Honouring the past by planting for the future

Photo submitted by City of Prince Albert. Students from Queen Mary Public School assist with the planting on Friday.

The City of Prince Albert will be looking a little bit greener when Canada 150 celebrations roll around in July.

On Thursday, city officials, along with delegates from Tree Canada, the Indian-Métis Friendship Centre and the Prince Albert Food Coalition, gathered at Mair Park to celebrate the planting of 49 trees and 224 shrubs in the community.

The new vegetation comes courtesy of a $5,000 Tree to Our Nature grant from the federal government. Students from W.J. Berezowsky Public School, École Vickers Public School and Queen Mary Public School all helped with the planting.

“Trees are important, and a big part of aboriginal culture,” said Janet Carriere, who represented the Indian-Metis Friendship Centre at the ceremony.

“I feel like it’s a legacy we will leave for our children.”

Included in those 49 new trees are one Manitoba Maple, one White Birch and one Lodge Pole Pine.

The birch is Saskatchewan’s emblem tree, while the maple represents Canada. The pine was selected by aboriginal elders at the Friendship Centre.

The list of new vegetation also has a community garden aspect thanks to the inclusion of a large number of fruit trees and edible shrubs.

For the rest of this story, please see the June 16 online or print edition of the Daily Herald.

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