Help restore Laurel Creek forest

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Help restore Laurel Creek forest at Sunoco Earth Day on April 19

 

April 11, 2008 / grandriver.ca

 

 

People looking for an active way to mark Earth Day can help restore a forest at Laurel Creek Conservation Area that was devastated by an insect attack last year.

 

The tenth Sunoco Earth Day will be held on April 19 at the GRCA conservation area on Westmount Road just off Northfield Drive in Waterloo. The event, sponsored by Sunoco and the Suncor Energy Foundation, runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and is free. Local dignitaries will help plant trees and Mike Farwell from 570 News will kick off the event at 10:15 a.m.

 

Trees and shovels will be provided to those who want to help plant 1,000 native trees such as white pine, sugar maple and red oak. They will replace some of the two hectares worth of red pines which had to be removed last fall because of an infestation of pine shoot beetles.

 

But there’s more to the even than planting trees. It’s also a great family outing with plenty of activities for children and adults to help them learn the benefits of “green” living. There will be exhibits on waste reduction, green roofs, alternative fuels and energy efficiency.

 

Kids can be a biologist for a day, learn all about fish or build a bird house. There will be information on ways to reduce your environmental footprint by limiting pesticide use, cutting back on energy use and conserving water. Kids who dig into the activities will not only get their hands dirty, they’ll be eligible to win prizes for their schools.

 

Every school with more than 25 registered participants (students, teachers, parents and friends) will receive a $50 nursery voucher for a school-yard naturalization program. The school with the most registrants will win a $400 voucher for trees, shrubs and garden supplies.

 

Other activities for children include drumming with the Marcell School of Drum, crafts and critter displays. There will also be free draw for a bicycle and helmet.