Congratulations to the recipients of the 2021-2022 WWF-Canada Go Wild School Grants! Here are a few inspiring examples of projects funded by Go Wild School Grants this year.
Vanscoy, SK, Vanscoy School – Re-Wilding our School
At Vanscoy School we have a thriving outdoor education program. As part of this program every class participates in 2.5 hours of outdoor learning each week. Our planting project involves researching native plants to our area, consulting with local landscape designers, purchasing native plant and bush species, and finally “re-wilding” some of our outdoor spaces with native plants. Finally, these students will take on a leadership role in teaching other students and community members about the plants that we planted and how these plants create habitat for native insect, bird and animal species.
Gatineau, QC, Pierre Elliott Trudeau Elementary School – Check into the Insect Hotel
As part of our play-based, nature-focused Kindergarten program, we will build an insect hotel and mud kitchen to allow children to engage, explore and discover elements related to nature, habitat and ecosystems within the natural environment. These structures will allow students to learn about insects in context and develop an understanding of their roles in the ecosystem.
Winnipeg, MB, Ecole Charleswood School – Room to Grow at ECS
There are three main goals for this project. First, to allow students to receive hands-on learning about seeds, with a focus on native plants that support pollinators, birds and bats. Second, to incorporate learning about plants that are significant to Indigenous groups in Manitoba . And finally, to share native- and pollinator-friendly plants with the Charleswood and Tuxedo communities.
Woodstock, NB, Townsview School – Butterfly Garden
Our idea is to create a butterfly garden on a visible area of our school property. This garden will include a variety of native plants and a pathway through the center so that students and community members may walk through it and even sit on a bench to enjoy the beautiful oasis. Our goal is to help New Brunswick’s butterfly and bee populations increase, as they have been steadily on the decline in recent years. We’re hoping that students can not only get some fresh air, but also learn more about native species, the effects of climate change, our own seasonal changes and insects, and hopefully be inspired to take further action to help the Earth.
St. Catharines, ON, Brock University – Brock University Seed Library
The main function of community seed libraries focuses on the protection of and public access to seeds, however we also plan to run training days and workshops so community members who may be interested in starting their first garden can learn appropriate skills and put them into practice. We hope our seed library will contribute to increasing pollinator numbers. We will focus on gaining seeds from native and endangered pollinator-friendly plants and easy-to-grow native vegetables. This initiative will encourage Brock and the surrounding community members to grow locally and support pollinator populations.
Vancouver, BC, Langara Community Garden for All
Our proposed project aims to increase inclusion by designing and building raised beds suitable for wheelchair users and people with limited mobility. Building on our previous experience establishing pollinator gardens on campus, we hope to educate and empower people with disabilities who are interested in conservation, food growing and deeper involvement in campus activities.
Find all 2021 – 2022 recipients below:
Primary and Secondary Schools (Grades K-12)
Winnipeg, MB, Westview School – Westview School Garden
Guelph, ON, Ecole Fred A. Hamilton – Pollinator Garden
Parkhill, ON, Parkhill-West Williams Public – Parkhill-West William Tree Revival
Surrey, BC, City Central Learning Centre – CCLC Medicine Wheel Garden
Cornwall, ON, Holy Trinity Secondary School – Homes for Night Creatures
Black Diamond, AB, C Ian McLaren School – Tree Planting
Lethbridge, AB, Galbraith Elementary School – Galbraith Outdoor Classroom
New Denver, BC, Lucerne Elementary Secondary School – Greening Our School
Asquith, SK, Lord Asquith School – Outdoor Learning Space
Casa Rio, SK, South Corman Park School – SCP Outdoor Classroom Initiative
West Vancouver, BC, Caulfeild Elementary (iDEC) – Dare to Grow Further – Forests and Food
Trepassey, NL, Stella Maris Academy – Pollinator Garden
St. Albert, AB, Joseph M Demko School – Mini Trout Hatchery Project
Victoria, BC, Royal Bay Secondary School – Native Plant and Pollinator Garden
Vanscoy, SK, Vanscoy School – Re-Wilding our School
Nokomis, SK, Nokomis School – Nokomis School Pollination Garden
Trenton, ON, St. Peter Catholic School – Peace Garden Revival
Elmira, ON, John Mahood Junior Public School Native Plant Rain Garden
Windsor, ON, St. Joseph’s Catholic High School – mino-bimaaduziwin (the life, Ojibwe)
Winnipeg, MB, Ecole Charleswood School – Room to Grow at ECS
Kitchener, ON, Southridge Public School – Outdoor Learning Space
Squamish, BC, From Invasive to Native – École les Aiglons
Fernie, BC, Kootenay Discovery School – Native Plants Pollinator Garden
Winnipeg, MB, King Edward Community School – King Edward Community School Traditional Medicine Garden Restoration
Campbell River, BC, Southgate Middle School – Indigenous Plant Garden
Woodstock, NB, Townsview School – Butterfly Garden
Winnipeg, MB, Chief Peguis Junior High – 7 Sacred Teachings Garden
Waterloo, ON, Northlake Woods Public School – Shadow’s Woodlot
Black Diamond, AB, C Ian McLaren School – Grade 3 Outdoor Flower Garden for Butterfly Pollinators
Victoria, BC, Shoreline Middle School – Purple Martins Poles
Fort McPherson, NWT, Chief Julius School – Classroom Garden
Gatineau, QC, Pierre Elliott Trudeau Elementary School – Check into the Insect Hotel
Osoyoos, BC, Osoyoos Elementary School – Healthy Salmon Habitats
Vancouver, BC, Sir Wilfred Grenfell Elementary School – Native Plant Garden
Markham, ON, Father Micheal McGivney – Spread the Trees
Pickering, ON, Dunbarton High School – Dunbarton High School Native Trees Restoration
Sarnia, ON, Lansdowne Public School – Builder’s Club Birds
St. Marys, Ontario, St. Marys District Collegiate and Vocational Institute – Greening DCVI
Midland, ON, Georgian Bay District Secondary School – The GBDSS Pollinator Pathway
Burnaby, BC, University Highlands Elementary – Hydrology and Ecology Interpretative Board of the Stoney Creek Watershed
West Vancouver, BC, Westcot Elementary – Our Gathering Tree
Boucherville, QC, École Paul VI – Projet jardin de Monarques
St-Jacques-le-Mineur, QC, École St-Jacques – Découvrir, grandir et s’épanouir en plein air
Tecumseh, ON, École Élémentaire Catholique Saint-Antoine – Jardins potager et pollinisateur
St-Pascal, QC, École Secondaire Chanoine-Beaudet – Les plates-bandes comestibles
Orléans, ON, École Secondaire Catholique Béatrice-Desloges – Jardin Scolaire – Communautaire
Post-secondary Schools (Colleges, Universities and CEGEPs)
King City, ON, Seneca College – Forest Garden at King Campus
Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON, Niagara College – Pollinator Garden Enhancement and Expansion for Ruby-Throated Hummingbird Habitat
St. Catharines, ON, Brock University – Brock University Seed Library
Vancouver, BC, Langara Community Garden for All
Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON, Niagara College – The Use of a MOTUS Tower to Monitor Species Migrating Through the Niagara Region
Richmond Hill, ON, University of Guelph – Project Connect: Indigenous and Pollinator Garden
Toronto, ON, George Brown College – The Growing Grounds Initiative
King City, ON, Seneca College – Herpetofauna Habitat Enhancements and Education at Seneca College
London, ON, Western University – Barn Swallow Breeding Structure and Signage
Montréal, QC, HEC Montreal – Bibliothèque de semences
