Students to ‘go green’ for Tarcowie planting day
Students from Orroroo Area School and Booleroo District School will swap the classroom for the paddock on Friday, June 13, when they take part in the annual Tarcowie Landcare Group planting day.
The students will help revegetate an area of creekline on Bob and Alison Arthur’s property at Tarcowie, and Tarcowie Landcare Group secretary June Jenkins says it is a great opportunity to get students involved in community environmental projects.
“The planting day will be an extension of planting and environmental work already conducted by the landholders and the Tarcowie Landcare Group along several of their creeklines over the past 10 years,” she says.
“It’s an excellent opportunity for the students to see and be involved in some of the environmental work being done in their community.
“We’ve been planting on that property for 10 years now and it is a very good snapshot of the before and after aspects of creekline revegetation and rehabilitation.”
With support and Community Grants funding for stockproof fencing from the Northern and Yorke Natural Resources Management Board, 1500 tubestock will be planted out on the day using plants propogated from locally sourced seed.
Ms Jenkins says the work being done by students makes a significant difference to the landscape and biodiversity in the region.
“Previously students have been involved in roadside plantings along the Laura to Orroroo road that was sealed about six years ago, and those first plants are now quite established and have made a noticeable difference with numerous people commenting on them,” she says.
Ms Jenkins says the landholders and the Tarcowie Landcare Group appreciate the work of the students on the annual planting day, and it appears the students enjoy the opportunity to be involved.
“They come out every year and just love it, no matter what the weather, some of them think the wetter the better, and they just love being out getting their hands dirty,” she says.
“Some of the children have been out several years in succession and it’s amazing the bond and pride they have in the plants they planted out in previous years.
“The aim of the project is to give students a good understanding of biodiversity.”
