Route to Roots

Stanley Jones and Alice Jamieson Girls’ Academy Historical Garden Project

maintenance &Sustainability Plan

on-going challenges after installation….

upkeep, watering, weeds, litter and addition of organic materials.

A sustainable management maintenance plan is required to reduce volunteer time and coordination efforts, but maximizing the available resources….

maintenance &Sustainability Plan

50+ page document, samples available to look at; available by email in pdf; work in progress!

That’s why we created a

For Root to Routes, our Historical Garden Project

Based on the stewardship model

supported by CBE and the Calgary

Zoo

Plus appendices of all the garden drawings and irrigation map

Highlights of our maintenance &Sustainability Plan

COMPLETE PHASES BEFORE MOVING AHEAD

MAINTENANCE BUDGET

STEWARDSHIP AND CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS

DETAILED MOISTURE STRATEGY

YEARLY CALENDAR OF MAINTENANCE TO DO’S

STATEMENT OF INTENT

BUCKS FOR BUCKETS FUNDRAISER

Project Overview Page 4-14Statement of Intent of ProjecBackground and Vision of Project

Route to Roots Timeline Page 15Ensuring Stewardship and Sustainability of Naturalization Projects: Stewardship Model Page 16Roles of Green Committee Page 19-21Areas of Concern Page 22Use of Site/Project Page 22Care of Site Page 24Enhancement of Site, Landowner involvement Page 25Ecological Considerations Page 27Compaction, Pest Strategies Page 27Connecting Curriculum to Maintenance Page 28Maintenance Tools Page 30Moisture Strategy/Irrigation System Page 32Weeding, plant replacement, trimming/pruning Page 34Maintenance Budget and Funds Page 35Rejuvenating Neglected Project/Sunset Clause Page 36-37Student Garden Club Page 38Maintenance Plan in a Nutshell (All Seasons) Page 39Summer Maintenance Plan Page 40Annual Maintenance Inventory Page 41Garden Maintenance Resources Page 42Sample Spreadsheet used when organizing maintenance Page 43Supplies and Suppliers Page 44Emergency Contact Information Page 45

APPENDICES Drawings and Plant List of All GardensMaintain Your Schoolyard Garden – Cherryland ElementaryRough Plan Irrigation

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Our PLAN includes the history and vision and statement of intent of the project, Route to Roots:

“May you have the hindsight to know where you've been, The foresight to know where you are going, And the insight to know when you have gone too far”

Like our gardens, our plan is a ‘living’ document!

WEED ---take out what is no longer needed; outgrown concepts/plans

PLANT --- new ideas, record inspiration and perspiration

MANAGE --- Expectations! Keep it real for the committee, and the community (ie: realistic, attainable, manageable….not perfect)

IDEAL?

REALITY!

EASILY AND NATURALLY MAINTAINED (sigh)

detailed job descriptions for each role on the committee: parent representative/design lead, project manager, teachers and students,history group, fundraising/grants committeecommunity, curriculum liaison

$5,000, 2010 $4,000, 2011 $3,000 2012

$2,000 2013and onwards

And they commit to a maintenance budget for R2R (as long as these funds are within their means to reach):

We have an amazing Parent Council who support the project

BUCKSFOR BUCKETS

$$$$ FUNDRAISER$50 donation to fill a bucket for a classTo provide items to help the classes help care for and explore the gardens including:

SunhatsSunscreenMagnifying glassWater bucketsGardening glovesMeasuring Tape$50 donation to fill a bucket for a class

IRRIGATION SYSTEMAdds value and is sustainable for the future if maintained

Early phases – needs water for 2 years, especially for historically relevant (non indigenous) plans. Indigenous plants also need water during dry seasons (and are thriving with irrigation)

Watch out for initial challenges with leaks, and water overuse that results

Ensures buy in of volunteers by automating important but labour intensive tasks

Promotes eco awareness at Stanley Jones – water can be collected from school runoff in a 10,000 gallon tank, if school decides to go that route

What are our greatest challenges ?

What are we doing to overcome these?

Integrating stewardship and maintenance into the school & surrounding community

Curriculum Liaison Year Ahead PlanningPresent project to new teachers

Quackgrass Dig deep below roots for new gardensPaid landscaper to assist last summer to get on top of, need to stay on top of

Signage coming off rocks Adhere signs to sides, not tops of rock

Maintenance of gardens in summer Families commit to week in summer, also pay for landscaper for seasonal work, irrigation system; co-operation and communication with school caretakers

Finances to get on top of maintenance issues

Maintenance Fund

Vandalism and/or unintended plant destruction

Fence areas in high traffic zones until established; educate students; other building occupants on weekends/eves

Landscape fabric and pathway material

Use stronger fabric for high traffic zonesPaving with asphalt to define path

Route to roots YEARLY MAINTENANCE CALENDAR

January Break

February Plan Dates for April Clean Up and May planting daysSchedule March Walk AboutAnnounce Walk About in Newsletter

March Do WALK ABOUTSchedule Weeding DaySchedule Planting DayWrite Article for April newsletter re: WEEDING DAY

April Do Walk About to Assess Existing Gardens Earth DayCreate List, and PrioritizePresent list to the Parent Council Weeding DayPlan Deliveries of mulch, soil and plantsWrite Article for May newsletter re: PLANTING DAY

May Irrigation Start Up Planting Day (last Friday in May)

June Landscaper Clean Up/Weeding/Edging

July Families adopt a week or a gardenCheck irrigation for leaks

August Families adopt a week Landscaper Before School Clean if neededHarvest vegetables

September Volunteer Recognition for Summer Care and project volunteers leaving schoolIntroduce New Teachers to Project

October Irrigation Shut DownFall Clean Up and Harvest Day

November Indoor School Projects: Writing Articles,

December Break

What we’d like to leave you with…

NATURAL BEAUTY

opportunities

Inspiration

A Sustainable Environment

A PLAN

A STRUCTURE

"It doesn't matter how many say it cannot be done or how many people have tried it before; it's important to realize that whatever you're doing, it's your first attempt at it.“ ~ Wally Amos