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By the end of the day on Friday, June 1st, 2,500 Red Pine seedlings were planted by students and staff from St. Thomas Aquinas High School. Sixty students were bussed to the Malachai Lake Area, in the Kenora forest, with sunscreen, water and spades in hand to help reforest a 3-hectare area of land, while two classes, planted in the Rabbit Lake forest.
The reforestation project was in partnership with the Lake of the Woods Property Owners Association, Ministry of Natural Resources and students from Beaver Brae Secondary School. Lake of the Woods Brewing Company donated 5,000 seedlings to the initiative.
.jpg "Red Pine Seedling Planting")
"This initiative helps connect our students to the benefits of trees, giving them an opportunity to get involved in environmental stewardship and conservation of our natural resources," explains Colette Pellerin, Environmental Science, French Immersion and Career Studies Teacher. "Programs like this help our students become aware that they play an important role in protecting our environment."
At the planting site, Ministry of Natural Resources staff provided the students with hands-on education on environmental sustainability and reforestation, career paths and opportunities in the field of forestry.
"We also encouraged all of our staff and students to pack a waste-free, plastic-free lunch to encourage environmental consciousness," says Pellerin.
Leading up to the tree-planting, students watched the documentary entitled Call of the Forest - The Forgotten Wisdom of Trees, featuring scientist and acclaimed author Diana Beresford-Kroeger. The film follows Beresford-Kroeger as she investigates our profound biological and spiritual connection to forests.