Reforestation Continues at Woodview and Ellis

November 03, 2008

On October 24, 2008 the fifth grade students from Woodview Elementary walked to Ellis Elementary to team up with the second grade students to work on an academic service learning project.  This reforestation project began last year with 300 Norwegian Spruce Trees being planted on the north side of the Ellis property.  This year the students planted 350 Norwegian Spruce Trees on the west side of the school property. 

The goals of this project are for the students to understand the positive and negative impact humans have on the natural world.  Since many of the trees in the area were removed to build houses, the students are replacing those trees to create a woodland habitat.  The students know that trees can help to keep our air clean by taking in carbon dioxide and giving off oxygen.  They are learning that trees provide many other benefits to our world such as creating a wind block when planted to the north and west, which reduces heating costs in the winter.  The most important benefit the students received from this activity was to get outside and be a part of the solution.

Many thanks goes to the parent volunteers who helped to make this project a success.  Special thanks to BAS Maintenance Department who dug all the holes for us.  A big thank you to Bosch’s Countryview Nursery in Allendale who provided the trees at a very reduced cost.  Thank you to our principals, teachers and other staff who helped to make this an exciting project for the students.