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\u201cPart of the grant is also for studies of flora and fauna. I worked with my year three-four students in the little bushland behind the school on bird identification.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Sadler said the children have \u201cloved the opportunity to sit still,\u201d to listen to the sounds of the wildlife, and the trees moving.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey eagerly look forward to sitting still, relaxing, and being in nature. It pays into their wellbeing, and gives them the connectedness they are desiring.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe one day we had with five-sixes, they loved getting their hands dirty. They\u2019ve missed working in our veggie garden with community volunteers, so it was a hugely engaging and motivating activity,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnything we can do to get them into the local natural environment is a huge education motivator and is so good for their wellbeing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr McCallum said the \u201cwonderful\u201d group of young people have been focused on planting yellow and red gums to revegetate a section of the Bannockburn bush that was a sugar gum plantation.<\/p>\n
He said the students are going to be key to progress-making when it comes to conserving natural spaces and resources, now and in the long-term.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s important that the next generation coming through have a sense of country and contact, and an understanding of all the processes that go on in the natural world, which will encourage them to look after it, and vote for politicians that will look after it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a real bottom-up, grassroots campaign, getting people to understand and appreciate being comfortable with doing things that are important when looking after all our wealth of flora and fauna.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe kids from the College are a lovely, bright enthusiastic group.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WITH the support of a Victorian Junior Landcare and Biodiversity grant, St Mary MacKillop Catholic Primary School students have found a new classroom in the bush. Partnering with Stuart McCallum of Friends of Bannockburn Bush the School\u2019s curious young pupils are undertaking some of their environmental science studies in the Bannockburn Nature Reserve. St Mary […]<\/p>\n