MEDIA RELEASE 1 March 2011 Booklets connect classrooms to the coast Coastal Discovery Booklets containing interesting children’s beach activities and fun facts about North West Tasmania’s coastal habitats and marine creatures are now available for schools in the Cradle Coast region. Two versions of the free booklet have been produced by Cradle Coast Natural Resource Management (NRM) aimed at Lower Primary to Grade 2 and Middle to Upper Primary Grades 3 to 6 students. A teaching guide is also available to assist beach excursion planning and provide additional information on identifying coastal plants, marine creatures, shells and birds. To provide students with a comprehensive understanding of their local beaches, the booklets cover: Habitats and beach environments; Native plants and weeds; Life in a rock pool; and Marine debris and beachcombing. Each topic includes a range of interactive tasks such as drawing, scavenger hunts and creature identification. The idea for the Coastal Discovery Booklets came from Cradle Coast NRM’s Facilitator Team Leader, Anna Wind, who has been working on Coastcare activities in the region for more than 10 years. “We wanted to create a free resource that helps to satisfy kids’ curiosity about the creatures, birds and plants they see at their local beach.” Ms Wind said. “Being aware of what’s along the coast and understanding the role that all the different parts play in maintaining a healthy environment is important so we can continue to enjoy our beaches for generations to come.” “Information in the Coastal Discovery Booklets was the result of research from many different textbooks, websites and government departments over a period of nine months. It’s been a big project so it’s encouraging to hear that early feedback on the booklets has been very positive,” Ms Wind said. Copies of the free student booklets and teacher’s guide can be downloaded from the Cradle Coast NRM website at www.cradlecoast.com End… Cradle Coast NRM works with community, industry, private enterprise and government to manage and improve our natural resources to ensure a healthy future for our region. This project is supported by Cradle Coast NRM through funding from the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country, Community Coastcare initiative. Cradle Coast NRM is a committee of the Cradle Coast Authority. Media Contacts: Anna Wind Facilitator Team Leader Cradle Coast NRM Ph: 0429 804 449
Amanda Wilson Communications Manager Cradle Coast Authority Ph: 6431 6285