Ecological Project in Two Hills Comes to Fruition

Ecological Project in Two Hills Comes to Fruition

Michelle Pinon - News Advertiser

Grade 4 and Grade 7 students from Two Hills School spent the morning of Oct. 1 in Geleta Park planting wildflowers and learning about the importance and purpose of eco buffers.

Town of Two Hills Councillor Willie Babiuk, who participated in the project, expressed his gratitude to the children from the Two Hills School for all their hard work and the students at New Myrnam School for creating and constructing the sign as well as Agroforestry and Woodlot Extension Society (AWES) & the Vermilion River Watershed Alliance (VRWA) for all they’ve contributed to make this project a reality.

Students planting wildflowers.

(Willie Babiuk/Submitted Photo)

Babiuk, who sits as a VRWA board member, said the event was “very successful” and was very happy with the results. Back in the spring of 2021, Babiuk said they replaced some shrubs and planted a patch of wildflowers.

In the spring of 2020 VRWA and AWES planted over 400 native shrubs in a 3 row Eco buffer site including flowering/fruiting species. I oversaw the project representing the Town of Two Hills as a

councillor committee member. The site was along the Vermilion River in Geleta Park. The town public works staff prepared the 3 row site.

Two Hills School Principal Collin Kupchenko stated that, “We sent our Grade 4 and 7 classes to the eco buffer project as it fit really well into their science curriculum, which includes trees and forests, plants for food and fibre and pollination as well as watershed topics.

It was so great for the kids to see firsthand how the concepts they are learning in class apply in the local environment. The students were engaged by the presentation and planting and excited to be involved in a project that they can watch grow for years to come!”

Eco buffer sign.

(Willie Babiuk/Submitted Photo)

Kupchenko gave a big shout out to VRWA, NSWA and local leaders for reaching out to include our students in such a wonderful project.

Michelle Gordy, Watershed Planning Coordinator with VRWA, said this was the last planting event for the Eco Buffer, which is like a mini-forest composed of a variety of native trees, bushes, and wildflowers.

Gordy said, “Eco Buffers serve many important functions, like forests do, for instance, soil conservation, water quality protection, and providing habitat space for pollinators and other wildlife. The purpose of this Eco Buffer demonstration site is to provide an example for the surrounding community to learn from, so they can do something similar on their own land.

It will take many years for the Eco Buffer to grow into a forest, so it’s great that we got some kids involved because they’ll be able to go back to this site years later and see the fruits of their labor.”