Children's Lands Canada

Community

"I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples” (Mother Teresa).

Planting Seeds of Hope – Middleport, ON
Planting Seeds of Hope has been working with local children to develop the first Children’s Lands site in Canada. The children have named their land “Thunderbird RiverLand, Hands to Hands”. The children have transformed an empty paddock area into a beautiful space that is now home to; a cedar hedge, a mini fruit orchard, a children’s greenhouse, a sunflower house, a bean tipi, a faerie/butterfly garden, a dinosaur garden, various berry gardens, a gathering space surrounded by Saskatoon berry trees, a stump area for climbing and 28 box gardens that they continue to plant and harvest from each year. The children have also helped to transform the barn into a beautiful meeting space for adults and children. This is only the beginning. The children have many beautiful plans for the continued development of their land. For details of their wish list, click here.

Farmland Restoration – Middleport, ON
Planting Seeds of Hope is excited to support the restoration of 43 acres of farmland, which will be governed by the children. In January of 2013, the land was given to a Children’s Council. The Council developed its own vision and will lead the restoration process for land that has been depleted by decades of pesticide use and the production of cash crops.

The members of the Children’s Council are supported and encouraged by parents, community experts and organic farmers who share information and important teachings on land restoration.

In April of 2013, Grand River Conservation Authority provided a grant to purchase and plant 6,500 trees, which initiated the “children’s forest”. The children have developed a beautiful vision for their land, and this young forest is the first of many plans to bring life and magic back to the area.

Did you know that in 2012, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) acknowledged the Children’s Lands Initiative as a best practice of education for sustainable development?

Children’s Lands (ANIA) is an international organization that inspires the creation of a new indicator of development; one that recognizes the contribution of children to the well-being of society.

Children’s Lands Canada opened it's National Headquarters in Middleport Ontario. To date, local children have been responsible for the planting and care of 12,000 trees, 28 box gardens, a fruit orchard and have started a children's community shared agriculture initiative in their area.

In October of 2014, with the support of Ducks Unlimited and Grand River Conservation Authority, a one acre wetland was created on the Children's Lands in Middleport, ON. This was one of the hopes that the children had for their land, and they are busy researching plants that will attract wildlife to a once empty field. The children are also eager to learn about, and create habitat areas around the wetland for turtles, birds, reptiles and other animals.