By Margaret Maccoll
The Noosa Environmental Education Hub is creating the next generation of environmental custodians by teaching local students about the ecosystems that make up the Noosa Biosphere, co-directors of the hub told guests at Noosa Parks Association’s Friday Forum last week.
Co-directors Annika Patrick, Di Seels and Dalia Mikhail work in partnership with local environmental groups to deliver meaningful curriculum extension programs that provide hands-on learning, in support of the environment. The hub began with NPA seed-funding, providing an array of programs that are linked to the Australian Curriculum and will continue to deliver their programs to schools for fees.
An array of programs have been created to suit students of different ages and co-directors say the students results have been outstanding.
At Sunshine Beach State School the Year 2 students have been involved in creating a glossy black cockatoo farm on native bushland on the school grounds.
Dahlia said the students created a dam and planted feed trees for the birds and when the students are in Year 5 and 6 they will be able to see the glossies coming to feed, she said.
In a program run in collaboration with Slow Food Noosa Sunshine Beach State High School students not only learnt more about food preparation, healthy eating and growing micro-greens they established their own micro-greens business.
“The kids just blossom when they get out and do these things,“ Dahlia said.
In another program at SBSH another group of students are linking with Noosa Landcare to plant more than 60 koala feed trees on degraded farmland and in that way are contributing to the koala corridor.
“The kids have planted, staked, named them and sung songs while planting,“ Di said. “Kids understand they are doing something that is for a greater good.“
At Montessori students met with Kabi Kabi Elder Uncle Brian Warner for a discussion on colonisation, looking at whether it was right for Europeans to come in and take their lands.
“To reflect on what to do in the future they decided it was not the best approach but they were happy to be here and we would be able to learn from tech other,“ Di said.
“It opens up the children’s minds to issues,“ Di said.
Achieving outcomes are an important aim of the program.
One program has encouraged students to learn more about bushfires and as a result of their education aims to develop a bushfire kit for schools.A Year 10 student told NPA guests how the students had gained knowledge about fire from Indigenous guests and firefighters and conducted their own research to learn more about the use of cool burns, the significance of fuel load and the impact bushfire has on the community. She said she also learnt the greatest cause of bushfire was arson and adolescents were responsible in about half the cases.
The Noosa EEhub has also developed the Noosa Youth Advocacy Group as a means of providing an opportunity for young peoples voices to be heard by Noosa Council on the issues that mean most to them.
