On May 6th and 7th Loyalist College joined forces with environmental partners InterfaceFLOR, Tree Canada, The Hastings Stewardship Council and students from Trenton High School to revitalize a three to four-acre field on the College campus by planting 2,500 trees.
“We are so pleased with the planting site and the involvement of the Environmental Technology students from Loyalist College,” said Michael Rosen, President of Tree Canada, the not-for-profit organization that facilitated the project. “Because the environmental standards of the sponsor, InterfaceFLOR, were so high, we wanted to make sure that the survival rate of the trees would be good and that the project would have an intrinsic educational value as well. This project more than fit the bill. Thank you to Loyalist for having the foresight to re-create this forest in their own backyard.”
InterfaceFLOR, the Belleville-based manufacturer of environmentally responsible floor coverings, has consistently led the industry through innovation and environmental sustainability for the past 35 years. They are well along the path to Mission Zero, the company’s promise to eliminate any negative impact it has on the environment by the year 2020.
“The Environmental Technology program at Loyalist offers students a wide range of knowledge and skills that relate to assessment, stewardship and rehabilitation of the environment,” said Professor Eric Bauer. “A cooperative project such as this puts into practical action some of the environmentally specific skills that our students learn over their two or three-year involvement in the Biosciences program. By joining a government agency, a not-for-profit organization, a local business, area high school students and Loyalist College, this project reinforces the core values of environmental education that include learning ‘in’ the environment, learning ‘about’ the environment and learning ‘for’ the environment. Students who join the Biosciences team at Loyalist can look forward to opportunities to be proactive in many different community environmental projects, develop a network of environmentally informed and concerned friends, and realize the value of collective action toward a healthier environment and future.”
The students from Trenton High School are part of the school’s Outer Limits program. Each year they plant approximately 10,000 trees for the Hastings Stewardship Council. After completing the planting at Loyalist on Wednesday, the students were given a campus tour. Gemma Parent was one of the students. “I’m glad that I was able to be part of this community effort. Loyalist is a really nice college and it has been interesting to find out all that it has to offer, including the broad spectrum of programs available here. I haven’t decided which career path I’m going to take yet but if this is the route I choose, Loyalist would be a great place to go.”
Media Contact: Marilyn Warren, Communications, Loyalist College, (613) 969-1913, ext. 2332; e-mail: mwarren@loyalistc.on.ca or Professor Eric Bauer, ext. 2300