Mini forests are being planted at three Sarnia elementary schools to increase natural habitat and biodiversity.
The schools have partnered with the Kiwanis Club of Sarnia-Lambton Golden K.
On Wednesday, local retired landscaper Mike Smalls was at High Park Public School to teach the students about planting.
Grade 8 teacher Ryan Lounsbury said students are also learning about sustainability.
"More and more you see places being built that don't incorporate sustainable greenery, so our wildlife in the area need a place to live and they need habitat, so doing things like that throughout our schools creates that for them," he said.
This is the first year High Park Public School has participated in this project, but it is the second year the Kiwanis Club has sponsored the mini forests in other local schools.
New this year Enbridge Pipeline funded the five mini forests.
Lounsbury said students have shown an interest in the environment.
"It's great to see the kids outside and learning about nature and I think it's so important," he said.
He hopes the project will continue year after year.
"This is the first step in a mini forest here, so next we'll plant some vegetation on the ground level," he said.
The hope is for students to continue the maintenance and to create a place for habitat.
Lounsbury said having a project like this teaches students about teamwork and leadership.
"It's irreplaceable, you can't mimic this in the classroom and to get these kids outside and learning about this kind of stuff is so important," he said.
Another planting will be held at Queen Elizabeth II School on Friday at 10 a.m.
