Wellington Catholic DSB Students Help Restoration Project at Guelph Lake Nature Centre
Students from across the Wellington Catholic District School Board rolled up their sleeves to make a lasting environmental impact, planting trees at the future Guelph Lakes Nature Centre (GLNC) site in the Guelph Lake Conservation Area. Participants included Environmental Science classes from Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic High School, Bishop Macdonell Catholic High School, and St. James Catholic High School.
The trees, donated by the Grand River Conservation Foundation, include Carolinian species that are being encouraged to move northward in response to climate change. These species are pivotal in adapting local ecosystems to warming temperatures.
Dominika Grod, a Science and Math teacher at Bishop Macdonell Catholic High School, underscored the value of experiential learning during the field trip.
“Today’s a special day. Usually, we stay closer to home, but being part of the Guelph Lake legacy is significant,” Grod explained. “This course offers hands-on, experiential learning. Students gain so much more than they would from textbooks—they learn how science applies to real life. These experiences stick with them.”
The GLNC project isn’t just about planting trees - it’s about cultivating environmental stewardship. Through activities like these, students connect classroom lessons with real-world applications, fostering a deeper understanding of conservation and sustainability.
For Donovan Boock, a Grade 11 student at Bishop Macdonell CHS, the experience was both educational and personally inspiring.
“We’re planting trees to help transfer the habitat from the old nature center to the new one,” Boock said. “It’s not just about textbook learning - it’s about developing your own thoughts and seeing how you can use them to impact the world. For me, these activities inspire my interest in environmental engineering.”
Boock also emphasized the value of collaboration, “these trips bring our class together as a group. You connect with people you might not interact with at school, and it creates a shared sense of purpose.”
The new Guelph Lakes Nature Centre will continue the legacy of the old site in progressing environmental education for Wellington Catholic DSB students. By planting trees and restoring the habitat, these students are contributing to a sustainable future and helping the region’s ecosystem thrive.