Durham Alternative Secondary School (DASS) has taken a significant step toward enhancing its campus and honouring its commitment to environmental stewardship. The school recently applied for and was awarded a prestigious Greening Canada's School Grounds grant from Tree Canada, a national non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of Canadians by planting and nurturing trees.
Being a central, urban, ecologically stressed site following several expansions and with significant natural tree loss over the past 75 years, this grant supports the restoration and revitalization of the school's greenspace. The primary goal of the DASS Oshawa project was to involve students in the restoration of the above ground biomass on their campus using tree and shrub planting to strengthen students' awareness, involvement, and technical skills. This has added to the enhancements already in progress by the school's Grade 11 Green Industries class.
The initiative aligns with the Durham District School Board's (DDSB) land acknowledgement and commitment to Indigenous education. By prioritizing the revitalization, DASS is embracing a philosophy of "giving back to the land," which resonates deeply with Indigenous teachings and perspectives. This project not only beautifies the schoolgrounds but also fosters a sense of respect and responsibility toward nature, reflecting the values embedded in DDSB's land acknowledgement.
Principal Kim Stuart expressed her enthusiasm about the grant: "We are thrilled to receive this support from Tree Canada. This grant allows us to make our schoolgrounds more sustainable and beautiful. It's an opportunity not only for our students to learn new skills but also to gain understanding of the 'why.' It's an opportunity for them to participate directly in the preparation, planting, maintenance, and monitoring of the new trees and shrubs while also fostering community pride, personal satisfaction, and tweaking future pathway interest in tree planting and ecological restoration pursuits."
"It's also an opportunity to engage our full community in reconciliation with the land as part of our school's Indigenous education focus. We look forward to passing the caregiving of this revitalization to future DASS students as well as seeing our greenspace grow and flourish."
On May 22, the DASS community eagerly awaited the transformation of their greenspace and was joined by a Tree Canada forestry specialist, a sponsoring team from Staples Canada, and Indigenous artist Patrick Hunter. Prior to planting, the entire school was welcomed to participate in a pathway and environmental stewardship conversation from this special guest panel. In total, Trees Canada will have supported the planting of approximately 20 hardwood trees and 20 large shrubs, all native to our area and supplied by Pineneedle Farms in Pontypool. With the new trees and shrubs planted, DASS aims to create an inviting and environmentally conscious atmosphere that will serve as a living classroom for lessons and provide access to private greenspace and student experiences in environmental stewardship through horticulture/arboreal activities.
This grant not only addresses the need for environmental restoration through tree replacement, but it also sets a precedent for future projects aimed at preserving and enhancing the natural beauty of schoolgrounds within the DDSB. With the support of Tree Canada's Greening Canada's School Ground grant, DASS's dedication to environmental responsibility and Indigenous education serves as an inspiring example for other schools in the District and beyond.
