Biodiversity comes from two words: biological and diversity, and means “the variety of life”1. Our earth has millions and millions of different species on it, yet only a small number of these (less than 2 million) have been identified by scientists. This wealth of life is around us every day - from wildflowers to insects to mammals and birds. Did you see a squirrel when you walked to school today? Maybe you saw a bird, or heard one?
Biodiversity is important. All human life, including your’s, your family’s, and your friends’, depends on the way all living creatures relate to each other, and the world they live in. Without biodiversity, we wouldn’t have the foods and medicines that we have. Natural systems help keep our air clean, and play a key role in keeping our land healthy. As well, people enjoy spending time in nature and wild places. But in our world, people are making it hard for some plants and animals to survive. When cities get bigger, and air and land pollution gets worse, the biodiversity of wild places and wild animals is hurt. Nobody knows for certain how things will change if some animals or plants become extinct, which means they disappear forever.
159 countries gathered together at a meeting in Brazil in 1992 to sign an agreement called the “Biodiversity Convention”. All these countries agreed to work together to save the variety of animals and plants in the world. When you, your family and your school, make decisions to live sustainably, you are taking a step towards protecting the earth’s biodiversity.
We live in an amazing world. You are part of the reason it is wonderful! We can all do our part to help keep it that way. The animals and plants around us are helped when each of us make sustainable “green” choices like turning the lights off when leaving a room, composting food scraps , and walking or biking to school.
Sustainability + You = Making Sustainable Choices!
Yes, our students and teachers are making a difference!
Butterflies will be free to fly in butterfly gardens - BANNATYNE, HERITAGE, STRATHMILLAN, AND VOYAGEUR SCHOOLS
Students at Bannatyne, Heritage, Strathmillan and Voyageur Schools will be planting butterfly gardens at the end of May as part of the divisional environmental awareness initiative in partnership with the Living Prairie Museum.
In April, Kyle Lucyk, Education Coordinator from the Living Prairie Museum, met with the principals of these four elementary schools to discuss the logistics of the new flower beds and to plan student presentations with each school.
At Voyageur School, Mr Lucyk met with the Grade Three classes who will be assisting in the planting of their school’s butterfly garden because it ties in perfectly with their grade 3 science unit, Plants. During his presentation to the students, Mr Lucyk discussed how the prairie ecosystem was a habitat for animals and plants and that the prairie plants that come back every year are called perennials. He explained to the students that when they were ready to plant the garden they would have to design where the plants would go by looking at colour, height and the time the plants flowered. Voyageur students agreed they wanted a mix of colour in their butterfly garden! Mr Lucyk showed the students pictures of the types of plants that will be planted in the new butterfly gardens: Early Blue Violets, Asters, Swamp Milkweed, Joe Pie Weed, Pussy Toes, Liatris, Heart Leaved Alexander, Black Eyed Susans and New England Asters. He explained that butterflies are attracted to and eat the nectar in these plants.
St James Assiniboia School Division grounds person Larry McLeod has been busy visiting the four schools and assisting school custodians in the enlarging of: current flower beds, ordering topsoil and coordinating the delivery of the topsoil at each of the sites in preparation for the planting of the gardens by the students with Mr Lucyk’s expert assistance. At Voyageur School Mrs Richardson’s Grade 1/2 class will be harvesting caterpillars to release as butterflies so they will be “free to fly” in the new butterfly garden sometime in June! To learn more about this initiative, contact one of the Principals of these participating schools. (spring 2009)
