CONTENTS
March 1993
Habitat Protection is a Priority
R.H. Cornish Public School Wildlife Gardens
-deciding to create a schoolyard habitat...
-objectives in creating wildlife habitat area...
-considerations in selecting habitat site...
-following a plan...
-involving students...
-maintaining the habitat...
-Board of Education concerns...
-budgeting...
-results and benefits...
Join In The Celebration - Canadian Wildlife Week
HABITAT PROTECTION IS A PRIORITY
Amphibians form an important link in the food chain, feeding on a variety of invertebrates and providing food for wildlife such as herons, raccoons and otters. Most amphibians have aquatic larvae, and all depend on wetlands for survival during some part of their life. If we wish to amintain healthy amphibian populations we must ensure the survival of the habitats on which they depend. The first objective of the Adopt-A-Pond programme is to encourage the protection and rehabilitartion of existing wetland habitats. Teachers are encouraged to visit local wetlands with their classes to see and learn about amphibians first-hand. However, in areas where few ponds exist, the only way to help amphibians may be the creation of habitat. By working together we can ensure the survival of amphibians now and into the future!
R. H. CORNISH SCHOOL WILDLIFE GARDENS
This issue of the Adopt-a-Pond newsletter has been devoted to the creation of the R H Cornish Wildlife Habitat Area. We spoke with Rob Ferguson, a teacher at R H Cornish Elementary school in Port Perry Ontario, and member of the Durham Region School Board's habitat enhancement committee. Rob described to us how he managed turn the dream of creating a schoolyard wildlife gardens and pond into a reality. We hope that this will provide those of you interested in creating a frog pond on your school property with some helpful hints.
Why did you decide to create a schoolyard wildlife habitat?
The Durham Board of Education has a committee at the Board level that has promoted and organized environmentally related workshops in several key areas, one being schoolyard wildlife habitat. The Board also has a contest which promotes the beautification of the external appearance of schools. The contest is not intentionally connected with environmental themes. I happened to be involved in both areas at the board level and saw the need and opportunity to link the schoolyard wildlife habitat and the contest together. We promoted the habitat project with the idea that while one can beautify a piece of land yet have a fairly inactive habitat, one could also create an active habitat that also looked beautiful. Such a format was useful for seeking funding as well as keeping different interests in the school community happy.
In addition, I had attended a teachers' conference held at Hillside Outdoor Education Centre in Scarborough where Bob Johnson of the Metro Toronto Zoo introduced the Adopt-a-Pond programme. I was encouraged and motivated by the potential of this programme which provides a means for students to become involved in protecting, restoring or creating habitat for amphibians.
The Comish Gardens Wildlife Habitat Project was adopted as a central component of our environmental action plan. Other supporting components included three outside recycling depots for food waste, paper, cans and bottles. The food waste is used in vermiculture composting bins which in turn is applied to the shnubs in the gardens. This cuts down on the need for chemical fertilizers which may be harmful to pond inhabitants.
Concern for the environment is just one educational platform from which we will try to operate at R. H. Comish. The ongoing development of the Comish Gardens and pond is now a hands on instrument for imparting some of the experience, knowledge, and affection for the environment we as educators are always challenged with delivering.
What were your objectives in creating the wildlife habitat area?
We wished to improve the exterior appearance of the school and at the same time create wildlife habitats that would support a large number of wildlife species. Careful consideration was given to beautification through research on varying heights, shapes and textures of annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees. We even raised the level of the ground three feet at the peak to present sloping planes of view and deceptions of height.
The kinds of wildlife we decided to support with careful selection of plants included, butterflies, bees, moths, hummingbirds, other birds, leopard frogs and bullfrogs. Yes frogs! Amphibians may have the same biomass as all other wildlife in the same square area combined. Their significant decline in recent years is a cause for serious concern. By making the frogs our official residents at the Comish pond, we have already managed to heighten awareness of the frog as just one of many endangered species.
What were your considerations in selecting the habitat site?
Members of our school environmental committee did an inventory survey of the school grounds. Potential sites were listed in order of priority. On the one hand, such things as amount of sunlight, shade, and other natural factors were considered. On the other hand, sites that had conflicting interests by staff and students were also considered. Beautification, regardless of wildlife enhancement, also played a Major role in our selection of the front of the school, which is on the main east - west street through Port Perry.
