The world's local bankEnvironmental Education in Canada
Partnership for Plants in Canada (PPC) was a four-year programme which developed educational resources to enhance plant conservation and linked Canadian botanical gardens to international conservation and education networks. The PPC programme was funded by Investing in Nature and supported projects to develop educational resources, enhance plant conservation and link Canadian botanical gardens to international conservation and environmental education networks. One example of a project which was supported by PPC is the Memorial University of Newfoundland Botanical Garden.
Memorial University of Newfoundland Botanical Garden
The animals and plants of Newfoundland, Canada are extremely diverse due to a complex system of geographic influences including glaciers, continental drift and volcanic action. These natural processes have created an unusual mix of plants including spruce, firs and pines, dwarf shrubs, herbs, blueberries and partridgeberries.
While natural events have often been harsh, the actions of humans – such as quarrying, road construction and agriculture – have been the real threat to the delicate balance of the island’s fragile ecosystem. The Memorial University of Newfoundland Botanical Garden (MUNBG) has concentrated on protecting this diverse habitat through education and research since 1971. They have built up a 110 acre (25 hectare) nature reserve, including a field centre, which hosts outings for students and community members and groups. They have worked hard to develop their educational programme and provide workshops, lectures, nature hikes and tours, as well as puppet shows, games, arts and crafts, junior naturalist camps and parent and tot programmes. PPC enabled MUNBG to develop a new range of educational resources including a web-based ‘biodiversity hub’.
In addition to its educational significance, MUNBG plays a vital role in conserving the island’s natural habitat, including preserving a wide variety of arctic alpines, of which 30 out of 300 species can only be found in Newfoundland.
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