June 9, 2023
Howdy Folks!
The team was split up this week, with Julianna away in B.C., Catherine gone to New York, and Nicole and Keiran away in Charlottetown getting their chainsaw certifications. Left behind was Matt, Mel and Ashton, faced with a list of tasks while the others were away. Item 1: dig two holes for the new Daryl Guignion Memorial Park sign. Now, this may not sound like a large feat, but in 26 degree weather on extremely rocky terrain this turned into a 2 day process. The efforts were well worth it, and the sign is now standing tall at the park, complemented by some yellow and orange marigolds. Come by for our grand opening this upcoming Tuesday morning to see it for yourself!
Just when the group was reunited, Matt and Keiran were off to Kensington for a day of learning with the 6th grade students from several island schools. The kids were taught how to identify trees based on their key characteristics and then had their own worksheet to try their hand at tree ID. The students were very engaged and had many questions. Though there were some distractions, including the insane amount of snails making guest appearances following the rainy Tuesday we had! Overall the kids loved it and Matt and Keiran had a great time interacting with the next generation of environmentalists.
Finally on Friday everyone was reunited. We banded together to plant trees at a local coastal property to try and fight quickening erosion. The owner of the property is taking action to protect her cottage that has been in her family for generations since it was built by her grandparents. Working alongside Helping Nature Heal while they installed their living shoreline, we planted salt-tolerant plants including wild rose and bayberry to strengthen the integrity of the soil at the knick point. These efforts contribute to preventing the cliff from receding any further. The owner was very pleased with our work and we had the opportunity to sample some of her delicious shortbread for our hard work!
Next week marks the start of stream restoration, so we’ll be sure to get lots of rest this weekend! Have a fun and safe weekend folks, until next time!
Love,
SSWA
