FALLINGBROOK'S WETLAND STEWARDSHIP CONTINUES

 That's right. Fallingbrook grade 7A and 7C were at it again. These amazing students followed Mr. Zirnis (their wise teacher) out to the Creditview Wetland to meet Tutored by Nature and - away we went. Students were out a total of 6 - 1 hour excursions - April through to beginning of June. We sauntered (payed close attention while in Nature) the east buffer, the north cultural meadow and north swamp ecosites. Their pencil and water-colour sketches, and photography reflects meaningful personal knowledge gained of the Creditview Wetland. If you're a parent, make sure you read their informative naturalist's log books. (e.g., S.C's amazing sense of the Wetland's beauty (left) - her mandala at the marsh eco-site). 

With the support and direction of the City of Mississauga Parks and Forestry (thanks John), the students ably mulched many of the trees already planted in the north meadow - to dissuade the bindweed from choking them out. Each student also set up and existed in his/her solo site - a Mandala - an ecosystem within the Wetland. They sensed and connected with some of the multiple relationships using all of their senses and then captured life and non-life here with their camera and water-colours. 

 

Many of these young'uns from Fallingbrook were leaders at this year's BogFest and helped to make it such a success. Thanks for getting your parents out - you guys and gals are very special! Check out their connections made in the slide show - soon to be created (right). 

STEPHEN LEWIS S.S. - ECOLOGICALLY, WELL SEASONED

Thanks to the cooperation, support, and guidance of Mississauga Parks and Foresty (esp. JC-G & JM), six classes of Stephen Lewis S.S. gr.9 sci/tech teachers and students continued their eco-stewardship of Park 403 Woodlands this past spring. Their first excursion with Tutored by Nature Inc started up March 25, just after the vernal equinox - the last excursion May 29, 2013 -  classroom debriefing mid June.

 

 Outside the woodland is self-explanatory. Unrelenting development once again compounds local watershed fragmentation and creates a myriad of local ecological issues. Photo on the left -worth a thousand words? Inside the woodland, the students sauntered, sketched, water-coloured, photographed, set up personal mandalas and logged connections to this local urban wilderness. Their experience - their aesthetic knowledge is shared within the language, water-colours and photos. A sense of change in the season captured their imaginations  - impact of the local community on this part of the watershed raised their compassion and concern.

 

Debriefing? Our progeny's solutions? Decrease soil compaction within the woodland, lessen the community air, water, soil and noise pollution and the littering; i.e., somehow remediate the problems caused by watershed fragmentation - local human behaviour. Actions recommended? Clean-up the litter, alert the local community to the beauty and importance of the biotic/abiotic relationships within the vernal pools and woodland, and totally support the City's decision to fence Park 403 before it disappears. Is there a sense of immediacy? Stay tuned next fall.

 

 

CONGRATS STEPHEN LEWIS GR 9'ERS

Steven Lewis S.S. gr. 9 prized 'saunterers' of Park 403 Woodland entered a contest to publish their 'sense of aesthetics' - display their connection to this amazing Urban Wilderness within their community. Each of the following received $50.00 gift certificates for DeSerres Art Store and Henry's  Photography - complements of Tutored by Nature Inc and Stephen Lewis S.S. administration.  

 

"Blossoming Spring 2 the MAX"... "The shape and colour of the flower intrigued me...a Hawthorne Tree was blossoming ...and it looked very beautiful. I thought about all the trees that must have been where the construction was happening and about how (it) took away a lot of the natural beauty. I focused on this particular branch ...it showed the raindrops well and the different colours of the flowers. (H.S.)

"Green Spring" "It's amazing to see the changes in the leaves in the (woodland). First it was filled with snow and now, everything is turned into a beautiful shade of green." (S.L.)

"Down Below" (J.C.)..."Usually when I see fungus, it reminds me of something ugly but now looking back on this photo, there's just something about it that seems beautiful. It just depends on how you look at it."

"Wilting Trillium" (S.L.)... "I water-coloured this Trillium because I liked how its colours (were) a nice change of pace from all the green in the (Woodland). I also thought that the shape of the leaves were interesting because while the flowers were wilting, the leaves were still bright and green."