Everyone thinks they know about the Illecillewaet Greenbelt, but the now the kids in Amber Thompson’s Arrow Heights Elementary Grade 4/5 class really know after spending Monday, May 5, afternoon in the nature park with Greenbelt Society President Louisa Fleming.
Inquisitive and attentive, the children were curious about the wildlife that inhabit and pass through the park and were happy to help clean up the Greenbelt since the departure of winter’s snow has displayed a wide range of litter left behind by careless and thoughtless humans.
Ms. Thompson told The Current that there’s such a healthy appetite for environmental activity at AHE that plans are afoot for starting an environmental club.
We think that’s terrific and we are pleased to present some photos of the students’ day down at the Greenbelt:
Illecillewaet Greenbelt Society President Louisa Fleming gestures as she shows kids from Amber Thompson’s Arrow Heights Elementary School Grade 4/5 where the Greenbelt actually is located. The 22 acres of woods and meadows that constitute the Greenbelt are is on the river side of the paved path and does not include the paved path itself, Ms. Thompson (center, back in the black raincoat) has a strong environmental ethic that she wants to impart to her students. It must be working they were curious, attentive and keen to help clean up the trash exposed to the human eye with the departure of the winter snow. David F. Rooney photoOff they go under the trees along one of the Greenbelt’s gravel-surfaced paths. The Greenbelt Society has been building and maintaining trails on its tenure for about 25 years. David F. Rooney photoCheck these out! The kids — well, some of them, anyway — show off the surgical gloves intended to keep them safe from some of the icky stuff they might be picking up, icky stuff like bags of dog poop lazy dog walkers leave for someone else to dispose of. In fact, one of those treats was the second thing for a child to find and pickup for disposal. David F. Rooney photoToo early? Too late? The kids scan the waters of a pond along Tadpole Trail for signs of tadpoles. Alas! They could not find any. David F. Rooney photoLook! A bottle! Spotted in a part of the Greenbelt one child said looked just like his backyard, this was swiftly added to the children’s collection of garbage. David F. Rooney photoYet another piece of litter, this time a plastic coffee cup lid, is added to the trash bag. Great work kids! David F. Rooney photo
