Getting things growing in PEC

PECI REAL Life students plant trees at Sandbanks Provincial Park. Theresa Durning photo. www.in-the-bag.ca.

By Theresa Durning
Janet Curran, Science Teacher at PECI, along with her REAL Life and University level students spent the morning creating a shady future in the wide open spaces of Sandbanks Provincial Park Wednesday, May 5th.  This group of 16-and 17-year-olds spent a morning away from their desks planting trees in what had once been a farmer’s field.  It was easy to see that Ms. Curran in her natural element when she stated,  “Imagine these students, 20 years from now, driving by with their own children and telling them they helped to plant this forest on County Road 18.  What these students are doing today has a REAL Life impact on tomorrow.  And, that is what this program is all about no more and no less.  It’s all about getting real and on a beautiful spring morning here in the field life is very real.”
The students understood what they were doing and why they were in a field on County Road 18.  They all understood that it wasn’t just about the trees.  Not one complaint was heard about what looked like hard work. Along with Janet and her students were Joanne Dewey and Yvette Bree, Naturalists at Sandbanks Park, to help with the planting of the brand new forest on County Road 18.

To encourage landowners to plant trees, The Prince Edward Stewardship Council and the Prince Edward County Environmental Advisory Committee gave out native tree seedlings to the public last weekend. Here, Larry Cmpbell and councillor Ray Best with a prime sample. Theresa Durning photo. www.in-the-bag.ca