April - what a blast - Earth month and caring for our planet.
Grade 1/2 classes (57 students) brought this gift on Earth Day as they came for environmental education programming.
Willow Park Ecology Centre’s (WPEC) Earth Day event last weekend hosted 35 people enjoying the health benefits of socializing while keeping their hands busy—removing dead stems in our xeriscape and butterfly habitat gardens and spreading wood chips along the meandering Silver Creek Trail.
The butterfly garden, which was originally planted with specific species to support the life cycle of over 20 local butterflies, now supports many more pollinators and birds as well. We spotted a morning cloak butterfly, a few early bees, and a beautiful, large dragonfly. The children delighted in discovering snails and earthworms as they helped in the gardens, and everyone found moments to connect with nature along the way. In just an hour, the spring projects were complete!
Yellow trout lily, native spring ephemeral wildflower, along Silver Creek.
We then gathered for refreshments and a conversation about renewable energy and what it means for us, the planet, and how we can use it more proactively in our daily lives.
We were also thrilled to have reporter Craig McNicoll from TV Halton join us, capturing both our efforts and our vision to empower a sustainable community living in harmony with nature. His newscast can be found here: The Willow Park Ecology Centre.
Bloodroot wildflower catching the sun along WPEC’s woodland trail.
After just two hours together outdoors, everyone left feeling calmer, invigorated, and eager to continue growing as a community of eco-stewards.
Speaking of stewardship ...
Our next stewardship days take place on Thursdays from 4–6 p.m., and one Sunday afternoon each month from May to October (dates TBA). The gardens and trails will also support our many spring field trips which are offered to assist teachers through WPEC’s Environmental Education Programs for Grades K–9, as well as a Grade 11 math class that will measure trees and explore their carbon sink capacity.
Volunteers and students added wood chips to Silver Creek trail.
Teachers and parents, contact us to have your students come as we have a few days left in May and June. We started with 57 Grade 1/2 students right on Earth Day fully engaged in our Pollinators are our Friends unit, planting black eyed Susan, wood chipping trails, and exploring pond life and the Tree Trail. Leaving with smiles and more knowledgeable, saying; “this was the best field trip”!
And this Wednesday, April 29th we are starting our 6-week Spring Homeschool Program which is still accepting registrations for all, or, partial, programming.
Volunteer Fair: Apr 18 Gellert Ctr. Tunde Otto, Executive Director, WPEC hosted a display for building community and wellness.
WPEC and our community
We are proud to be part of a local network of citizens supporting the Town of Halton Hills and our neighbours in advancing more sustainable lifestyles during these times of change. Recently, we’ve enjoyed connecting with the community at the Eco Film Festival (next up on May 19: Living the Change: Inspiring Stories for a Sustainable Future), the Volunteer Halton Volunteer Fair, the public library’s Seedy Saturday and the Town of Halton Hills Environmental Symposium.
Environment Symposium: Apr 1 Mold-masters Arena. Town Projects: Invasive Species Management, Green Infrastructure, Fairy Lake.
We also value our partnerships with local groups, including Trees for Halton Hills, as they work toward increasing canopy cover by planting one tree for every resident — that’s 65,000 Trees in total.
