A special addition is being installed at Kinnaird Elementary and the project, a nature pond, is riddled with enthusiasm. It's been 'all-hands-on-deck' of late as a pond is being included in the landscape.
Lawrence Redfern, said the idea started about a year-and-a-half ago through the Castlegar and District Wildlife Association.
"The whole idea is about education," said Redfern. "There are so many things you can do in writing curriculum around the pond; arts, environment, conservation, aquatic life, etc."
"The grade 6 and 7 students will be stewards of the pond," he said.
The pond is about 40' x 40' and 1.5 ' deep.
The digging and prep with the liner was happening Wednesday, Oct. 3 and the planting of shrubs and bushes etc. happened Thursday.
Jaron Jobin of the BC Wildlife Federation's Education Program was helping to organize the construction.
There are a lot of these types of ponds in U.S. schools but only one that the principal of the school, Wayne Naka, is aware of in B.C.
Here's a rundown of the what has been required by the process:
-Excavation of the site
-Raking the hole to be smooth and removing all sharp or large rocks that would pierce the liner.
-Placing a layer of geotextile liner, liner, and another of geotextile.
-Anchoring and cutting the liner
-Placing soil in the liner and raking smooth
-Spreading oat seeds and straw to prevent erosion.
-Planting a variety of wetland species
-Watering plants and filling wetland with water
Much gratitude is directed to the following funders: Columbia Basin Trust, Environment Canada, Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program, Government of BC, Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, Wildlife Habitat Canada, and Shell.
Special thanks to Lawrence Redfern of the Castlegar and District Wildlife Association, a partner for this project.