Students loved the lessons

MORE than 100 students from across the region took part in the inaugural ‘A landscape shaped by water’ expo at the Main Corner in Mount Gambier.

The Limestone Coast Landscape Board (LC Landscape Board) hosted the event as a wrap up of the successful completion of its Water Literacy Program for educators in the region.

Increasing water literacy in the Limestone Coast is important and through a series of professional development sessions on-country and in classroom, educators deepened their understanding of the region’s unique water systems.

These included groundwater aquifers, karst springs, fen wetlands and surface water flows and the sessions have helped to build their capacity to teach and engage our youth in water awareness.

Landscape education coordinator Damien Bickley said by sharing the significance of our region’s water systems, they aim to inspire educators to pass that knowledge on to their students.

The expo enabled participating educators to showcase their learnings through their classroom projects with students.

Projects were presented to a panel of experts from the various water industries:

• Dave Williamson, South Eastern Water Conservation and Drainage Board

• Tara Bonney, Burrandies Aboriginal Corporation

• Graham Kilsby, Kilsby Sinkhole and landholder

• Bradley Clarke-Wood, Department for Environment and Water

•Dr. Liz Perkins, Limestone Coast Landscape Board

“The Water Literacy program strengthened links between local water science, cultural knowledge and classroom practice, enabling teachers to bring real-world water issues into student learning,” Damien said. “The projects presented were fantastic showing a deeper appreciation and concern for the water around us.”

Governing Board Member, Robbie Davis who facilitated the panel discussion, said the students were so engaged and innovative in their quite sophisticated presentations.

“Including them from a young age is critical as they are our future water watchers,” Robbie said.

And the students relished the opportunity that the expo presented.

“I liked seeing all the schools and what they thought about the water, such as, Piccaninnie Ponds,” Evie said. “There are lots of birds that migrate to our waters. If our lakes and ponds start disappearing, birds lose their food source.”

Fellow student Arlo also found the expo worthwhile.

“I learned that people should care for all the water they use because we are using too much and, in the future, there might not be any more water left for everyone and everything,” Arlo said.

If you would like to know more about the school programs the Limestone Coast Landscape Board offer visit the website lc.landscape.sa.gov.au