Grounds for Change

South

School List

School Name	Project Description
Bearspaw School Calgary, AB. Rocky View School Division	Great example of the integration of play structures with naturalization, including platforms, sandboxes, climbing structures
Ecole Edwards Elementary School Airdrie, AB. Rocky View School Division
Elbow Valley Elementary Calgary, AB. Rocky View School Division
Indus Elementary Calgary, AB. Rocky View School Division
Manachaban Middle School Cochrane, AB. Rocky View School Division
Meadowbrook Middle School Airdrie, AB. Rocky View School Division
Mitford Middle School Cochrane, AB. Rocky View School Division
Muriel Clayton Middle School Airdrie, AB. Rocky View School Division	Designed as a bird-attracting site; native plants, pathways, bird feeders and houses.
Spring Bank Community High School Calgary, AB. Rocky View School Division	Areas of native plantings with split-rail fencing.
Westbrook School Cochrane, AB. Rocky View School Division
Prairie View Elementary Vulcan, AB. Palliser Regional Division No. 26	Prairie View Elementary very interested in incorporating naturalized areas into the grounds being developed around their new school. Have created a committee with teacher, parents and community members. Planning is underway over summer 2006 starting with new pathways.
Ecole Agnes Davidson Elementary School Lethbridge, AB. Lethbridge School District No. 51	Agnes Davidson has a courtyard garden with sundial, amphitheatre, compost bins, native shrubs, trees, and wildflowers, boardwalk.
Wilson Middle School Lethbridge, AB. Lethbridge School District No. 51	Has a naturalized/water conserving garden created in co-operation with the Oldman Water Shed Council and includes signage, native grasses, wildflowers, shrubs, bench seating
Joe Clark School High River, AB. Foothills School Division No. 38	Bird-attracting garden running along fence line at the back of the school; includes native trees, shrubs, and some flowers; also dry river bed, bird houses, some seating. Are planning a butterfly garden for an open area on the site.
Longview School Longview, AB. Foothills School Division No. 38	Have a teepee ring with seating, surrounded by native shrubs; planting bed along the fence line as well.
Percy Peglar Elementary School Okotoks, AB. Foothills School Division No. 38	Planning is still ongoing, but they have some plantings in place.
Westmount School Strathmore, AB. Golden Hills School Division No. 75	Naturalization project installed.

Board or District Details

Name	Board Activity
Canadian Rockies Regional Division No. 12 www.crsd.ab.ca/	Lawrence Grassi Middle School is being rebuilt, and the parent committee,with the support of the school board, is very interested in incorporating the concept of schoolyard naturalization into the planning of the site.
Christ the Redeemer Catholic Separate Regional Division No. 3 www.redeemer.ab.ca	St. Mary's School is starting the planning process as of spring 2006. Good Shepherd School has also begun the planning process as of winter 2006.
Foothills School Division No. 38 www.fsd38.ab.ca	Joe Clark School, Longview School, Percy Peglar Elementary Schoolhave naturalization projects. Schools are responsible for the upkeep of these areas, but the board has been responsive to their installation. Red Deer Lake School hopes to incorporate naturalization into the grounds of their new school building (slated to be built in 2007-08). Millarville School plans to construct an outdoor classroom seating area.
Golden Hills School Division No. 75 www.ghsd75.ca	Westmount School in Strathmore has a naturalization project. Three Hills School hopes to incorporate naturalization areas into their courtyard property behind the school, and perhaps even incorporate it into a new playground that is needed at the front of the school.
Horizon School Division No. 67 www.horizon.ab.ca	Maintenance department of the board seems interested in the concept; plans to forward information along to the schools and may present idea at a principals' meeting.
Lethbridge School District No. 51 http://lethsdweb.lethsd.ab.ca/	Ecole Agnes Davidson Elementary School and Wilson MIddle School both have naturalization projects. The new high school being built on the city's west side is proposed to be a 'green' school, hopefully incorporating naturalization into the landscaping.
Medicine Hat School District No. 76 www.sd76.ab.ca	Connaught School is interested in the concept and the board seems to be receptive; nothing concrete in the works as of fall 2006.
Palliser Regional Division No. 26 www.pallisersd.ab.ca	Prairie View Elementary very interested in incorporating naturalized areas into the grounds being developed around their new school. See details above. Also heard that Arrowwood Community School has a garden space, created in conjunction with Communities in Bloom. checking!!
Prairie Land Regional Division No. 25 www.plrd.ab.ca	J.C. Charyk School very interested in naturalizing parts of their school ground. Both the caretaker and the board's Facilities Director are very supportive and willing to help with their plants. Delia School also inquired about the concept.
Rocky View School Division No. 41 www.rockyview.ab.ca	The board is very supportive of schoolyard naturalization initiatives; the maintenance crew (headed by Steve Repick) will help with the planning and installation of the site, as well as maintenance. Recommended to contact the board to discuss the concept. Schools in the board that have exisiting naturalization projects include: Manachaban Middle School, Meadowbrook Middle School, Mitford Middle School, Muriel Clayton Middle School, Westbrook School, Bearspaw School, Ecole Edwards Elementary School, Elbow Valley Elementary, Indus Elementary, Spring Bank Community High School.

