u/Intrepid_Visual_4199

There’s an old golf course that stopped operating near us. It was sold to a local level of government to serve as a wildlife corridor.
Over five years, it has started to re-wild itself. I’ve been helping with some tree seedlings.
The photos below are from one of a golf green and fairway.

Well, that was fun...

This was our third "Petit Aventure" by Velo Quebec.

Three days of touring the backroads of Quebec.

The event is a well-oiled machine. 1500(?) cyclists of all ages.

Distance options range from 35-80km each day.

Good food.

Family friendly.

Great "Apres-Bike" activities.

Great friends...

Sigh…
We live in west Quebec, Canada, and more places are replacing gardens with deep piles of Riverstone. Where we live, we get a good amount of rain and gardens naturally are lash, most of the year.

Why do people resort to rock gardens? I can see it if you live in a desert, but I would love to see more wild, green plants.

Loveliness.
This area (West Quebec, Canada) was mowed regularly by the municipality up until recently. They have agreed to let some small areas return to meadow. I love it.

I’m getting the hang of doodle haircuts. I took him to a store that has a bath and dry do it yourself station. And we went home and got the clippers out. Each time I do it it gets a little easier and better. Not perfect but pretty good. Early on I resisted the bathing part, but it makes a huge difference.

I found this tiny cedar seedling growing from the top of a pine stump.

I collected acorns last fall. I stratified them in the fridge over the winter and planted them in 2 L milk containers. They grew under indoor artificial lights until after the risk of Frost. I then put them outside in full sun. Some of the leaves became damaged. Is this from sunburn? Otherwise they have grown well.

Our vegetable garden got taken over as a tree staging / prep area… I collect tree seedlings destined for planting in appropriate public spaces… fun hobby.

This is a retired golf course. It ceased operations about four or five years ago and was bought by a layer of government as a wildlife corridor.

I walk through the meadow regularly and love seeing it recover to its more natural state. So many of the plants have just reappeared. I imagine they lay dormant or were naturally seeded with support of the wind.

Out for a hike and found this family in West Quebec, Canada.

Years ago I started planting trees in our municipality. I recently advocated for some no-mow areas around trees and it was approved.
The mini meadows are starting to grow plants and flowers that were waiting underground for the chance to grow!
Makes me happy!

Explore problem solving and creative observation with young learners through this short video by the pond:
https://youtu.be/dkEA5V5__58

Today I planted a spruce and some ferns in our community at the side of the driveway between the baseball diamond and the soccer field.

I’ve been advocating the municipality to mow less and to leave some un-mowed areas around trees to protect them from the lawn mowing equipment.

The two photos below show the mowed side and the un-mowed side. We’re in a dry spell and each side has received the same amount of water from the sky only, no extra irrigation.

One side is brown and a heat sink. The other side is lush and cooler at ground level.

Mini meadows and trees go a long way to keeping cooler.

Which do you prefer?

Mystery creature inquiry #15...

(Ok, it's a tick.)

Get your students investigating ticks for their safety:
https://youtu.be/LuuAEBMbR_I