Students help plant 500 trees in Strathgartney Provincial Park

A P.E.I. environmental group got a hand from 120 students from across Canada to plant 500 trees in a provincial park on Friday.

The students are part of UPEI's Explore Program, which is part of the university's English immersion program.

Students sometimes participate in organized activities, such as planting trees, and communicate in English to improve their skills.

"We've got a group of 120 students who come from Francophone locations and they come to P.E.I. to have five weeks speaking English and learn about the Island," said UPEI's Rick Schneider.

The program has been around for 40 years.

The students are on P.E.I. to improve their English and have fun, Schneider said.

A new experience for some

The students planted some native Canadian tree species in Strathgartney Provincial Park to help reforestation efforts, said Jordan Condon of the Central Queens Wildlife Federation.

He said the trees will buffer the noise from some of the trails in the area. "It's just kind of nice to have some trees growing up in the area instead of grass," he said.

Earlier in the week Condon and others prepared to plant the trees by digging 500 holes.

Condon has been working with students in the Explore Program for three years.

"A lot of these students haven't really planted a tree before. So, it's a new experience and it's exciting."

He said every group that has planted the trees has enjoyed it.

The Frank Gaudet Tree Nursery provided the trees and the event was sponsored by Parks Canada, the provincial government and the Bonshaw Hills Provincial Park Committee.

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