Ecosystem Information

Ecoregion	Description
Rocky Mountain	School boards located in the most western part of the south district lie in the Rocky Mountain natural region. Vegetation in this area is predominantly coniferous due to the cooler growing season and short frost free period. In the Montane subregion the dominant species are douglas fir, white spruce and limber pine. As well, the Montane subregion contains a variety of grasses. Higher up in the Subalpine subregion the dominant species are englemann spruce and alpine fir. Higher still, in the Alpine subregion, Krummholz vegetation grows and above the tree line the dominant species is lichen. (Click here for more details)
Parkland	To the west and north side of Calgary there is a patch of Parklands natural region. The western section is the Foothills Parkland subregion where the dominant forest species is trembling aspen with balsam poplar occurring in more moist areas. To the north is the Central Parkland subregion which is characterized by groves of aspens broken by grassland openings. (Click here for more details)
Grasslands	The City of Calgary itself lies within the Grassland natural region. The Grasslands natural region covers the remainder of the south district and is by far the biggest. The more western areas of the grassland region consist primarily of mixed grasses dominated by fescue and oatgrass species. The more south eastern area is much dryer and prone to droughts and the dominant grasses are needle and thread grasses, wheat grasses and june grasses. Shrubs common to all areas include shrubby cinquefoil, buckbrush, prickly rose, and some juniper. (Click here for more details)
Foothills	There is a very small section of the Foothills natural region in the south district. For information regarding this natural region see the Central district description. (Click here for more details)

Naturalization Resources

Name	Services	Notes
Helen Schuler Coulee Center Lethbridge, AB. www.lethbridge.ca/	Excellent site to visit to explore a natural area; interpretive programs, school programs that would be appropriate; also publications ie. checklist of plants and birds of the area	See their website for the downloadable field guide 'Coulees to Cottonwoods'
Lethbridge Naturalists Society Lethbridge, AB. www.lethbridgenaturalistssociety.com		Possible source of local plant and animal experts.
Medicine Hat Interpretive Program in Police Point Park Medicine Hat, AB. www.natureline.info/ mhip@natureline.info	Great place to visit to see native plant communities and learn about the local wildlife; publications on native plant species, school programs on and off site	This is one of the first places to contact; staff are a wealth of information and are keen to see schools enhance their school grounds.
Grasslands Naturalists Medicine Hat, AB. http://natureline.info/	This group focuses specifically on natural and environmental issues relating to Medicine Hat and District.	Would be a good group to keep informed of any naturalization activities by schools..
Operation Grasslands Community Edmonton, AB. www.ogcpsp.com/ogc/ogc_home.htm	Grassroots stewardship program working with landholders to secure and enhance prairie wildlife habitats for species at risk. Provide fact sheets, newsletters, public presentations.	This group is affiliated with Alberta Fish and Game Association
Oldman Watershed Council Lethbridge, AB. www.oldmanbasin.org/	List of education resources for schools with an emphasis on water quality and conservation.	This group worked with Wilson Middle School to create their xeriscape (water-wise) garden, and are now working on a companion resource based on their experiences. Tentatively available June 2007.
Alberta Council for Environmental Education www.abcee.org/l	Environmental education resource centre and list of professional development opportunities.
Southern Alberta Community of Environmental Educators www.sayee.ca/

Suppliers

Name	Services	Notes
Coaldale Nurseries Coaldale, AB. (403) 345-4633	Good selection of native shrubs.
Eagle Lake Nurseries Strathmore, AB. www.eaglelakenurseries.com Contact: gardencenter@eaglelakenurseries.com (403)934-3622	Supplier of all sizes of trees, shrubs, perennials; have a selection of native species.	See their online catalogue.
Grumpy's Greenhouses Beaver Mines AB. (near Pincher Creek) Contact: Debbie and Ernie Everts grumpys@telusplanet.net or (403) 627-4589	Supplier of native trees and shrubs; mostly small stock; grown from seed and cuttings collected in Southwestern Alberta.	May contract grow perennials.
Most garden centers will carry native species, even if they don't specialize. For a list of Alberta native plant suppliers click here.

Funding Sources

Name	Services	Notes
Alberta Ecotrust www.albertaecotrust.com	Support of grassroots environmental projects through out the province.
Community Foundation of Medicine Hat and Southeastern Alberta www.mhcf.ca/	Possible source for funding	Next deadline March 15 & Sept 15, 2008
Ecoaction www.ec.gc.ca/ecoaction	Community funding to protect, rehabilitate or enhance the natural environment.	Deadlines Feb. 1st and Oct. 1st
Explore the websites of other major companies in your area, they often have community investment programs you may be able to access. To download a list of funding opportunities click here.