There will soon be a new nature-focused feature greeting people as they arrive at Archie Stouffer Elementary School (ASES) – and it has the entire school community abuzz.
The Minden facility recently secured Bee School status, following in the footsteps of its home township, which was named a Bee City in April 2024. ASES parent council member, Aurora McGinn, said the designation has been in the works since last fall.
“There were some really mature white pine trees cut down in the school’s parking lot last year – they were danger trees, so it had to be done, but the parent council really started talking about how we might beautify the area,” McGinn told The Highlander. “The purpose of the school council is to enhance student achievement. So, we began to think about how we can make this area pretty while also encouraging education.”
They landed on establishing a pollinator garden where the trees had once stood. It will be divided into two sections, with room for future growth. McGinn said the idea is for ASES to utilize the space during class time and after school.
““We want to put in native plants, which will help maintain biodiversity and balance the eco-system. ASES students are already connected to the environment in so many great ways, so this will be just another avenue for them to nurture that relationship, to get their hands dirty, have an outdoor classroom and get connected with nature,” McGinn said.
“Hopefully, we’ll provide them with the tools they need to create their own gardens at home – whether now, or when they’re older,” she added.
Key pollinators include bees, hummingbirds, beetles, flies and ladybugs, which move pollen from one flower to another, enabling fertilization and the production of seeds, fruits and vegetables. They’re a vital part of our food system, McGinn said.
McGinn noted several ASES teachers are involved in the project, with pollinators forming a key part of the elementary science curriculum. Talks are ongoing to establish a school garden club, in partnership with the Minden Junior Horticultural Club.
The Haliburton County Master Gardeners is assisting, offering suggestions for suitable native plants. McGinn said there will be lots featured, including scarlet beebalm, spotted joe-pye weed, American brown nut, biennial bee blossom, brown fox sedge, sweetgrass, wild chives, black-eyed Susan, slender mountain mint, New England aster, sky blue aster, tall sunflower, Prairie smoke, swamp milkweed, anise hyssop, white heath aster, and zigzag golden rod.
The team will begin planting flowers next fall. Now, they’re looking for the community to pitch in with tarp and mulch to prepare the site.
“We really think and hope this garden will be a community endeavour, and that we can inspire a sense of pride and ownership for the entire town. It would be lovely if this were here for the next 20, 30 years.
“Once it’s established, it really won’t need much care. These plants thrive on their own – they won’t need to be watered throughout the summer. We’re doing the work now, so that nature can take over,” she said.