In retrospect, a better choice could not have been made, for the simple reason that the habitat area was visible to everyone in Port Perry. Had it been located in a back corner of the schoolyard, only a very small percentage of the school community would have had any inkling of what was being developed. As as a direct result of that, fewer people would have donated their ideas, time, money, materials or equipment.
Ideas and suggestions were especially helpful, because they often led to sources of free materials, equipment or labour. Members of the school community dropped by with their comments such as " I really think what you are doing here is important and I just want to contribute in my own small way."
Did you follow a plan in creating your habitat area?
Before communicating with anyone within the school or outside, I had to have a plan. This responsibility was delegated to me by our school environmental committee. One very useful source of information given by our Outdoor Education Consuitant, Jim Cook, was a text published by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources called "Landscaping for Wlidlife". As its title suggests, this resource integrated many facets of our project in a practical way through reference charts, horticultural and wildlife information.
The climatic zones are more or less the same for Minnesota and southern Ontario. Landscaping for Wildlife not only provided information on the number, and types of wildlife various plant species support, but also portrayed sample landscape habitat plans. These plans combined varieties of plant species that worked well together and supported similar kinds of wildlife. Upwards of 30 reference charts were categorized according to food value, or season, by shrub, tree, annual, perennial; or by kinds of wildlife species such as butterfly, bee, moth. There is even a chart that lists unwanted shnubs that have a lot of good values but one overriding problem such as poisons or uncontrollable growth.
In the Landscaping for Wildlife resource book, there are many different kinds of information sections, some of which were particularly useful to me but others that were more applicable in a farm-like setting. One useful section was on the construction of a frog pond. The information found here generated a context for considering minimum size, shape and location. While this resource book was not the only written source of information I used, it served as a useful vehicle for clarifying concepts.
My three part plan was a concurrent rather than sequential focus on 1) Planning, 2) Implementation, and 3) Communication. I strongly believe as a result of experience with this project and others that the success or failure of a project depends on how well these three areas are interlocked from beginning to end. Teachers in elementary schools are usually generalists. They have to plan and implement lessons and activities in a variety of overlapping curriculum domains. As well as being an elementary school teacher, I also specialize in the area of special education which requires a lot of problem solving and quick shifting of gears when one particular route to a goal reaches quicksand. Having said that, I have no green thumb. I have been criticked for not clarifying the deference between annuals and bulbs. This lack of horticultural - zoological experience and knowledge has not hindered this project. Where there were not books to research from, there were people who were more than willing to assist me in my own teaming. I think it helped that they could see my commitment to the project would carry the dav.
* in a future " Amphibian Voice" we will be listing native plant species and their suppliers. We encourage the use of native plants representative of your area and soils.
1) Design / Planning
Once the site had been selected, with the use of Landscaping for Wildlife and chart paper I began to design the site. To create the illusion of depth and height the centre of the site was elevated by one meter. This meant additional truckloads of fill but also no disturbance of the original soil on site in which who knows what might be buried, such as old oil pipelines or rubble. The original drafts 1, 2, and 3, were run by members of our school environmental team which included the principal, Stan Todd. Once revision 4 was completed I introduced the plan to Wayne Dorrinaton of the Durham Board of Education plant department for input. The thoroughness of the plan helped alleviate any concerns from the beginning. Wayne was also very positive towards the project and gave several constructive suggestions. One of these was the strategic placement of boulders along the habitat site so that the snowplows and cars would be deterred from drifting onto the habitat see. As approvals from the plant department and health and safety department were being sought, commitments from parents were being sought and confirmed. Dates were set and reset as the need occurred. The wet weather and the late spring delayed our ground breaking date by a month. Planning and scheduling was always occurring but became easier as the project gained momentum. By planning, it was easier to know when to inform the public and the school staff of new developments.
Implementation
The implementation of this project from idea to completion had to involve students. They were brought on board the first day after the March break. They walked into a school foyer that smelled, sounded and looked a bit like Allen Gardens in downtown Toronto. What they saw was an indoor habitat display approximately 3 metres long with an upper pond and a lower pond set amongst rockery with a river chortling over flag stone between the two. They heard bird calls from a tape produced by the Ontario Naturalists Foundation. They smelled hyacinths, crocuses, daffodils and tulips just beginning to bloom. There were several varieties of coniferous trees growing that we had collected before the winter freeze up. This more than anything else got the students talking and thinking "habitat". This easily generated into discussion around the kitchen table and at home over the next few days. Two days later they were planting herb seeds with other students from all grade levels in groups of eight. Six hundred and fifty students planted common Marjoram & Annise-Hyssop seeds which are now beautiful plants thriving in the outdoor habitat. Later the students made bird feeders and terrariums out of two litre pop bottles. Once ground breaking on the actual habitat site had occurred, there was more than enough work for all students willing to help.
