost of seven trees and 48 native shrubs for three beautified spaces along the fence line, the largest being visible from the front of the school. To get the ball rolling, planting beds and large trees were installed in the summer by a local landscaping company, owned by parents of BVCS students. A powerful eco tag team, Audrey led the charge in soliciting student help, while Arnis presented to Grades 2, 3, and 5 classes to provide rationale for the project and information on planting.