Students in the College’s greenhouse, horticulture and landscape programs who began their studies in January were busy during the spring semester gaining experience building a greenhouse structure, under the guidance of Landscape professor Mike Hoekstra.
The greenhouse was donated by GGS, a local greenhouse structure supplier. It will be built in the Los Cacaos region of the Dominican Republic in October 2015.
Many of the students involved with the construction of the greenhouse will be participating on a Be World Ready trip to the Los Cacaos region of the Dominican Republic this October or in February 2016.
The greenhouse will be deconstructed then shipped in a container to the Dominican Republic this fall. Funds to cover the shipping costs were raised by student NGO Global Community Growers, who held a bowling event recently to raise the funds. The event was organized by Jamie Lyn Gillingham, who attended a previous student trip to the Dominican Republic in February 2015 and plans to return in October 015.
Horticulture professor Bill MacDonald departed for the Dominican Republic on Aug. 22 to do background work for trips to the Dominican Republic in October 2015 and February 2015. He will be joined by with Eco Toursim professor Agnes Nowaczek who will be helping to set up tourism in Los Cacaos. They will be meeting with the Canadian ambassador to the Dominican Republic on Aug. 24.
The write-up below was published by GGS on Aug. 20, 2015:
GGS Supports the Be World Ready Program with Greenhouse Donation
Bill MacDonald, Horticulture professor at Niagara College reports that progress is going well in the Dominican Republic where Niagara College has been working with the local coffee association, ASOCAES, in the town of Los Cacaos. Coffee production has declined significantly due to coffee rust and there is a great need to diversify the local economy.
Earlier this year GGS donated a small structure for use in greenhouse pepper production. Originally, wooden greenhouse structures have been used in Los Cacaos, but the poly blows off very easily ruining the crop below, so a solution was needed. With the help of Landscape professor Mike Hoekstra, the students built the structure over the summer in order to gain experience in construction of this greenhouse structure.
The Niagara College Horticultural Team holds up the flag of the Dominican Republic in front of a GGS Caribbean style greenhouse that is being built in Los Cacaos as part of the Be World Ready program at Niagara College.
Next week Bill will be meeting with the Canadian ambassador and with the Dean of Agronomy at UASD (University of Santo Domingo) to further the partnership with Niagara College, and inform them of our work in Los Cacaos.
“My vision is to have UASD students work with NC students when we go and work on the greenhouse projects in Los Cacaos. Perhaps even have UASD students come to NC to learn as well.” said Bill MacDonald whose work in the Dominican Republic involves greenhouse construction, irrigation, plant nutrition and IPM.
Niagara College is the preeminent horticultural college in Ontario, and they have developed a strong international presence through partnerships with global companies like GGS Structures Inc. The international strength of Niagara College is attractive to students from all over the world, and provides valuable international learning opportunities for many of their students.
Prior to accepting a teaching position at Niagara College Bill owned and operated a commercial greenhouse growing Hedera (Ivy). “When I ran my own business I chose to build GGS greenhouses because of the superior quality and the tremendous technical support I received from GGS. It is nice to see that partnership continuing”
Bill will again be leading approximately 20 students in October and February to continue their work in Los Cacaos.
“It has been our pleasure to be part of this worthwhile endeavor” said Leigh Coulter, President of GGS Structures “We are big supporters of Niagara College and have hired many of their students from the horticultural programs, advanced manufacturing programs, computer, and business programs”.
According to Bill MacDonald, the GGS greenhouse donations will enable the people of Los Cacaos to diversify their economy and increase their food security.
