Students take environment into their hands

Kadina Memorial School primary year’s coordinator Kylie Williams said the School Environment Day for years 3 and 4 students was a great sensory experience, allowing children to connect to the natural environment in which they live.

"From native seeds to the insect and reptile world and how we can better deal with waste, students were engaged, entertained and challenged in many ways" she said.

The students participated in a series of six, 25 minute presentations on birds, insects, butterflies, spiders, lizards and shells, delivered by pesenters from DEWNR, SA Museum Discovery Centre, Greening Australia, SA Malacological Society, Wipe out Waste and T & M Ecologists.

Ms Williams said "Some children had an opportunity to hold a sleepy lizard, while discussions about the evolution of spiders and what good they could possibly do in our world, alive or dead, were popular sessions.

Students enjoyed listening to guest speakers and connecting with their environment firsthand rather than touch an electronic screen to source instant information."

Natural Resources Northern and Yorke Community Ranger David Sloper said that the primary school environmental education days were a wonderful opportunity for younger students to gain an understanding of the natural environment.

"The speakers tailor their presentations to the age group and concentrate on simple messages.

This year’s event at the Kadina Memorial School featured hands-on presentations on Local Reptiles, Native Seed Dispersal, Molluscs, Spiders, Butterflies and Waste Recycling.

They use live and dead specimens, as well as props, to help the kids make the connections, for example, to attract and retain butterflies in their home or school gardens, they not only need food plants for the butterflies, but also for the caterpillars."

Natural Resource Management board member Peter Stockings, who attended the event, said that the board is committed to supporting youth education programs and events because kids are our future.

"The opportunity to bring such high quality presenters to the region to share their knowledge with the students is fantastic" Mr Stockings said.

For further information about the NRM Education program, visit http://www.landscape.sa.gov.au/ny/get-involved/education or phone the Natural Resources Centre in Clare on 8841 3444.