Students Partner With BZS To Build Micro Forest

May 29, 2023 --- Somersfield Academy MYP students have partnered with Bermuda Zoological Society (BZS) to extend the Bermuda Micro Forest Project to its campus in Devonshire.

This project was spearheaded by M3 students, Zoë Mir, Adriana DeCouto, and Aura Doran. Under the guidance of MYP Community Project Coordinator, Ria Swan, and Science Teacher Natalia Frith, the students raised more than $3,500 from the community to purchase 17 different types of native and endemic shrubs and trees, gardening tools, and mulch. BZS donated seven cedar trees to the project.

The International Baccalaureate M3 Community Project is an opportunity for each student to engage positively in a community, generate new insights and develop deeper understandings of the world in which they live through an in-depth investigation.

From the students: “We chose to do this project after noticing a news article about a micro forest in the Warwick playground and seeing the blankness on the back wall of Somersfield. We wanted to make the back of our school more kid friendly, educate the younger children, and help produce clean air. This is a project that can offer service and learning opportunities for other students in the future.” All three students were involved in last year’s peaceful rally at Crow Lane Roundabout to raise awareness about the climate crisis.

“We are extremely grateful for the support and guidance provided by Trevor Rawson, Nick Coelho, and their team at the Bermuda Zoological Society throughout this journey,” said Swan, “Zoe, Adrianna, Aura, and the entire M3 Community Project group have made significant strides and I am proud of the accomplishments of our students. Natalia Frith and I are thrilled to be a part of this incredible experience and see our students express themselves as exemplar young leaders, making a positive impact on the community.”

“It's inspiring to see students taking initiative and showing a desire to be involved in a project that is for the betterment of the island,” said BZS Micro Forest Officer, Nick Coelho. “Somersfield students have showcased their unwavering enthusiasm and eagerness to actively participate in a project that is authentically Bermudian, dedicated to shaping a brighter future for generations to come and safeguarding our precious environment.”

“Education is at the core of the Micro Forest Project, and through this initiative, we can not only restore natural habitats but also cultivate a deeper appreciation for the importance of environmental stewardship. BZS would like to thank HSBC Bermuda as the lead partner and RenaissanceRe as the founding partner for this reforestation project. Without them the BZS Micro Forest Project would not have been possible.”

Adrian Hartnett-Beasley, newly elected Board member said of his family’s donation, “Shane, Grayson and I are excited to support Somersfield with this micro forest project; while giving back to our school community is important already, all three of us have a love of the outdoors and Bermuda’s native and endemic flora.

“We are looking forward to seeing this project literally take root and watching it mature and blossom in the years to come. Every one of us that lives in Bermuda is a steward for our island’s uniquely natural beauty and Shane and I are proud that our son will know we were a part of this.”

The micro forest reinforces Somersfield Academy’s commitment and role as a Bermuda Eco-School and is underpinned by its mission of nurturing inspired socially conscious independent thinkers. The students have already plotted the land and plan to unveil the new micro forest at the M3 Community Project Showcase on Thursday, June 1 from 6pm to 7:30 in the Somersfield Gymnasium, where all M3 students will present their projects to their families and peers.

This article was originally published on www.bernews.com.