Wolastoqey Student Leadership

Wolastoqey youth are restoring biodiversity and preserving cultural heritage by planting native trees that sustain ecosystems and combat climate change.

Wolastoqey Student Leadership

Wolastoqey youth are restoring biodiversity and preserving cultural heritage by planting native trees that sustain ecosystems and combat climate change.

The Problem

Clearcutting of biodiverse forests is a big issue in New Brunswick, where forestry is a main industry. This has led to a dramatic loss of native species of trees and reduced biodiversity across the land. This impacts the rate of soil erosion and flooding impacts, having a full ecosystem effect, as well as the Wolastoqey peoples’ ability to use traditional trees on the land their ancestors lived on for millennium. In addition to these environmental challenges, staff members of the Wolastoqey Tribal Council (WTC) were seeing that youth from their community were facing many challenges in the school systems. Students were feeling disconnected and isolated in these schools outside their community. The WTC Education Transition Coordinator aimed to find ways to bring these Indigenous students together in their schools to help them build a sense of community, belonging and connection to their culture.

The Solution

The Wolastoqey Student Leadership Group is collecting seeds from native tree species like birch, sugar maple, cedar, and black ash that hold cultural significance to the Wolastoqey people. Through their “Wicuhkemtultine” (Let’s Help One Another) project, students are learning about each species, their role in the ecosystem along the Wolastoq (St. John River), and the traditional uses of these trees. They are exploring how these native trees contribute to carbon sequestration, playing a key role in reducing greenhouse gases and helping to achieve net-zero emissions goals. The students have been collaborating with both Indigenous knowledge keepers and forestry experts from NRCAN, learning practical conservation skills as they have had to make decisions about where and how to plant these vital trees. Young people are gaining a deeper connection to their Wolastoqey heritage, learning about traditional practices and the cultural significance of these trees. This experience fosters a stronger connection to their community and ancestral lands.

88

students and 12 educators from 4 different Wolastoqey schools worked directly on the project, with over 200 other students and community members engaged!

400

white spruce trees are planned to be planted, which have the potential to sequester a total of 8,040 kg of carbon emissions a year once they’ve grown to maturity!

Lessons Learned

Bringing approaches together!

This project strongly uses a Two-Eyed Seeing approach, working with elders to use Indigenous knowledge of the land to teach students about traditional native tree species and their cultural importance, as well as working with environmental scientists from NRCAN to teach students about the climate resiliency impacts from a western scientific perspective.

“The planting was really fun. It was great because we weren’t worried about making messes, or not doing it right. We had lots of help and people to show us what to do. It was interesting to see that even students who don’t know anything about gardening and planting were involved and planted the seeds.”

Lisa Saulis, Adult Lead

“And so this was a time for those kids to come together and do this project together. They each had an opportunity to shine. They each contributed in some way.”

Lisa Saulis, Adult Lead

Native tree species growing indoors at Wolastoqey Student Leadership.

Related Lesson Plan

Science

Carbon Sinks

Grade 10

MB

Tree Storage: The Carbon Cycle

Tree Plantatation on Degraded Land

Learners will investigate how carbon dioxide is produced and stored in various ways within the carbon cycle. First, students will play a game which illustrates carbon sources and sinks. Then, they will investigate how tree plantation on deg... read more

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