The future environmental leaders of Port Augusta
A group of 30 students from four Port Augusta schools took part in the first Port Augusta Natural Resources Northern and Yorke Young Environmental Leaders (YEL) Forum on Wednesday 23 March, 2016.
The students, who attend Port Augusta West, Stirling North and Flinders View Primary Schools and Carlton School learnt about biodiversity, waste, habitat and sustainability at the event at the Port Augusta West Primary School.
Natural Resources Northern and Yorke Community Ranger Alex Emmins said the forums are a fantastic opportunity for passionate students to gain valuable learning skills while collaborating with like-minded peers in a supportive environment full of fun outdoor activities where students are exposed to new ideas amongst nature.
One of the most enjoyable parts of the day was the seed bomb making which was a hit with all of the students as they were also able to take the seed bombs home with them.
Students now plan an ‘At School Project’ they work on over the course of the year which includes vegetable, native, bush food and rain gardens, recycling and compost bins, frog ponds, creating animal habitats and worm farms.
During the forum, students had an opportunity to work on their school logo for the year which is based on a plant or animal from the region and start planning their ‘At School Project’.
"To see the students leave at the end of the forum absolutely buzzing with ideas and excitement is a real thrill and we can’t wait to see what projects they have in store for us this year," Ms Emmins said.
Funding and support is provided by Natural Resources Northern and Yorke and updates are presented at each of the four forums held throughout the year.
For more information about the YEL program, Environmental Education or Teacher Professional Development sessions for schools, please contact the Natural Resource Centre in Clare on 8841 3444.
