In celebration of Earth Day, high school students from Kwalikum and Ballenas Secondary Schools planted 540 tree seedlings along the Grandon Creek walking trail.
The Grade 10-12 students from KSS are part of the Global ROAMS (Rivers Oceans and Mountains School) international student program of environmental sciences studies being taught by Ben Leggett.
The Grade 10-11 students from Ballenas belong to the Eco Club and are taught by Allison Lavoie. The Earth Day initiative was organized by Tom Whitfield, a retired forester. Planting tools were provided by the Town of Qualicum Beach with funding for the trees by the Parksville-Qualicum Foundation provided through the Small Neighbourhood Grant program.
The Grandon Creek forest in the ravine is primarily mature Red alder and now reaching the end of its short 50-year life cycle. Shade tolerant young conifers (grand fir, cedar, sequoia and redwood) planted on this moist, rich site will quickly sequester and store carbon for many years.
Under the Climate-Based Seed Transfer initiative, with a warming climate, sequoia and redwood seed is being brought to the Pacific Northwest for establishment here. These very long-lived conifers will provide soil stability, shade the waters of Grandon Creek and support a healthy population of juvenile coho salmon and cutthroat trout for years to come.
