Yorkregion.com - Aurora - Book inspires green approach
Book inspires green approach
Simmie Patoka and Amy Kavanagh plant a tree in the Lion’s Park as part of an environmental enhancement event that included the planting of 400 seedlings and installation of butterfly habitats and birdhouses.
Aurora
May 03, 2008 10:05 PM
By: Teresa Latchford
It only took a children’s book to make students at a local school take the environment into their own hands.
Nine months ago, Aurora resident Jo-Anne Zeidenberg was reading Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax to her eight-year-old daughter, Simmie Patoka. The tale explores the dangers of clear-cutting, pollution and disregard for the Earth’s environment.
“My daughter and I talked about how industries take over and destroy the environment,” she explained. “We decided we needed to do something.”
Mrs. Zeidenberg came up with a concept to get students and parents to make an environmental difference and presented it to the school councils of George Street and Aurora Senior public schools.
After positive feedback, the Aurora parks and recreation department joined and the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority donated 400 seedlings to be planted in the Lions Park behind George Street Public School. The area is gaining 100 white pine, 100 white spruce, 100 red oak, 50 nannyberry and 50 dogwood seedlings.
“We organized the event and over 400 students are planting today,” Mrs. Zeidenberg said, gesturing to students who were digging, mulching and planting in the park.
Each town staff member became a team leader who educated students about the types of trees, importance of planting and how to dig the hole, pack the soil and care for the young trees.
“In a lot of situations, we are neighbours to a school,” said the town’s Colleen MacDonald, who helped organize the event. “The sooner we get vegetation, the better it is for the water course and land.”
Nine-year-old Amy Kavanagh was having a blast digging, packing and mulching, but she also admitted she learned a fair bit about the importance of planting trees.
“It’s good for the environment,” she said, brushing the soil from her purple jumpsuit. “It’s good so we can give animals houses and have clean oxygen.”
Aurora High School Grade 10 technology students pitched in as well. They volunteered to create and decorate butterfly habitats and birdhouses to be hung in the greenspace.
“Kids absorb what they can feel and touch, so hands-on was the best in this case,” Mrs. Zeidenberg said. “It’s a way of getting kids kick-started on including the environment in their lifestyles.”
It was also the perfect activity for schools, parents and members of the community to work together to make a difference in their town.
Why plant a tree?
- Trees can filter out 85 per cent of air pollution in a park and 70 per cent in a street setting.
- A tree produces about 260 pounds of oxygen a year.
- Trees help absorb rainwater, reducing the amount of water that flows through our sewers.