School Small Grants Program

SCHOOL SMALL GRANTS GRANTS PROGRAM

July 2013

Available to all eligible schools, educational institutions, youth organisations, and early learning centres in the Cradle Coast region, the grants program provides funding to support projects and on-ground works that deliver outcomes to achieve positive environmental change in North-West Tasmania. The projects also assist Cradle Coast NRM to deliver outcomes aligned with regional natural resource management priorities. The grants are awarded by Cradle Coast NRM through funding from the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country initiative.

INTRODUCTION From 2009 to 2013, Cradle Coast NRM has provided funding through the Schools Small Grants Program totalling $109,970 to 75 projects.

Over these years, staff, students, and community members from 48 schools, school farms, educational institutions and early learning centres have been involved.

Projects have included revegetation with native plants, helping to provide habitat for native birds and animals; removing weeds; learning about local issues while attending educational excursions; and purchasing scientific equipment and reference materials for use in investigations and studies.

Other projects have included planting shelterbelts (to provide a windbreak, or to provide protection for stock or from erosion); propagating native seed; water conservation; establishing worm farms and composting.

Often the projects have involved the whole school, with numerous

benefits. The students’ learning is supported and reinforced by science and environmental studies in the classroom and in the field; and by engaging in hands-on activities such as tree planting, garden design, research, project planning and implementation.

Dreamtime Polytechnic Sanctuary Garden with bush tucker and native plants. Photo: Karina Rose

INFORMATION SHEET SCHOOL GRANTS

Sprent Primary School—native revegetation of school farm dam.

On-farm investigations into water, soil, weather and native species within the wetland. Photo: Matt Archer

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SCHOOL SMALL GRANTS

CASE STUDIES St Brendan Shaw College established a worm farm and compost bin, built an agricultural greenhouse, gained hands-on experience in organic and sustainable farming, and in the construction of pest-exclusion fencing. Their grant also provided students with a range of tools and protective clothing, and enabled students to attend an excursion to AgFest.

“There is no Planet B” was the underlying message at the Tasmanian Polytechnic Sustainability Expo held in Burnie in October 2012.

More than 300 people attended the full-day event that featured exhibits and activities to raise awareness of the importance of sustainable living and showcased practical tips to reduce, reuse and recycle. Attendees learnt about chemicalfree pesticides, water usage surveys, bush tucker gardens, and waste food utilisation.

“Many individuals have made considerable changes in their lives as a result of these projects.”

Rees Campbell, Tasmanian Polytechnic

Don College’s native tree propagation project enabled special-needs students to revegetate more than three acres of the Tasmanian Arboretum using 400 blackwood seedlings.

Students at Wesley Vale Primary School* created signs to educate visitors to Andrew Creek about the local wildlife and habitats. Students attended an overnight camp at Camp Banksia; where they learnt about foreshore management and ways to care for local native flora and fauna.

They also helped local organisations to undertake marine debris removal and remove weeds at local reserves. (*Wesley Vale Primary School has now become Andrews Creek Primary School, with former students also attending Port Sorell Primary School).

“The students took control of their projects and were involved in the whole process.”

Lucy Withers St Brendan Shaw College

Polytechnic Sustainability Expo 2012 at Burnie campus.

Photo: Karina Rose

Wesley Vale Primary School students ’Valuing the Role of Volunteers in our Community”

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INFORMATION SHEET

CASE STUDIES “Students gained a sense of respect for the volunteers they met as they could see and experience first-hand how much time, effort and passion went into the work that is done in their own community.”

Penny Armistead, Teacher, Andrews Creek Primary School

A learning trail at Somerset Primary School’s melaleuca wetland has been a welcome development for not only the students but also the community and local sporting clubs. One hundred native plants have been added to a 1.2 kilometre trail, enhancing the habitat of the resident burrowing crayfish, Engaeus fossor. The trail is now used for environmental and sustainability awareness, and for fitness activities.

Building upon a six year project, Strahan Primary School, in collaboration with various community organisations, has been involved in rehabilitating the Manuka Creek area that runs adjacent to the school property. This has involved removing weeds, planting native trees, and installing nesting boxes for the local birdlife. A greater ecotourism focus has fostered the need for a boardwalk, with interpretive signage about the rare and beautiful Azure Kingfisher and native vegetation in the area.

Students were heavily involved in researching information, taking photos, sketching and gathering samples to contribute to the design and finished product of the signs.

Students at Table Cape Primary School designed, GPS mapped, and planted twelve garden beds outside their classrooms, filling them with local native plants to attract native birds, butterflies and lizards. Binoculars and bird callers were purchased for the bird watching club, enabling students to carefully observe and identify the different species. Students kept weekly bird diaries and records of their work in the garden.

Students were also interviewed by Elaine Harris on ABC radio.

Somerset Primary School Learning Trail. Photo: Diane Kalweit

Manuka Creek boardwalk interpretive signage designed by Strahan Primary School students.

Ulverstone Primary School students designed two signs interpreting the native plants in the school’s Aboriginal garden; and a book for the school library, featuring pressed flora specimens, photos and descriptions of the plants and their traditional bush tucker or bush medicine uses.

“Thanks so much the Grant Program made these two projects possible and the students have had a great time.”

Shirley Bacon Table Cape Primary School

SCHOOL SMALL GRANTS

CASE STUDIES Through their Sensory Garden project, students at Penguin Primary School have developed an awareness of their school environment, by having planned, planted and cared for the garden. Members of the community donated many materials, plants and their time to the garden. Teachers use the area as an outdoor classroom (e.g. counting stepping stones, learning about plants); parents use the area waiting to pick up their children; and students from K-6 are eager for their turn to be part of the "Sensory Garden group".

Stepping Stones Children's Centre have taken their children ‘Back to Nature’ by planting raised garden beds with birdattracting native plants. The youngsters now use a compost bin and worm farm to limit waste and fertilise the gardens, and share the worm juice with the children's families. Porthole windows were installed to add to the learning environment, so that children can see and explore the 'world' outside of the centre.

Students with their teacher, planting in the Penguin Primary School Sensory Garden. Photo: Karina Rose

Spreyton Primary School’s native revegetation of the school grounds, became a whole school community project. The benefits and outcomes for students were a greater knowledge and understanding of their local environment, how to establish and maintain native gardens, and setting a learning foundation for creating a more sustainable future for our world. The result of this project significantly enhanced the aesthetic appearance and interest of the school environs, with increased natural biodiversity and sensory stimuli - thus fulfilling their goals for biodiversity in their AuSSI-Tas School Environmental Management Plan.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATI ON If you would like to find out more, or for assistance with developing project ideas, please contact Cradle Coast NRM.

A C K N O WL E D G E M E N T These projects were supported by Cradle Coast Natural Resource Management (NRM) through funding from the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country.

PO Box 338 1-3 Spring Street Burnie Tasmania 7320 Phone: 03 6431 6285 Fax: 03 6431 7014 E-mail: nrm@cradlecoast.com www.cradlecoastnrm.com.