Removing the English Ivy: Winter 2013

 We are fortunate at Rogers to have our school next to a very special ecosystem which is one of the most endangered in Canada. And thus, it is our job to take care of that precious ecosystem. So to halt any more potential damage to the Garry oak ecosystem from the English ivy, the last of the English ivy was removed from the cement walls in the winter of 2013. The roots were pulled out and gravel has been laid down to inhibit any further growth.

Mural Design

The first mural design has been selected. The mural will be a colourful representation of the neighbouring Garry Oak Ecosystem, including many of the native plants and animals living in it.

Thank you to the students, parents and staff for their input about the mural design.

The Mural Project at Rogers

You may have noticed some changes to the front cement walls of our school!  Up until the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year we had greenery growing on the cement wall at the front of Rogers. But it has been removed and for good reason.  An exciting "Mural Project" has begun. Over the next six month, the school and school community will be engaged in the "Mural Project"!

First of all, the green and growing part of the wall was not a good thing.  Many of you will know this plant was English ivy, but what you might not know is that it is a serious invasive plant in our region – and is a big risk to the rare Garry Oak Ecosystems beside Rogers on Christmas Hill.  English ivy takes over ecosystems in our region, eliminating native plants and habitat for wildlife, covering trees and eventually destroying them.  (In addition, the ivy berries are toxic if ingested by humans.)

At Rogers School,  our belief is, “We care about ourselves, each other and this place”.  With this belief in mind for everything that we do, we aim to be good stewards of the natural environment. We are fortunate to have our school next to a very special ecosystem which is one of the most endangered in Canada. And thus, it is our job to take care of that precious ecosystem.

The English ivy has now been removed from the cement walls, to grow no more.  The exciting part is engaging our school and community in a celebration of Garry oak ecosystems  as murals are created on these walls. We will be working with artists and community partners so that environmental education programs, community building and mural painting can unfold through the spring and into the summer of 2013!

(For more information about invasive plants and English Ivy: http://www.saanich.ca/living/natural/stewardship/invasive.html?ref=shortURL and for more information about Garry Oak Ecosystems: www.goert.ca)

Or visit the foyer at Rogers to see the display. Thanks to Carolyn R for helping us to learn more about this important topic.

Other Murals by Joanne Thomson

Joanne Thomson has completed murals in the city of Victoria. 

This photo below is the beginning stage of a mural at Pacifica Housing on Fisgard Street.

Here is the vibrantly coloured finished mural.

We look forward to Joanne and her creative team transforming the walls at Rogers into a landscape that tells a story about our environmental stewardship.

Without the English Ivy

These are the two concrete walls in front of Rogers Elementary School. 

The English Ivy was removed from one wall last summer and from the other wall during this past winter.

These walls are now cement canvases awaiting creativity and colours to alight upon them.

With the English Ivy

This is one of the two concrete walls in front of Rogers Elementary School covered with English Ivy.

Introducing: Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team (GOERT)

The Rogers Mural Project is pulling together many partners to achieve our goals.  One important partner on this project is the Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team (GOERT).  We’d like to tell you a bit about GOERT and what they do to protect ecosystems such as surrounding Rogers.

GOERT is a non-profit organization that works on the recovery of Garry oak and associated ecosystems in Canada.  They also work to protect the many species at risk that live in these ecosystems.  There are different types of Garry oak ecosystems (such as meadow, rocky outcrop and more, thus “ecosystems”).  These ecosystems are one of the most endangered ecosystems in Canada with less than 5% left near intact.

GOERT has an office of staff that is in the process of moving to Swan Lake Christmas Hill lands! (Next to the Nature House.)  Aside from the office and staff, GOERT is a major partnership effort with all levels of government, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, First Nations, volunteers and consultants.  All together, they lead a national Recovery Program for Garry oak ecosystems and species at risk.

Rogers Elementary is very thankful to have GOERT supporting and promoting our Mural Project.  We look forward to them visiting our school, helping us gather donations for the project and more.

Here are a few faces from GOERT that you may see during our project:

(Carolyn Masson, Communications Coordinator)      

         

(Rebecca Mersereau, Executive Director)

To learn more about GOERT and Garry oak ecosystems: www.goert.ca

Rogers School is surrounded!

Did you know that Rogers Elementary is surrounded by Garry Oak ecosystems protected by the Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary and Christmas Hill Park.

 

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