Trees of life: N.B. man on a mission educate youth while planting trees at schools across province
A New Brunswick man is on a mission to plant 25 trees in 25 different schools at the province, while educating students of all ages, on how to properly grow these plants and their importance.
Jim Landry is the executive director of Landscape New Brunswick and was at Harbour View High School on Douglas Avenue in Saint John on Friday morning, where he took the classroom and a group of students outdoors for a hands-on lesson.
“I think this is where the learning happens,” says Landry. “This is where you get the opportunity to get some students together as a group and talk. I’ve planted with groups of 10 … I think we had 70 or 80 at a school in Moncton yesterday.”
Landry brought with him two special oak seedlings to plant during his visit to the high school in Saint John, both with a connection to Vimy Ridge – a connection that his family also shares.
“These are trees that came from Vimy Ridge in France 104 years ago, and so I plant them in honour of my uncle,” says Landry. “But also, I try to relate the life of my uncle and his death at Vimy Ridge with everybody’s family – because there’s so much connection back a hundred years ago with that battle.”
Emily Lennon, a teacher at Harbour View high who teaches biology, environmental science and general sciences, says this week they’ve planted a hundred trees on their campus.
The school has already implemented several outdoor initiatives, including a garden, and Lennon hopes to see an arboretum on the property.
“I think the overarching thing is that they’ll hopefully carry that on in their future in terms of their own interests,” says Lennon. “And understand the changes that are happening for future generations.”
For students at the school, it was also a valuable lesson in sustainability and how a small act can make a big difference.
“You dig a hole and put it in and it’s super easy,” says grade 11 student Julia Wiezel. “It’s something everyone can do literally anywhere.”
“It was fun, helping the environment,” adds grade 11 student Hannah Renault. “It’s good to learn about the environment especially for the future too.”
Planting seeds for the future, one tree at a time.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW From yearning for a change to cost of living, why some Canadians have left or may leave the country
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
NEW Capital gains tax change 'shortsighted' and 'sows division' business groups tell Freeland
Forging ahead with increasing Canada's capital gains inclusion rate 'sows division,' and is a 'shortsighted' way to improve the deficit, business groups are warning Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Minister said 'hundreds' of Canadians might use Gaza visa. More than 7,500 applied.
An immigration lawyer in Toronto says new figures from the federal government show just how 'grudging' Ottawa's efforts have been to rescue Canadians' family members from the war in the Gaza Strip.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Florida deputies who fatally shot U.S. airman burst into wrong apartment, attorney says
Deputies responding to a disturbance call at a Florida apartment complex burst into the wrong unit and fatally shot a Black U.S. Air Force airman who was home alone when they saw he was armed with a gun, an attorney for the man's family said Wednesday.
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.