Macoun Marsh Outdoor Classroom

Students from the elementary schools Educarium (now St. Laurent Academy) and Jean Vanier Catholic School have done extensive work on making a small corner of Beechwood Cemetery in Ottawa's east end a world biodiversity site. With funds from a Volvo Prize (Sweden), the Beechwood Foundation, the City of Ottawa, the Ottawa Catholic School Board and numerous private donations, several pieces including bird feeders and an outdoor classroom were built by students from several high schools in the Ottawa Catholic School Board. Students from All Saints High School (under teacher Paul McDonough) and St. Pius (under teacher Patrik Renaud) built the outdoor classroom, students from Notre Dame (under teacher Steve Watzenboeck) built the bird feeders in the marsh. The Macoun Marsh will be a center point of the upcoming World Biodiversity Conference being held in Ottawa in 2009. This project illustrates my philosophy that learning only occurs outside the classroom quite clearly!