By Tyler Wright
Some eight Dandenong Ranges early learning centres and primary schools have been awarded up to $1,000 each in the latest round of Woolworths Junior Landcare grants announced on Thursday 9 May.
Funds received from the grants will allow the primary schools and early learning centres to develop projects focusing on sustainable food production, improving waste management practices or enhancing native habitats.
“We at Little Gems have decided to create a sanctuary for wildlife with the creation of a birdfeeder, bird bath and a sustainable garden full of seasonal vegetables and herbs. We are collaborating with the children to make a scarecrow which will support our garden to flourish,” Jess, Educational Leader at Little Gems Early Early Learning Centre said.
Mountain District Christian School in Monbulk also received funding through the fourth round of the grants, which have awarded more than 1054 primary schools and early learning centres across Australia with over over $1 million, and was grateful for the opportunity to support their Patch to Plate project.
“The children will be involved in planning out the new gardens, preparing the beds, planting seedlings and caring for the plants. They will also harvest and eat the produce. Students will be involved in collecting scrap waste and maintaining a compost system the contributes to maintaining viable soil for veggies and herbs,” Janita Bratton, head of Mountain District Christian Primary School said.
“In an age where children increasingly spend more time in doors and separated from roles and responsibilities that previously taught life skills such as cooking with the family, shopping for weekly groceries, children are in danger of missing out on understanding how to steward the earths resources well. The food on our plate each day comes from somewhere and learning about our connections to the land and how we can care for it through the Patch to Plate program will give students tangible experiences of how we can build a sustainable future for future generations,” she said.
Landcare Australia CEO Dr Shane Norrish said the core goal of programs such as the Woolworths Junior Landcare Grants is to educate students on how to care for their environment.
“The grant will play a vital role in helping Belgrave, Boronia and Ferntree Gully District students grow their skills and become the next generation of environmental champions,” Dr Norrish said.
Woolworths Group Manager Bonnie Chignell said the grants help schools develop initiatives such as REDcycling, growing fruit and veg, Bush Tucker gardens and composting.
“Additionally, with 1.3 billion tonnes of all food produced each year being lost or wasted, it is more important than ever that schools have access to fund the materials, installation and construction required to develop these types of programs,” Ms Chignell said.
To date, Woolworths has contributed over $4 million to more than 3,800 projects across Australia in partnership with Landcare Australia.
To see which schools and early learning centres were successful in receiving these grants, visit http://www.juniorlandcare.org.au/woolworthsgrants/map
