Lord Nelson Elementary Sustainable Garden Project
Thanks to a gracious $5000.00 donation from Vancity, Footprints Conservation Society is constructing and planting a sustainable food and vegetable garden at Lord Nelson Elementary School (East Vancouver) in September 2011! Designed to inspire healthy eating and lifestyle choices through garden-based education programs, this project creates a hands-on educational opportunity that introduces students to the origins of food, plant life cycles, community values, and the pleasures of working in a garden. By converting a portion of an underused schoolyard into a food and plant garden, Footprints Conservation Society is improving the life of the children at the school as well as increasing the involvement and joy of surrounding community members.
Footprints Conservation Society will work with the Lord Nelson Elementary School Parent Advisory Committee to assemble a group to facilitate the management and supervision of the school garden. By engaging students and teachers in the garden creation in the first year and providing continued support in subsequent years, Footprints Conservation Society will ensure long-term success of the school garden.
This Includes:
- Putting together a Garden Committee – teachers, students, parents and community volunteers.
- Determine schoolyard garden requirements (site planning, supplies, beds, watering system, soil, fertilizer, seedlings, ground coverings, garden maintenance, etc). Create budget and execute a fundraising plan.
- Set up a composting system to be used in the garden and have it approved by the Vancouver School Board.
- Create a mentoring opportunity for neighboring secondary schools. Students attending nearby secondary institutions will be invited to assist the elementary school students with the garden preparation. This creates a wonderful opportunity for both the elementary and secondary level students. Wood working classes may also be interested in providing boxed planting beds for the garden.
- Facilitate training workshops for teachers, students, parents and community volunteers to ensure that all aspects of creating and maintaining a garden are presented in an easily understood manner.
- Give students and faculty at the school a chance to name their garden and create signage thanking Vancity and other donors that have contributed to the development of their garden.
- Facilitate in-classroom education programs from beginning of garden construction to seeding of crops.
Footprints Conservation Society will also be working with Lord Nelson Elementary School to host a first harvest garden party to thank Vancity for their gracious support and donation to this project!
Is your school interested in having a food and plant garden? We’d love to hear from you! Please email [email protected]
