The Elkhorn and Area Foundation supported the gifting of apple trees to Grade 5 students of Elkhorn School on June 2. Assiniboine West Watershed District staff lead a short presentation and planting demonstration before students pledged to plant and care for their tree.
Each student was asked to sign a tree care contract and provide pictures in the fall to verify the trees’ establishment. It’s a fun exercise for the students, to sign a contract and show off their tree with a picture upon returning to class in the fall. They are on the hook to keep their tree alive.
The Watershed District loves the chance to talk to youth about the benefits trees provide. We discuss the range of products that trees produce, from tool handles to fruit for lunch. We talk about the impact trees have on the environment - like cooling the air and removing CO2 from the atmosphere. Trees also have a huge impact on society, from supplying jobs in the forestry and nursery sectors to improving mental health and reducing stress just by being...
The students are shown the proper way to plant and care for their tree and are given advise on the best planting locations.
I would like to thank Elkhorn and Area Foundation again for their continued support of this program. It very gratifying to hear from parents now and again about how their child’s tree, now mature, produces a bounty of apples annually.
- Submitted by Manitoba Assiniboine West Watershed
