New F-10 Action Sheet – RehAbilitAtion And ReStoRAtion WoRk … · 2019. 8. 2. · F-10 Action Sheet – RehAbilitAtion And ReStoRAtion WoRk pAge 2/10 4. To find the native plants

Plant RiveRbank vegetationPlanning time: 20 to 30 hours

Activity time: 6 to 10 hours

Difficulty: difficult

Funds: high (+ than $100)

Suggested materials

native plants that match your •hardiness zone

good quality potting soil•

compost or composted manure •

Mycorrhiza (to promote root •development)

wood chips or other mulch (to •minimize maintenance and retain moisture)

work gloves (ask students and •volunteers to bring their own)

shearing knives•

spades and rakes•

picks (should be handled by •adults)

wheel barrow and buckets•

stakes and string•

watering cans or water pumps•

first-aid kit•

a snack and drink for all •participants

good shoes, a hat, appropriate •clothing and sunscreen

bottles of water•

teaching goals

Raise students’ awareness of the importance of riverbank vegetation.1.

Familiarize students with ecological processes related to local native plants.2.

Plan and publicize an environmental event.3.

Encourage citizens to volunteer for an activity with a direct and positive 4. impact on their environment.

enviRonmental goals

Stabilize soil, slow riverbed silt-up, thereby improving habitat quality.1.

Create habitat for wildlife.2.

Provide the public with a healthy and ecological green space.3.

Maintain biodiversity by using native plants.4.

We strongly suggest that for this activity you team up with an organization involved with the river (watershed organization, river organization, etc.). Your municipality will probably be able to direct you to one.

suggested aPPRoach

steP 1 – avenues of exPloRation

Discuss the health of the banks of the river you studied with your students1. . Look at pictures taken in the field and remember what you observed during the field trip for Adopt a River. Find out about local plant and animal species, the type of soil, the site’s geography, the microclimate, and the quality of the river’s water.

Check2. to see whether the banks are eroding and whether the riverbed is silting up. If so, explain that planting vegetation along the riverbank can improve the conditions of the ecosystem and stabilize the banks.

Draw up an initial list of species to plant3. by researching the native plants of your region. Examine with the students the advantages of choosing native species over exotic species. It is better to plant native trees, shrubs and plants because they grow naturally in a given zone, are perfectly adapted to their environment, and help maintain the region’s plant heritage. To create the list, work with the person in charge of landscaping in your municipality, or with the local watershed organization.

F-10 Action Sheet – RehAbilitAtion And ReStoRAtion WoRk pAge 1/10


To find the native plants4. best adapted to your region, you must determine the hardiness zone of your location. Your hardiness zone is the geographical area in which specific plants can survive. You can find it by consulting the map from the year 2000 at the following URL: http://res.agr.ca/cansis/nsdb/climate/hardiness/intro.html. You can then find information about plants specific to your zone. The native plant database at Evergreen.ca (http://nativeplants.evergreen.ca/) lists native plants for every Canadian province. The website of the Naiades group (http://www.groupenaiades.com/—In French) has an excellent tool to guide you in choosing the right plants and provides examples of landscaping.

For other resources and links about 5. native plants, teachers may download free of charge a teacher’s guide entitled Our Home and Native Plants (Wildlife Canadian Federation Web site).

Compile a media kit6. detailing your project. It should contain information that answers the questions “Who?”, “What?”, “Where?”, “Why?”, “How?” and “How much?”. This will be useful when you meet with the landowner, in organizing your communications with the media, and in assembling relevant documents, and it will lend credibility to your project when soliciting funding from potential partners.

steP 2 - aPPRoval

Ask permission1. from your principal to organize a planting activity. Mention the activity’s objectives and estimated cost. Next ask if you can organize a fundraising activity to support the project.

Find out who owns2. the land of the site where you want to plant vegetation. Is it public or private land? Who is in charge of its development? Your local municipality may be able to help you find this information. Note that the municipality manages most un-developed land and parks located near rivers.

