Environmental Stewardship is about doing. The Eco Club is a fluid club that meets when something needs to get done. Our aim is to promote awareness and to "do our bit" for the environment.

We believe that "Deeds Speak"!

• Town of Richmond Hill
• Evergreen Foundation
• Earth Rangers
• Ontario Streams

•  Earth Day Electives
• Tree Planting
• Adopt-A-Stream
• Adopt-A-Spot
• Adopt-A-Stream Crossing
• Environmental Clean Up
• School Yard Naturalization Projects
  • Bird & Butterfly Garden
  • Shade Structure
  • Outdoor Classroom
  • School Yard Inventory
• Web Sites About the Environment

• on or close to April 22nd every year
• students plant trees, clean up a tributary of the Don River, hike at Kortright Centre, work on a school yard project, participate in Pitch-In-Canada, etc.
• For more information on what you can do for the environment, go to Earth Day Canada

EARTH DAY POEM by Jane Yolen
I am the Earth and the Earth is me.
Each blade of grass, each honey tree,
Each bit of mud, and stick and stone
Is blood and muscle, skin and bone.
And just as I need every bit
Of me to make my body fit,
So Earth needs grass and stone and tree
And things that grow here naturally.
That's why we celebrate this day.
That's why across the world we say:
As long as life, as dear, as free,
I am the Earth and the Earth is me.

• We have participated in a number of tree planting activities in the community. While doing so, we have learned quite a bit about tree planting.

• We learn about what it takes to plant a tree or shrub well so that it will survive. We also learn about native species.

• http://www.wildaboutgardening.org/en/growing/section4/index.htm contains a database of native Canadian plants. 

• We have planted in a variety of locations close to us. They include:

• Charles Howitt P.S. has now adopted of one of the Don River tributaries that crosses Carrville Road going south. This creek or stream has been the focus of numerous excursions by our Junior students in the past few years as we planted trees and cleaned up the shoreline.
• We have entered in a partnership with Ontario Streams, a non-profit organization that works closely with local government and community or school groups who would like to do something about the environment. Ontario Streams runs an Adopt-A-Stream Project. To see photos of our work in progress, take a look at the "CHiPS Ahoy Don River Stream".
• To see our certificate & newspaper article, click here.
•  Environmental Work Recognition posting

• Pitch-In Canada
  • We participate in "Pitch-In Canada" Week activities during Earth Week promoted by the Town of Richmond Hill, Engineering & Public Works Department.  We will be out making a difference - and leaving behind a cleaner community.
    Visit http://www.pitch-in.ca for information on what is happening Canada-wide.
• TD Great Canadian Shoreline Clean-Up
  • We have participated in this event. It is held in September every year. The shoreline that we take responsibility for is along the East Don River tributary that is within walking distance from our school.

• BIRD & BUTTERFLY GARDEN
  • Charles Howitt's Eco Club planted perennials on May 24, 2007 as part of our B&B Garden. We are asked that the community help us by donating perennials that they had in their garden.
  • For a list of suggested perennials prepared by Earth Rangers (one of our partners in this endeavor) click here.
  • We also planted trees donated by the Evergreen Foundation.
  • Supporters of this Eco Initiative were: Charles Howitt Eco Club - students & staff, Earth Rangers, Town of Richmond Hill - Urban Forestry division, YRDSB Eco Camp Committee, YRDSB
  • This project was a Culminating Activity initiated at the YRDSB Eco Camp in Fall 2006.
  • Earth Rangers generously supported our project, provided leadership and materials and recognized our students' achievement with a wonderful plaque.
• SHADE STRUCTURE
  • Based on discussions with students and staff, the Eco Club enlisted the support of school administration in 2002 to investigate the erection of a shade structure on school property. The Eco Club then worked with the School Council, The Plant Department of the YRDSB and our local Trustee to have a shade structure erected on our school property. As concerns about excessive exposure to UV rays mount, it makes sense to provide a shaded structure for students to enjoy when they are outdoors. The concept included seating so that this area can also be used as an outdoor playground. The structure was completed in May 2007. Now that it is finished, the students will be involved in landscaping and other activities in order to give them ownership for a wonderful addition to the playground.
• OUTDOOR CLASSROOM
  • With the logs donated by the Town of Richmond Hill, we have been able to make a seating area in the southwest corner of the playground, a class seating area near the Junior Play Structure and a log play area in the central courtyard. We hope to continue to enhance the existing log play areas. Our future project will be the Central Courtyard.
• SCHOOL YARD INVENTORY
  • Tree Canada - Greening Canada's School Grounds
  • We hope to apply for a grant to make improvement to our school grounds. To do that, we need to do an inventory of what vegetation and structures we already have on our school site. One of the goals of the EcoClub for the near future is to help with this inventory.

Local / Regional & Canadian WEB SITES for Environmental Action

If you would like to get involved in environmental activities in Richmond Hill, Ontario, then check the following out:

• Outdoor Education Programs for children presented by the Parks, Recreation and Culture Department of the Town of Richmond Hill. Refer to the current Parks, Recreation & Culture Leisure Guide for detailed program descriptions.
• Richmond Hill Naturalists
• Ontario Streams - an organization that is supporting activities to help the rivers & streams in Richmond Hill to get healthier
• The Humber Watershed Alliance
• Friends of the Rouge River Watershed
• The Don Watershed Council
• Healthy Yards Program for Richmond Hill
• Earth Rangers

If you are interested in environmental issues in Ontario, you might wish to visit some of these sites:

• Ontario Great Lakes Renewal Foundation
• Trees Ontario
• Ontario Forestry Association
• North American Native Plant Society
• Adopt-A-Stream Program
• Ducks Unlimited
• The Evergreen Foundation

• World Wildlife Federation  or Canadian World Wildlife Federation
• National Wildlife Federation
• Canadian Wildlife Federation
• Natural Resources Canada
• Hinterland Who's Who - in-depth descriptions of wildlife