New tree planted at Ecole Catholique Louis Riel

“The Grade Ones got to hear a presentation for Alberta Forestry and Parks,” McDonald says. “And Deputy Mayor Len Auger was here to present on behalf of city council, and the Arbour Day Society themselves were here to just talk about the importance of trees and why it’s so important to continue to plant them and understand them and why they’re important.”

(Image Credit: Everything GP staff/Nathaniel Leigh)

McDonald says the Arbour Day Society’s mission is to create a legacy of beauty and awareness of trees through the development of groves in the community.

“You can actually see groves planted around the city; there are about seven or eight of them,” she says. “Some of them are a little bit hidden; you might not necessarily know where they are, but they are all signed. And so, we continue to support groves being planted, as well as the school ceremonial tree every year.”

(Image Credit: Everything GP staff/Nathaniel Leigh)

She says Grade 1 students participated in the ceremonial tree planting to learn more about how to care for saplings they received in early May.

“We don’t want it right up against a building or right up against something else,” she says. “We want to talk about FireSmarting technologies but also about how it needs water, that it needs care, and all that kind of thing. They’re really open and susceptible at that age to understanding why it’s important, and it’s a really great combination and support from the government to give them trees at that age.”

Mature trees have been planted at Peace Country schools annually since 1990.

(Image Credit: Everything GP staff/Nathaniel Leigh)

by Nathaniel Leigh