If it is public land, you should 3. discuss the project with a city councilor. These officials have a thorough knowledge of the community and will be able to direct you to people likely to be in a position to help you. Ask for a meeting and present your idea. The city councilor will probably bring up certain concerns and possible problems that you will need to be aware of.

If a planting project is already underway or in the planning stages, 4. suggest your collaboration. If other groups have previously carried out similar naturalization projects, ask the councilor for details.

Get authorization5. (or permits) to go ahead with your project. If the councilor is hesitant to give you the green light, list the species you have chosen and the environmental benefits that your project will bring about. It will require some advance preparation to be able to explain your point of view.

youthwoRkingfoR RiveRs

Suggest to the landowner that they take part in the project.6. They could provide you with materials, funding, volunteers, and/or employees. If your municipality owns the riverbanks you have targeted, propose a “ceremony” involving the media and other elected officials on the day of the plantation. Such activities are of benefit to politicians.

Ask the landowner about future care for the plants.7. Who will maintain them in the years after they are planted? Such care includes weeding, watering, replacement of damaged plants, adding mulch, and pruning trees. If the person does not want to be involved, consider the possibility of you and your students doing this work in the future. However, much of the maintenance work for a plantation takes place in the summer, which is why it’s a good idea to team up with a local organization.

steP 3 – funding

Estimate the costs1. of the activity. Include the cost of materials (see list above) and transportation. Don’t forget to include the cost of caring for the plants in the weeks after the planting.

The Canadian organization Evergreen (http://www.evergreen.ca/) can provide 2. funding to Canadian publicly funded schools that engage in community greening projects. The organization offers two types of grant: School Ground Greening grants and Common Grounds grants. If your project takes place in a park or some other site accessible to the public, it is more appropriate to apply for the latter type. Go to the following URL for application details: http://www.evergreen.ca/en/programs/communities/index.sn. For projects involving native plants, you may also be eligible for an Evergreen grant in partnership with Home Depot, Unilever and Wal-Mart.

If you’re lucky enough to have a river flowing near your school and the project 3. takes place on the school grounds, you may be eligible for a School Grounds Greening grant. For more information about this grant, go to http://www.evergreen.ca/en/programs/schools/index.sn. You may also try your luck with a grant from the Greening Canada’s School Grounds program of Tree Canada: http://www.treecanada.ca/site/?page=programs_school&lang=en. Please note that Tree Canada’s grant application deadline is mid-January.

Since your project will improve a natural habitat, which will consequently 4. have positive benefits to ocean health, you may be eligible for a grant from the Canadian Wildlife Federation’s Blue School program. You can download and complete their application form at the following URL: http://www.wildeducation.org/programs/blue_school/fm_bs_reg.asp



Because you are developing new habitat, you can also apply for funding from 5. the CWF’s Wild School Habitat Projects. http://www.wildeducation.org/programs/hab_2000/hab2000.asp

The Shell Environment Fund may provide funding assistance for materials 6. and transportation. The application is relatively easy to fill out and can be done directly on-line at the following link: http://www.shell.ca/home/content/can-en/environment_society/shell_in_society/social_investment/social_investment_areas/environment/shell_environmental_fund/

Be aware that you can apply to more than one program at a time.7.

You should also 8. solicit funding from within your community. Draw up a list with your students of people, organizations and companies that might help (either with cash, materials, sponsorships or volunteers).

Here are a few9. tips that will save you some money:

rather than purchasing equipment, ask your students if their parents could •lend you certain gardening tools;

some parents may be willing to ask their employers to provide a •sponsorship. Some companies seek to demonstrate that they respect the environment;

if you lack materials, contact a plant nursery or garden centre. They may be •able to provide you with plants, compost or potting soil in exchange for a certain amount of visibility;

contact the local organization that cares for the river. Many already have •tools and have very good contacts with nurseries. Your municipality may also be able to help, if only by placing tools and wheelbarrows at your disposal, along with transportation for such equipment;

also contact hardware stores. They may be willing to provide tools, garbage •bags or offer a discount on your purchases;

for mulch, contact wood processing companies; •

ask your school caretaker to lend you buckets for transporting dirt and •plants.

