Trees for Tomorrow

Tree planting is underway at Shawnigan Lake School as part of the "Trees for Tomorrow" program, a provincial initiative designed to make communities green, safe, and healthy. Over the next five years, four million trees will be planted in urban and rural areas throughout British Columbia, resulting in the absorption of approximately one million tonnes of carbon dioxide (over the biological life of planted trees). These new trees will help clean the air and sequester (“lock away”) carbon dioxide that would otherwise contribute to global climate change.

In September 2009, a seasoned contract crew planted nearly 10,000 trees in approximately 35 hectares of unproductive sites at the northwest portion of the School property. These NSR (“non satisfactorily restocked”) areas, which were logged prior to the School acquiring the lands, contain a some dense brush species and pockets of trees of various sizes. A mix of tree species (Douglas-fir, western redcedar, and grand-fir) was selected for planting in order to meet specific ecological requirements at different sites.

Environmental responsibility is strongly rooted at the core of the Shawnigan Lake School’s curricular and co-curricular programs. Students at the School will be actively engaged in the implementation and follow-up phases of newly planted forest stands. The Trees for Tomorrow program provides a valuable opportunity to impart to students a lifelong knowledge, appreciation, and interest in the environment.

- Margaret Symon, Strathcona Forestry Consulting.
 

Photos by Stephen Lane