Such a habitat project is analogous to an iceberg. The tip of the iceberg visible above the surface of the water is what the community members see as they drive by the site or read about it in the newspaper. They see and hear about what the students are doing. They see and hear about the progress. The nine tenths of the iceberg submerged below the surface that they don't see is the ongoing preparation that is needed in order that the students always have something to do. I spent many nights planning and talking before the ground thawed and more nights on the site completing, altering, or preparing so that students were able to work the next day, and adult volunteers were able to come with their equipment when they said they could.
It sounds like a lot of work done by people other than students. It is in the sense of volume of work done over a set period of time. But the value is in the work that the students do. This isn't any different than what happens in any learning environment. The preparation, teaching, marking and maintenance done by any teacher is always greater than the amount of time children spend on specific lessons, yet the value derived from the habitat project has been more than Justified many times over.
3) Communication
I did everything but tell people how much work it was. Partly because I didn't know myself. The design was conceived to take place in four phases over probably four years. However, the completeness of the landscaping plan which was communicated to the staff, school and general community through staff meetings, the school newsletter, and a local paper, led to what became a regular occurrence of fruitful tips that had no overlapping order with my preordained four phases. Riding the crest of a wave and trying to stay on top of it was a challenge.
Communication is a two way street. With the publicity this project gained, criticisms usually in the form of constructive suggestions, were volunteered. Every effort was made to anticipate concerns before they arose and have answers ready. When this was not possible, I acknowledged not having an answer, yet sought out the answer and and made it available to all interested parties, not just the person asking the question.
Most important was the need to find many ways to communicate the value of this project to all the students of the school community. The indoor habitat display, school wide activities related to the habitat project, and specific classroom based projects with an environmental theme fulfilled the need.
Our custodial department at school has been a sticker for making sure we had everything approved. For that I am grateful it allowed for the responsibility of this project to be assumed by all vested interests.
How were students involved in the creation of the gardens and pond?
The involvement of students happened in several ways, the first of which was in the planting and maintenance of our indoor habitat display. Different types of coniferous trees were planted with annuals around the perimeter of the indoor pond. Pots for the annuals were colour coded so that different kinds of annuals could be planted in different colour pots. A duplicate set of colour coded pots was kept so that these could be planted by students in their own classrooms then brought down to the indoor habitat site. A local nursery donated the 70 Crocuses, Daffodils, Tulips, and Hyacinths to get the habitat started. Many students from grades 1 to 5 planted them. The Junior Earthlings Club maintains it, holudhg the goldfish in the lower pond. With a hidden sound recording of Ontario birds chirping away in the background, and the scents from 70 annuals blooming, this indoor habitat got people taking and that's what we wanted.
Two days after the indoor habitat display kickoff, all 700 students from grades 1 to 8, met to start from seed their own plant that would eventually be planted outside. The students were organized into groups of eight with one student from each grade. The grade eight student acted as Wader. Mr. Moon instructed the grade 8's during science on the activity in which they would be evolved. During the first meeting all students moved into their groups of eight throughout the school to plant one seed of either Common Marjoram or Annise-Hysop in a joy-7 peat pellet. Each students seedling was nurtured in the student's own classroom. The next time they met, they brought back with them their own plant and shared with the group a story they had written having an environmental theme. In June, all the students brought their plants out to the Comish Gardens where they were planted. Both the Annise Hysop and Common Marjoram are doing well, and are frequently visited by pollen hunters.
Students also played an important role in the construction of the frog pond and bird bath. Specific classrooms took on projects such as laying down landscape fabric or preparing the frog pond for planting prior to filling with water. The smaller children collected rocks while the older students shoveled dirt. All students planted. Students who didn't participate in the track and field events shaped the frog pond shelves which allowed plants to grow at different depths. Fifty to sixty students helped every noon with the many, many steps involved over May and June.
While imparting some environmental themes, we got the students directly involved in the Comish Gardens project from the beginning. The momentum continued to build from there. Regardless of our own ends in mind, we also broke barriers between French and English and age groups. We gave the Grade 8's opportunities to be seen and act as teachers. Awareness of each other in a single environment was deepened.
Who maintains the habitat area over the summer holidays?
