Port Phillip and Western Port Landcare Awards
Balnarring Primary School, Balnarring – Young people Caring for Land
The leading lights of our local environment were recognised today when the winners of 2010 Port Phillip and Western Port Landcare Awards were announced at a celebration held at Zinc, Federation Square, Melbourne.
The 2010 Port Phillip and Western Port Landcare Awards celebrate the environmental contribution that individuals, community groups, schools and councils make to the environment undertaking activities that improve the quality of land but also influence, educate and inspire others to make a difference.
The winners were presented by Doctor Kate Auty, Victoria’s Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability and special guest Doctor Rhonda Galbally AO former CEO of Our Community.
Balnarring Primary School, after winning a similar award in 2008, has been awarded the Young People Caring for Land award for the continued growth of its sustainability program and its encouragement of active learning about the environment within its school curriculum.
Balnarring Primary School has shown an incredible commitment in its school curriculum to embed sustainability as a cornerstone for its students’ future. This has been achieved through its Balbirooroo Wetlands project and its new sustainability area, Bimblemeer which opened in December 2009.
It has developed an environmental club (the BEAT kids) with students who lead environmental activities and a run a ‘Classroom Sustainability Program’. The school’s Education for Sustainability Program runs prep to year 6 and focuses on issues such as species loss, climate change, energy use, soil health and drought.
The school’s science program also looks at topics related to sustainability including the water cycle, erosion, aquatic invertebrates, wind power, compost and endangered species and habitat loss and creation.
The school holds events and nights – such as the ‘Nocturnal Bird Night’ with a local ecologist and events where parents and members of the community are invited to attend. Balnarring Primary is an inspiration in how to integrate environmental learning into the school and is building future leaders in this field.
Assistant Secretary to the Balbirooroo Community Wetlands/Woodlamds Committee, and parent Cassy Jamieson nominated the school because she believes its important the kids are reocgnised for the good work that they do.
“I think it (recognition) is important for the school because the students and staff sometimes don’t understand how beneficial the work they are doing is on a larger scale. Its gives the kids a confidence boost,and makes them realize that they are doing something worthwhile and that landcare can be something for any age.
“The wetlands have been going now 18 years, as long as the school, and the momentum has increased - it’s become more and more part of the curriculum. Enough time has passed now for those early students to have their own children back at the school and its good to see that some of them have gone into environmental fields. We’re lucky to be passing this knowledge to the kids now.”
The premise of the landcare movement is that action makes a difference. The Landcare movement has grown from a group of farmers that came together to address erosion in the 1980s to become both a known brand (Landcare Australia) and a way to care for the land through community action.
These days, landcare activity also encompasses the work of ‘friends’ groups and ‘committees of management’ who often form because of a shared desire, or need, such as controlling weeds next to a walking track, or helping protect an endangered species.
All winners will now be nominated for the Victorian landcare Awards in 2011.
Winners of the 2010 Port Phillip and Western Port Landcare Awards
Individual Caring for Private Land-Janet Truscott and Grant Murray, Mornington Peninsula
Individual Caring for Public Land-Vicki Boyle, Belgrave
Primary Producer Caring for Land-Faye Tuchtan and Graham Wood, Bass Coast
Community Group Caring for Public Land-Friends of Merri Creek, Urban to North of Melbourne
Community Group Caring for Private Land- Labertouche Landcare and Sustainable Farming Group
Local Government Caring for Land-Nillumbik Shire Council, Nillumbik (from Kinglake to Eltham)
Young People Caring for Land-Balnarring Primary School, Mornington Peninsula |