Area volunteers have spent the past 16 years putting life back into the community.
Plant life, that is.
The aptly titled Green Project sees volunteers spread limestone on barren landscapes to promote vegetative growth.
“There are areas that had been bald for years [that no longer are],” said MLA Clarence Pettersen. “I’m just amazed at the success of the project.”
The Green Project was launched in 1999 after a similar initiative found success in Sudbury, Ontario.
Pettersen and Heather Acres started the project in Flin Flon with hopes that student mentors and community volunteers would help spread limestone to revitalize the bare landscape between rock faces.
“We’re still here after 16 years because it’s worked absolutely brilliantly,” said Dave Price, head of the project.
Over the years, certain areas have proven more resistant to vegetative renewal than others, including some Creighton locations.
But Pettersen says with time those locations have flourished.
“In some places we thought nothing would grow,” said Pettersen. “Some of those trees are five and six feet tall now.”
With high acidic levels and metals in much of the area’s soil, some doubted whether the project would succeed in its early days.
Pettersen would explain that limestone would be laid, balancing the acidity and metals in the soil, then Mother Nature would do the rest by spreading seedlings over the limestone.
“When we started there was the question whether the limestone treatment would actually work,” said Price, a retired geologist. “But it quickly became apparent that it was working very well. I’ve been telling the young kids that the limestone is like medicine for the soil.”
The limestone reduces the acidity and counteracts metals in the soil, said Price.
“And so the seeds that are blowing around are then able to germinate and take off from there,” he said.
Nearly two decades into the project, volunteers have covered with limestone more than 55 hectares of land in the Flin Flon-Creighton area.
“The results have been extremely positive and so far we haven’t seen any reason to stop,” said Price.
Results can be seen in as little as a few weeks, but Price says often it is the following year or two when trees are growing that the success is really apparent.
Volunteers of all ages have helped with the project as many teachers sign their classes up to participate each year.
Students ranging from kindergarten to Grade 12 have helped.
“The teachers think it’s worthwhile to bring their kids to us,” Price said. “And on a nice day in June it’s pleasant to be outside.”
Price hopes to see about five hectares of land covered each year, though that often hinges on the weather and the age of the volunteers.
In some years the project is underway by mid May, but Price says it wasn’t until June this year when the first bucket of limestone was spread.
Though he continues to be optimistic of the greening season ahead, he says the project likely will not hit its goal of five hectares this year.
Student mentors from Flin Flon School Division were the target workers for the Green Project back in 1999 as Pettersen and Acres were looking for ways for them to help out in the community.
Last week, teacher Paige McBratney took her Grade 8 class from École McIsaac School to spread limestone at the far end of First Avenue – reliving her time as one of the first mentors to work with the project.
The impact of the project continues to make a difference with students as Price says he recently received a letter from a Grade 2 teacher in Creighton.
“She had never been [greening] before and her note indicated that she and her class had such a good time that they are looking forward to coming out again,” said Price.
Numerous teachers in both Creighton and Flin Flon have made the Green Project an annual event for their students.
“They are committed, they enjoy it and they think it’s worthwhile,” Price said.
McBratney said when the idea recently came up in her classroom, the students were eager to help.
Pettersen is pleased with the progress of the project not only because of the results, but also because of those doing the work.
“It’s a project that involves kids [and] the community too,” he said.
Price spent his career days trudging through the bush as a geologist but he couldn’t have imagined spreading limestone in retirement.
He “jumped at the opportunity” to work on the project after Acres – a neighbour who was married to a colleague of his – approached him all those years ago.
“I’d never foreseen anything like this, but personally, it’s been very gratifying, Price said. “It’s been fun working with all the people that I’ve come in contact with over the years. And the results have been, well, spectacular.”
Pettersen agrees.
“I’ve been a part of a lot of projects, but this is one of the [things I am most proud to have] been a part of,” said Pettersen.
While students make up a big portion of the volunteers, Price encourages groups to help during the summer months to keep the project alive.
Anyone interested in signing up to help can visit www.greenproject.ca for more information.