Not much in the way of maintenance has been needed through the habitat's first fall. When maintenance is needed volunteers are asked for, over the school's public address system. it's not difficult to find students committed to this project. A few students have taken it upon themselves, at times, to go out with a bag and collect garbage. In the spring a more structured schedule familiar to the students will be implemented to prepare the ground for new planting and expansion of the habitat site. Over the summer each week a family with sons and daughters in the school watered, weeded and otherwise maintained the gardens. There was no vandalism, no plants uprooted, stepped on or broken. The frogs stayed and the students are continuing to do their bit. Unfortunately the custodial department sees this habitat as one more source of an increased workload. The principal and myself do the mowing.
Did the Durham Board of Education have any concerns over the construction of this habitat area?
Being involved in other projects over the years helped me to anticipate the Board's concerns and alleviate them before they became a problem. These concerns fell into two primary areas of the Board's jurisdiction: 1) Health and Safety, and 2) Plant Department. We are dealing with a site that had sewage, water, hydro and gas lines bordering one side. Primary aged children used the east side of the site to walk to the primary playground. Kindergarten children entered their classroom along the same side of the habitat.
With proper landscape plans to refer to, communication with the Board's Health and Safety and Plant departments was fairly smooth. Where I thought the barriers would come slamming down, there were useful suggestions. One request was contacting Hydro, Consumers Gas and Scugog Township to do site locations of buried power, gas, water and sewage lines. Once completed, I provided the Board's departments with a detailed map of these buried lines and indicated no problems. In fact, the Board was willing to install a ground fault duplex at the center of our site and an outside water tap.
While gardens have been developed by many schools over the years, the establishment of a frog pond brought in an element of the unknown that has led to all kinds of potential horror stories. At the same time, I did not want to convince anyone that their concerns were unjustified when in my own heart I felt that a danger existed. In this context, my answers to these concerns were garnered from discussions with local informed people, our own staff, as well as with personnel in both the Health and Safety Departments. My landscaping drafts of the site were revised to incorporate suggestions. Bob Johnson, curator of Reptiles and Amphibians at the Metro Toronto Zoo gave me the most constructive of solutions to the safety issue regarding the frog pond.
Listening to people like Bob Johnson at the Metro Zoo, with the convictions he has for amphibians is an energizer. In one particular discussion, when I was attending a workshop on frogs given by Bob, we discussed safe proofing a pond located in an urban community, next to a main street and a route used by primary aged school children to get to school. The solution we came up with, that has been effective, and has alleviated everyone's concerns, was place submerged boulders in the pond making it virtually impossible for anyone to drown. The boulders are close enough together to prevent a young person from becoming submerged. Yet frogs have many different routes between the boulders to travel from one end of the pond to the other. This also affords the frogs protection from predators, including humans who find them fun to catch. Another safety precaution involves the use of an elevated ridge of earth surrounding the pond on its deepest three sides. At the peak of this 60 centimeter earthen berm shrubs have been planted. Assorted perennials are planted down either side of the berm. The height plus dense vegetation discourages most people from accessing the pond from these directions. The shallow end of the pond is left open . It is possible to hop from boulder to boulder but not without getting a soaker on the first step. It is also possible to move along the edge of the pond from the shallow end but not without having to negotiate your way around overhanging trees and trampling on tall Canary Reed grass.
Armed with the solution to safety of the frog pond helped. Approval from the Board's various departments was never denied, partly because they were always kept involved, and partly because there was an acknowledged "we'll wait and see" atmosphere that could be read between the Iines. By careful research, discussion and involvement of people with vested interests, I was able to buy myself enough time until the project was completed to a stage where everyone could see for themselves that their concerns were no longer justified.
Our Vice Principal at R.H. Cornish, Mrs. Fockier, having seen the newly created hole for the frog pond, was quite concerned that this hole would be hard to defend should concerns be raised by the school community. That was a Friday. I asked her to hold conclusions over this for one week. In the following school days and two weekends, students shaped and shelved the frog pond cavity, one parent brought in boulders, and the husband of our school secretary loaded up the frog pond with boulders using a backhoe from his blacktop paving bushess. The following Monday Mrs. Fockier was relieved and so was I.
In summary, thorough planning and ongoing discussions with all the members of the school community bought me time before negative conclusions to valid concerns were prematurely arrived at. At the same time, momentum never stopped. Once started, from the original site location discussion onwards, I would urge anyone who is thinking of doing something similar to push ahead through the obstacles and solve problems as they arise. This will help you to meet prearranged commitments, and make use of all assistance offered. An unfinished but active site itself raises the question in people's minds as to whether this blemish on the landscape is perhaps to become a permanent and even dangerous eyesore.
