Programs
Sidney Spit trip
Preserving a rare ecosystem
On Saturday, seven students from the Environment Club and Outdoor Pursuits teamed up with Parks Canada to help clear invasive European beachgrass from the sand dunes at Sidney Spit National Park Reserve, Canada’s newest National Park Reserve.
Sand dunes are one of Canada’s rarest ecosystems, but many dunes are under threat from invasive plant species, which out compete native plants and prevent natural sand movement.
A stiff coastal breeze and heavy cloud cover made for a chilly day out on the exposed spit, but students Freddy W., Gustavo S., Brannon U., Giulia S., Chloe B., Honomi K. and Angelina H. worked diligently all day and successfully cleared a significant area of dune.
Freddy and Gustavo were also commended by Parks Canada conservation leader Pippi Lawn for unearthing and extracting a single extensive beachgrass root system, breaking an unofficial Parks Canada record in the process.
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful West Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
