Students committed to the rehabilitation of an Espanola stream
Students work diligently on their environmental rescue. Photo CSCNO
ESPANOLA, ON – For the past seven years, students and staff from Espanola’s École secondaire catholique Franco-Ouest have been engaged in efforts to rehabilitate the community’s creek, which has a small natural population of brook trout. Their focus is on improving physical conditions in the creek and in spawning sites. After several years of hard work, a growing number of fry have been observed downstream from the targeted area. The creek, located on the Espanola golf course, flows into the Spanish River.
“Jumping right in” to action. Photo CSCNO
For a second consecutive year, the project received a Jane Goodall Protecting our Sacred Water Grant valued at $1,000. The grant is dedicated to water protection projects, the promotion of First Nation perspectives in regards to the importance of protecting our waters and the development of a student-led action plan.
As the students worked to rehabilitate the banks of the creek and incorporate biological remediation techniques, they were made aware of Aboriginal knowledge in regards to sacred waters. The project also benefits from the support of the Espanola Golf Course, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests, Domtar, Learning for a Sustainable Future and the Jane Goodall Institute.
“In past years, the local creek suffered bank deterioration and sedimentation due to golf course activity,” explained École secondaire catholique Franco-Ouest biology teacher Mr. Roc Larivière. “Through our efforts, we are seeking to maintain the viability of this aquatic ecosystem, which is part of our community heritage. The project enables students to become involved in the Espanola community and take part in a major scientific, ecological, social and economic project. We also believe that the restoration of an ecosystem is fully compatible with human activity.”
“The project’s success is dependent on the participation of students and on our ability to help them understand the importance of the relationship between ecology, community life and local industry,” Mr. Larivière concluded.
The Conseil scolaire catholique du Nouvel-Ontario offers a French Catholic Educational Program that is widely recognized for its excellence. The CSCNO provides a quality learning environment and academic program that runs from early childhood to adult education, with some 7,000 students in 27 elementary and 10 secondary schools.
