Schools across the region plant seeds for a better future

SCHOOLS around the country were encouraged to plant as many trees as they could on Friday last week, as part of PlanetArk’s Schools Tree Day, and schools in Geelong are getting on board.

Oberon Primary School in Belmont was more than happy to get in on the action as a handful of their Grade 1 and 2 pupils planted numerous trees in their Indigenous Garden.

The students planted numerous kinds of flora on the day, including eucalyptus, grevillea, kangaroo paw and Correa Barossa gold.
“I think it’s a great initiative, definitely,” acting principal Stuart McCombe said.

“Once you sign up and create an event with PlanetArk, they give you the option to get seedlings and then plant them.

“It’s also a great opportunity for many schools to get involved and we have seen the effect it has had on our students, and the learning benefits that come from it is something that really fits in with our values program.”

Oberon Primary School has been highly active about their sustainability model, producing their own vegetables from several vegetable gardens containing carrots, potatoes, and other types of food.

Prep teacher and steward of the school’s gardens Michael Grozdanovski emphasised the benefits that planting trees had on children growing up.

“It is that thought of sustainability that if we don’t keep planting trees and keep taking care of the environment, we are not going to have the type of future for our kids and their kids after that,” Mr Grozdanovski said.

“So, something like Schools Tree Day and the kids planting their own trees is really good.”

In addition to their gardens, the school in partnership with their Indigenous families, collaborated to start an Indigenous Garden two years ago as a celebration of Aboriginal culture, and the plants reflect that.

“What we plant here are native to Australia and it is a really good way for kids to understand that trees don’t just come from anywhere.

“These trees are from Australia, they match our climate, they are easy to grow and much easier to maintain rather than getting something that stems from a different country.”