How did you budget for this project?
Financing for this project came only after the project had gone through the final revision stages on paper and work on the site had actually begun. Even then, financing was only really given in the form of free use of equipment from a local equipment rental store and donation of materials from local sponsors in the community. For a while, I thought that the whole project would be completed with materials, labour and equipment given in this way. Early in June, the Canadian Wildlife Federation supported us with a cheque for $500.00. The town of Port Perry gave us a cheque for $300.00. Members of the school community gave $200.00. The students raised $100.00 by selling reusable 500 ml drink bottles. The Canada Trust, Friends of the Environment Trust Fund gave us a $1000.00 cheque that we haven't spent yet. All of the money was directed towards tile purchase of perennials and shrubs. A parent of one of our students who works for a nursery gave us 40% off all plants they grow. This increased the purchasing power of our money by almost 100%.
Through various workshops on the environment, I was aware of funding organizations such as the Canadian Wildlife Federation and the Canada Trust Fund that support such endeavors. We applied to other organizations such as Shell Canada and Global Relief who turned us down. All of these organizations through their application forms, helped us focus on the educational value of the project and encouraged involvement of the local community. The more visible your project, and the more educational value and support received from the community, the more likely your chances of garnering financial support from these organizations. Conversely, the more support from the local community, the less is your dependence on funding from these organizations. Through this process of applying for funding and garnering local support, the project at R. H. Cornish was able to go ahead without waiting for financing from outside sources.
What type of wildlife has visited your habitat area to date?
To date the Cornish Gardens Wildlife habitats has been used in several ways by both humans and wildlife. The frog pond was home to several leopard frogs and one bullfrog. Bees were in abundance. They especially liked the perennials which the students started from seed way back in March, 1992. Some birds have frequented our gardens but not as many as anticipated. We think it has something to do with the wet summer, and the overabundance of corn still standing in the fields .
Has the habitat served as the focus for any school actilvities?
VIS. Caswell's grade 7 class used the site for mapping techniques. Mr. Smythe's grade 6 class broke into groups to take an inventory of all species they could find in the area. Mr. Moon's grade 7 and 8 science classes used the pond to identity and study the many microscopic aquatic organisms found in the pond. Many people both students and adults continue to enjoy the visual impact of the gardens and frog pond.
Many classes helped out this past December decorating the large Spruce tree with popcorn strings. This tree is lit with Christmas lights. All of the Primary and Junior classes came out to the site December 1st to celebrate the beginning of December festivities by lighting and decorating the tree and singing Christmas carols.
Do you have any more plans for the habitat area?
Mr. Moon our intermediate science teacher, has just acquired a hundred bull frog tadpoles from a local bait supply store. The store sucks up minnows from a pond stocked for this purpose and by nature of the technique collects tadpoles as well. We are plannhg on maintaining these tadpoles in aquariums located in the science room and the school foyer until spring at which time we will introduce them back into local wetland habitats including our own.
*Please see the June 1995 issue of Amphibian Voice for information on introducing amphibians to your pond.* Amphibians have very specific requirements for breeding, feeding and overwatering, and these factors should be considered before removing amphibians to stock newly created ponds.
A grass walkway that was part of our habitat plans is unable to withstand the foot traffic and has quickly turned into a mud walk. Consequently, this grass walkway is being converted to an interlocking brick walkway. The local equipment rental store has secured a small bulldozer to prepare the trench. The Durham Board of Education has donated the limestone and a member of our local community who owns an interlocking brick factory is donating the brick. Staff and several parents are volunteering their muscle.
With the thousand dollars Canada Trust has given us through the Friends of the Environment Trust Fund, and the 40% off all plants purchased from the local nursery, we are extending the habitat where there is currently grass. Students will be involved in all areas of these projects. This project is really for them and only with their help is it completed. Fortunately, this is a project towards which all grade levels feel a strong personal and school connection. There has been no need to plead. There has been no vandalism, and no injuries, minor or major.
What are some of are benefits thatat resulted from the creation of the Comish Wildlife Gardens?
The local community benefited. Where there was once a dead piece of ground on which snow and salt was piled, at the front of the school on Port Perry's main street, a garden of colour and Iife thrives. One parent Mrs. La Rose commented that the schools' appearance has been transformed from one of the Board's ugliest to one of the most pleasing to see.