Approach supermarkets and restaurants, which may be willing to provide you 10. with food and drinks. You could also organize a hotdog sale on the site the day of the event to raise a few dollars.

steP 4 – detailed Planning

Select a date1. for the planting. Ideally, you should try to combine your activity with another special event such as Arbor Day (usually late April or early May), National Forest Week (early May), Canadian Environment Week (early June), World Environment Day (June 5), Canadian Rivers Day (second Sunday in June), or Rivers to Oceans Week (mid-June). Also make sure that the selected date is convenient for your plant supplier. Plan a back-up day in case of heavy rain.

Make a schedule2. . Plan each step in advance. Be aware that vegetation should be planted in either the spring or the fall. Factor in several weeks to obtain permits and authorizations. Post the schedule on the board in the classroom.

Make a sketch3. of the expected results. Using accurate scale measurements, mark out the area used and the species and number of plants to be planted. A landscape architect can help with this. Some municipalities have one on staff.

Order the plants from a native plant supplier4. . Some companies specialize in this area and they generally have better prices than garden centres. Confirm the delivery date and how you will pick them up. Does the company deliver? If your event will take place on a weekend, check to see if the nursery is open. If not, you will have to store them in a suitable location. If you have teamed up with a local organization, they may be able to take care of ordering and delivering the plants.

This link from the Canadian Wildlife Federation lists contact information for 5. native plant retailers for every province in Canada: http://www.cwf-fcf.org/en/what-we-do/habitat/gardening-gab/native-plant-suppliers/native-plant-suppliers-list.html.



steP 5 – PRomotion

Contact the media1. (local radio and TV stations) to publicize your project. The more well-known it is, the better your chances of attracting volunteers. This publicity will also help to inform people who live or work on properties near the planting site, as well as property owners, of your event.

Remember that the best way to improve your visibility and recruit volunteers 2. is by word of mouth. Better yet, it’s free. So have your students spread the word among the people they know.

If you have the technological resources, 3. build a website or web page for your project (see Action Sheet 5).

Set up a kiosk at lunch hour or make posters to put up in community centres, 4. shopping centres, libraries, and other schools in the area.

Start recruiting volunteers 5. by making a list of organizations likely to be interested in your project. Think about volunteer organizations, outdoor clubs, environmental groups, your local watershed organization, gardening centres, youth groups, community centres, Optimist and Lions clubs, for example.

Contact these organizations6. by telephone or e-mail to invite them to join your planting team. Ask interested organizations about volunteer liability. Certain organizations require participants to sign release forms for these types of activities.

Have your students make and distribute 7. promotional signs and leaflets and design a large laminated poster to put up on the day of the event.

Invite a volunteer specialist8. to speak to the class (e.g., landscape architect, botanist, biologist) about the plants, landscaping plan and the steps involved in planting. A parent may be knowledgeable in this area.

Send out a press release9. to local newspapers inviting journalists to cover your event and encourage volunteers to take part (see Action Sheet 4).


steP 6 – logistics

Arrange for transportation1. to the planting site. Take into consideration all the materials and equipment that you need to move. If possible, ask parents to help with transportation.

Make a map of the land to be planted2. , and locate one or more stations for:

equipment distribution•

plant distribution•

watering•

mulch and potting soil•

food•

hand washing and materials for the end of the event.•

Go over the steps involved in planting a plant with the students3. . Demonstrate the technique in class by planting a plant into a pot (dig the hole, plant the plant, fertilizer, mulch and watering).

Also 4. discuss plant biology (the role of roots and leaves; water, sunlight and nutritional needs).

