Students of Grand View Public School will be learning lessons about ecology and biodiversity even before they set foot through the front door this September.
That’s because they will finally get to see the fruits of their labour – a blooming garden planted last spring at the entrance of the Preston elementary school. The small plot, populated with dozens of milkweeds and a variety of colourful nectar-bearing perennials, is more than just a mere landscaping project, however.
This unassuming space is home to a butterfly garden, brought to life by students and staff in an effort to offer a vital habitat and fueling station for monarch butterflies while simultaneously creating opportunities for hands-on ecological education.
The initiative, made possible by the Waterloo Region District School Board’s Sustainable Working Group, was guided by outdoor educator Nathan Mantey, who involved students in every aspect of developing the space, from raking and clearing to digging and seeding.
It was a highly inclusive endeavour, explained principal Amanda Matessich, engaging children of all ages and abilities.
“Each of our students was able to come outside and help to prepare the soil, put down the mulch, plant the seeds and water the garden in hopes of bringing back some of the native species to attract butterflies and other insects.”
Over the summer, the results of that hard work began to blossom, as the once-overgrown patch of grass started to attract butterflies and other insects.
Teachers will take full advantage of the space by incorporating visits to the butterfly habitat into lessons, providing valuable hands-on experience, noted Matessich. And the benefits of such real-life experiences go far beyond the academic.
“Connecting with nature is so important for our students,” she said, standing at the garden’s edge. “Getting them outside into the natural environment does help with well-being and developing those connections with the environment.”
The project is also teaching students about how local actions can have a global impact. That’s because their new ecological installation is part of a much greater effort to preserve the endangered monarch.
Grand View’s garden is registered as an official Monarch Waystation with Monarchwatch.org, an international organization dedicated to conserving monarchs by ensuring they have access to food and habitats when migrating between Canada and Mexico. That migration journey, considered to be a natural wonder of the world, has become increasingly challenging due to a loss of available habitat.
Milkweeds, a key component in waystations, play a critical role in the life cycle of monarchs, as they serve as a host plant for larvae. Monarchs lay their eggs exclusively on the plant, drawn to its leaves which provide essential sustenance for developing caterpillars. Toxic compounds within milkweed are also unappealing to predators, serving as a source of protection throughout a monarch’s life cycle.
A sign is posted in Grand View’s garden to educate visitors about the plight of the monarch and to encourage observers to monitor the area to help track milkweed for eggs, caterpillars, chrysalises and adult butterflies.
Establishing a butterfly garden was an important undertaking for Matessich, who has spent a lot of time exploring nature with her own family.
“I always loved hiking and biking and taking my kids outside,” she said. “So we were brainstorming some opportunities for the children at Grand View to experience nature and the environment, and really be active in helping to maintain ecosystems for our butterflies.”
More naturalization plans are in the works for the Cambridge school. Grand View will soon install bird-feeder stations to encourage discussions about bird varieties and will soon add a microforest to the property, planting native trees and shrubs that will serve environmental and aesthetic functions. The microforest space will create a softer, welcoming place for outdoor activities and programs, but will also provide shade, absorb heat from pavement and offer habitat for local wildlife.
The elementary school follows the lead of a number of other schools in Waterloo Region that have added microforests to their properties, an initiative spearheaded by Sustainable Waterloo Region. At one school, volunteers planted nearly 100 trees closely together, a strategy said to provide more ecological benefits than if the same number of trees were planted sparsely in a larger area.