The Durham Board of Education benefited. They got an ugly piece of ground converted into gardens for free! That should please the taxpayer. They also received some positive press coverage supporting the Board's own officially adopted Environmental policies.
The school benefited - public relations were reflected in the many unsolicited comments and monetary donations. We felt good about ourselves and in this endeavor the school community as a whole felt good towards us.
The students benefited. They were able to make the school a place they could call their own. They had something in common they could share, something they had a part in making happen.
We all benefited when students, the likes of Grade 6 student Josh Martyn, took with them some of the experience and knowledge they had gathered working on the Cornish Gardens home. This transference to the world beyond the school yard has made it all worth while. Several students have told me they built frog ponds in their backyard this summer.
Canadian Wildlife Week is approaching fast. "Community Involvement" is this years theme and we encourage your school to join neighbouring schools, and community members, in celebrating wildlife week, April 4 to 10.
Assistance for school projects can be obtained from the Canadian Wildlife Federation by submitting a Habitat 2000 application form. Eligible projects must directly improve habitat for wildlife - simply removing garbage, or improving the appearance of an area will not qualify you for a grant. Grants are available in amounts of up to $200 per class, and $500 per school. Funding can be used towards the planting of native trees and shrubs, or the purchase of lumber for building structures such as bird feeders, bat boxes, or nesting platforms. Plaques and signs are also eligible for funding.
The Canadian Wildlife Federation initiated the Habitat 2000 program in 1989 to help celebrate National Wildlife Week's 25th anniversary. They are committed to the success of this program for its 10 year duration. Schools wishing to participate in this conservation effort can obtain a Wildlife Week Kit from from the Canadian Wildlife Federation. This years kit includes a booklet entitled "Learning About Wildlife", a Habitat 2000 Update, and Habitat 2000 Registration Form. These resources provide useful tips on how to involve your school and the surrounding community in a wildlife habitat improvement project. Activities are suggested for a variety of landscapes including schoolyards, farms, fields and wetlands.
Most elementary schools will have received a wildlife week package in the mail, and some school boards request packages for schools within their district. If your school has not received a package one may been obtained by mailing a request ON SCHOOL LETTERHEAD to :
Canadian Wildlife Federation's
Education Department
2740 Queensview Drive
Ottawa, Ontario
K2B 1A2
Applications are accepted year round. A funding selection committee meets in April and May to review proposals for spring and summer projects, and in September and October for fall, winter and early spring projects. Notification will be given to successful applicants within six weeks of the application review committee's meeting. All registered classes will be awarded with a habitat 2000 "Certificate of Participation" in recognition of their efforts to improve wildlife habitat. (AND IF YOUR PROJECT INVOLVES WETLANDS, UPON NOTIFICATION, YOU WILL ALSO RECEIVE A MEtrO TORONTO ZOO ADOPT-A-POND ADOPTION CERTIFICATE). A written report, accompanied by photos, slides or a video tape, is requested upon completion of your project. Most projects do not extend longer than one year. Those projects with longer term objectives will be reviewed by the application committee yearly.
The Metro Toronto Zoo has planned a Wildlife Week Celebration at Centennial Creek in Scarborough for Wednesday April 7, 1993. A cattail lined section of stream, which was altered to provide needed flood control, has been targeted for restoration. As adoptive parents of the creek, three schools will participate in a day long festival of events including tree planting, the building and hanging of bird boxes, and the study of a nearby marsh associated with the stream. The planting of native shrubs will help to prevent stream bank erosion and slow the flow of rain water and meltwater into the stream. Riparian planting also helps to improve water quality by shading the stream creating a cooling effect. In addition to providing food and cover for wildlife year round, stream side vegetation will create a sheltered pathway allowing wildlife to move along the stream, feed, drink and rest unhindered.
Surrounding schools are encouraged to link up along the watershed from the stream's source to its mouth. Students will return to their adopted stream each year to monitor amphibian and wildlife populations, or perform stream studies. Participating schools can help to maintain their habitat year round by keeping it free from garbage. A yearly report highlighting students studies along the watershed can be shared with other schools through the "Amphibian Voice" newsletter.
The Canadian Wildlife Federation's Habitat 2000 program aims to empower Canada's Youth to improve habitat for wildlife. The goal is to ensure the existence of healthy habitats well into the year 2000, and to promote a sense of concern and caring for natural areas and the wildlife they harbour. Your participation in this worthwhile conservation effort can make a difference. Join us April 4th to 10th by celebrating wildlife week in your own schoolyard or backyard.