patch has a plan

I was delighted to attend the assembly of The Patch Primary School last week to present them with the Shire of Yarra Ranges HabitAT award for 2013. 


From left to right: Brayden, Michelle - Teacher, James,
Cr Samantha Dunn, Anthony - Yarra Ranges, Georgia,
Debra - Principal and Caellan. The students at The Patch
are very proud of their achievements and they should be.
The works and planning for future works is impressive
and our future's looking bright with these young leaders.

The Patch took out the category for best HabitAT Plan in the Shire, for the work done completed by students planning short and long term actions to ensure the future protection and enhancement of the natural environment in their school grounds.

It's been a whole of school effort with every grade participating in some way, but the Grade 3 and 4's undertook the detailed work of developing the plan. The plan includes the development of wildlife corridors in the school grounds and the enhancement and expansion of a variety of ecologically diverse zones, including a fern gully, wetlands, open indigenous plantings, mountain ash gully, bird & butterfly attracting zones and additional productive gardens.

It's an impressive effort from the whole school community, and teacher Michelle Rayner has been a driving force behind the Learning for Sustainability program at The Patch.

The Shire awards 3 schools a year for either a HabitAT Census, Plan and Action award. The Patch Primary took out the HabitAT Census Award in 2012. The awards are part of the Shire's Learning for Sustainability program which aims to help schools gain a stronger understanding of their ecological footprint , how they use resources, but most of all how students, staff and members of the broader school community can make a difference working towards a more sustainable future. 

Congratulations to all at The Patch Primary, you really are an exemplary model of sustainability and rightly proud of your achievements.

samantha in the press

Driven Away

Mail Newspapers
by Jesse Graham
29 Oct 2013

Seeds plant habitat awareness
Mail Newspapers
by Rebecca Bills
29 Oct 2013

State kicks in $650,000 for soccer hub
Mail Newspapers
by Rebecca Bills
29 Oct 2013

sherbrooke wins again

It was terrific to be able to hand the Habitat for Schools Award to Sherbrooke Community School for the second year in a row this week.

Last year the school developed an action plan to improve the habitat in their school, it was such a great plan they received an award.

Pictured from left to right are: Cr Noel Cliff, Simon Woodland - environmental educator, Cr Samantha Dunn, Robert Pergl - year 12 student (and committed environmentalist) and Anne Broadribb - Acting Principal with the stunning award made by Justin Purser, local artist from Yarra Glen.

.

This year the plan was put into action, and the school scooped the pool again and got the award for action on habitat.

Sherbrooke Community School are committed to the environment, it's incorporated into their curriculum, and I'm very impressed by the way the entire school embraces the environment. It's a credit to teachers and students.

selby's map a marvel

This morning I presented the students and teachers at Selby Primary School with the inaugural Best HabitAT Map award as part of the Shire of Yarra Ranges Learning for Sustainability Program.

Me pictured with the dedicated teachers of Selby Primary Schools and Learning for Sustainability officers from the Shire of Yarra Ranges.

Selby Primary School’s winning HabitAT Map entry involved a team of grade 3 and 4 students who called themselves the ‘SWAT Squad’ (Saving Wildlife and Trees). The team of students conducted an audit of their school ground’s habitat value using the HabitAT School Census; a biodiversity audit tool for schools which includes student worksheets and teacher notes made available through the Shire’s Environment Department.

The SWAT Team - Saving Wildlife and Trees.

The SWAT team then began to plan improvements to the quality of their local habitat using the school’s own fauna database and a flora list obtained from the Yarra Ranges Plant Directory on the Council’s website. The plan is an amazing mural including a replica of puffing billy, whose wheel’s detail the many elements required to improve the school’s sustainability. It is truly breathtaking.

Their plan is assisting students to make informed decisions about what to plant to encourage wildlife back into their school grounds.

This 5 metre mural was Selby Primary's stunning entry to the HabitAT Awards.

It was a great pleasure to present the school with a beautiful perpetual trophy, crafted by local scrap metal artist from Yarra Glen, Justin Purser. The school also received:
An enlarged photograph of an aspect of the school's habitat, highlighting the school's success in the HabitAT School Award, plus
$700 worth of materials provided by the Shire's Ribbons of Green program for additional understorey plants or mulch for projects within the school, plus
$400 provided by the Shire's Learning for Sustainability schools program (within existing budget). Each application must specify how the school wishes to spend these funds to enhance on-ground works and/or student learning in the field of biodiversity, plus
A choice between an excursion or incursion run by one of the supporting environmental education partners (including Natural Resource Conservation League (NRCL based at Warburton Water Wheel), Healesville Sanctuary, Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater (based in Macclesfield) and the Learning for Sustainability team (SYR)

The primary school children are very enthusiastic about their environment, their entry into the HabitAT award was outstanding and shows their great passion and commitment to improving habitat on their school grounds. Our future is in good hands.

sherbrooke community school plans for habitat

Earlier this week I had the great pleasure attending Sherbrooke Community School to see them receive the inaugural Best HabitAT Plan award as part of the Shire of Yarra Ranges Learning for Sustainability Program.

The school was presented with a stunning perpetual trophy and a range of other prizes in recognition of their efforts towards sustainability, through the protection and enhancement of their school’s environmental habitat.

From left to right: Year 11 teacher Denise Dempster, Year 11 student Robert Pergl and Cr Samantha Dunn. Denise has a very keen and committed group of students who have worked hard to plan a wildlife corridor through the school.











The other winning schools, Mountain District Christian School was presented with its award in the HabitAT Action category and I will be presenting Selby Primary School with their HabitAT Map award at assembly on Monday morning (12/10).

The Council’s HabitAT School Awards competition was launched this year as part of Yarra Ranges Learning for Sustainability school program, in partnership with Healesville Sanctuary, Threatened Species Network (WWF-Australia), Natural Resources Conservation League and Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater.

The awards highlight the environmental achievements of Yarra Ranges schools and their work towards improving local ecosystems.

Independent judges, including representatives from Natural Resources Conservation League, Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater and Friends of Leadbeaters Possum, selected the winning schools for each of the three categories: HabitAT Map, HabitAT Plan and HabitAT Action.

Last Tuesday was a fitting day for Sherbrooke Community School to receive its award, being World Habitat Day. Sherbrooke Community School have a great commitment to sustainability and their work on involved protecting some indigenous vegetation the students identified on their school grounds to provide a corridor for wildlife from the Dandenong Ranges National Park to the Sassafras Creek Reserve

They are an inspiration to others and worthy award recipients.