Explain how to use the planting tools and review the safety rules5. to observe when handling them.

Make a list of tasks6. that need to be done until the end of the event and organize them into a chart for your group. Write the names of students and other participants in the fields containing the tasks to be carried out (planning, funding, publicity, photographs, materials, etc.).


steP 7 – final details

Make sure there is 1. parking available near the site and that the site is accessible with all the necessary equipment.

Delegate tasks2. to students who do not want to plant (parking attendant, equipment manager, information agent, supervisor, etc.).

Remind students of which tasks they are to carry out and any equipment they 3. need to bring from home.

If applicable, 4. confirm delivery of the plants with your supplier.

Form teams of 3 or 4 students. Name a leader for each team, who will be 5. responsible for group safety.

Appoint an event spokesperson6. (e.g., a student supervised by a parent, or another teacher) who will be responsible for explaining the project, answering questions and encouraging passersby to take part.

Go over the planting process you have decided on with your students.7. Will each team carry out all planting steps, or will different teams specialize in one of the steps? Both options are possible.

Purchase any necessary equipment8. . Anticipate having enough for all volunteers.

If possible, procure a map of your site and draw your development plan on 9. it. (Your municipality may be able to provide one. If not, make one yourself.) It will be useful on the day of the event to explain to students and volunteers where the various stations are.


steP 8 – the day of the event

Be at the site one hour in advance to prepare materials and equipment.1.

Put up the laminated poster2. to direct volunteers and to make the site more visible.

Distribute the plants3. to the locations where they are to be planted.

Make sure4. all participants have work gloves.

Form teams of 3 or 4 volunteers and distribute equipment to each team.5.

Appoint parents or volunteers as 6. resource personnel, who will assist with supervising the work of other participants. Ideally, these people should be clearly identified.

Hold an information session7. with your group.

Thank volunteers for their involvement.•

Show them the landscaping plan and the plants to be planted.•

Review the steps involved in planting and do a demonstration. It might be •useful to have a poster with images of the main steps.

Stress the importance of abundant watering after planting.•

Review the safety rules:•

· Wearing gloves is mandatory.

· Use tools with care.

· Stay with your group.

· Be careful on the edge of the river and on steep slopes.

· Wash hands before leaving.

· Indicate the location of the first-aid kit.

Mention when the event will end.•

Emphasize that participants should help to clean up the site before leaving.•

Use stakes and string to 8. mark off areas where you have planted to prevent people from stepping on the new plants. Leave them in place until the plants are well established.

At the end of the day9. , each team should return the equipment they have borrowed and wash their hands. Participants can then enjoy the refreshments provided.

If there are any un-planted plants,10. give them away to participants who wish to take them home. Ask your principal if it would be okay to plant a few on the school grounds.

steP 9 – follow-uP

Organize the pictures1. taken at the event.

Tally up the number of plants planted.2.

Publicize your results3. to volunteers and local newspapers by sending out a press release (see Action Sheet 4).

Assess4. the projects, reconsidering the goals and the process. Come up with positive point and areas for improvement.

Write a report5. that your school can keep in order to ensure the project continues to be carried out over the long term. Send the report to the organizations/companies who sponsored you. Some of these will have their own report forms.

Make your achievement more memorable6. by writing stories, poems and songs, or by displaying drawings and murals.

suggested PRoject timetable

don’t foRget

Take photos of the various stages (before and after) of your event. Try to use the same angle for before-and-after pictures. This will make the changes even more apparent.

You can also use these photos if you write an article for your local newspaper or on your school’s website.

Send your best pictures to G3E and your partners in order to publicize your important work to improve a river.


Documents

New F-10 Action Sheet – RehAbilitAtion And ReStoRAtion WoRk … · 2019. 8. 2. · F-10 Action Sheet – RehAbilitAtion And ReStoRAtion WoRk pAge 2/10 4. To find the native plants