Students get hands-on at environment forum
From reptiles and birds to marine debris and soils, Yorke Peninsula students were given a hands-on insight into some of the environmental issues facing their region at an environmental field day held in Maitland last month.
The field day was an initiative of the Yorke Peninsula Group of the Northern and Yorke Natural Resources Management (NRM) Board as part of the NRM in Schools program introduced across the region in 2014.
Around 130 students from nine schools took part, including Maitland Area School, Maitland Lutheran School, and Young Environmental Leaders from Curramulka Primary School, Minlaton DS, Stansbury PS, Port Vincent PS, St Columba's Memorial School, Yorketown AS and Edithburgh PS.
Natural Resources Northern and Yorke Community Ranger Fabienne Dee says the field day gave students the opportunity to take a hands-on interest in the environment around them.
"The day was a great success, with quality presenters engaging and inspiring students to participate in well-planned activities," she says.
“Students were given the opportunity to get up close to native wildlife, get a better understanding of the importance of healthy soils and explore topics about human impact on our natural environment."
Workshop activities for the field day included reptiles with ecological consultant Dr Tim Milne; butterflies with Natural Resources Northern and Yorke's David Sloper; beach-nesting birds with BirdLife Australia's Meg Cullen; marine debris with Earthwatch Australia TeachWild program manager Geraldine Davis via Skype link; waste management with KESAB Wipe Out Waste's Jo Hendrikx; and healthy soils with Mary-Anne Young from Rural Solutions.
The field day was a follow-on from two Young Environmental Leaders workshops held in February at Port Vincent and Yorketown.
The next Young Environmental Leaders workshop is planned for July where students will plant trees, grasses and sedges at the Curramulka Bush Parkland.
The Young Environmental Leaders Focus schools are working on a range of sustainability projects in 2014, including Curramulka PS bush parkland, weed control, parkland signage, tree, grass and sedges planting; Minlaton DS wicking boxes, herb and vegetable garden; Pt Vincent PS native garden transformation; and St Columba's Memorial School's worm farm.
