Monday, December 7, 2009

CKSS GETS INVOLVED IN INNOVATIVE TREE SEED PROPAGATION TECHNIQUES

The CKSS Environmental Club constructed 6 outdoor protected seed boxes on December 1st. The seed boxes are designed to protect tree seeds from wildlife or rodents. Some seeds require more than one year to germinate therefore they need to be protected during that time. The design is also ideal for portability.
It proves handy to have a wood shop or tech teacher involved in the environment. Greg Van Every of Stewardship Kent and Gord Williams (Tech teacher and Environmental Club Lead) pre-cut the pieces and the students assembled the seed boxes in a couple of hours.
The idea is spreading. Since the construction of the boxes, the life skills teacher has been influenced to teach his students on how to grow a vegetable garden with the same design.
The seed boxes are first filled with leaves to retain topsoil or wood chips which are layered on top of the leaves.

On December 7, the Environmental Club will fill the boxes with the planting medium and plant various tree species:
  • Eastern Red Cedar
  • Button Bush
  • Bladdernut
  • Sassafrass

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John McGregor Secondary School preparing trays to plant seeds

John McGregor Secondary School preparing trays to plant seeds

WDSS testing Black Cherry seeds to grow in the municipal greenhouse

WDSS testing Black Cherry seeds to grow in the municipal greenhouse

CKSS Life Skills planting black-eyed susan seeds at the municipal greenhouse

CKSS Life Skills planting black-eyed susan seeds at the municipal greenhouse

Tecumseh Public School tested Hackberry seed quality and planted American Sycamore seeds

Tecumseh Public School tested Hackberry seed quality and planted American Sycamore seeds

Chatham #4 Scout troop participates in a seeding event at the municipal greenhouse

Chatham #4 Scout troop participates in a seeding event at the municipal greenhouse
scouts were educated about the importance of our program, learned how to test seed quality, and planted native tree seeds to help out with the environment

Finished product

Finished product
The cold-frame boxes are covered in leaf litter to help insulate the seeds from the cold throughout the winter and mimic a natural environment

Riverview Central School collects tallgrass prairie seed at Branton Cundick Park

Riverview Central School collects tallgrass prairie seed at Branton Cundick Park
The students were very excited to be helping nature by collecting seeds that they planted in tray the following week.

Students from Ridgetown High School collect tallgrass prairie seed at Turin Paw Paw

Students from Ridgetown High School collect tallgrass prairie seed at Turin Paw Paw

Planting Prairie Plugs at the Merlin Conservation Area with Merlin Area Public School

Planting Prairie Plugs at the Merlin Conservation Area with Merlin Area Public School

Big Blue Stem has a characteristic 'turkey foot' seed head

Big Blue Stem has a characteristic 'turkey foot' seed head

Ursuline College students plant and mulch native White Oak trees.

Ursuline College students plant and mulch native White Oak trees.

CKSS Environmental Club tree seed collection at O'Neil's Nature Preserve in Chatham

CKSS Environmental Club tree seed collection at O'Neil's Nature Preserve in Chatham

LKCS Students plant trees at the Dresden Cemetery

LKCS Students plant trees at the Dresden Cemetery

Making It Happen Program gives a hand

Making It Happen Program gives a hand

Ursuline College Students collecting seed under an American Sycamore tree

Ursuline College Students collecting seed under an American Sycamore tree