Learning with Landcare - trees in schools (Stage 1)

Latrobe Catchment Landcare aims to engage with local schools to undertake tree planting and interactive engagement.

Involving schools in the environment at an early stage is important for development and creating an appreciation for the act of environmental volunteering. LCLN has been running National Tree Day events with schools for several years and we have seen the positive impact on children. It was the initial intention of this project to engage students in a workshop / training activity based around threatened species and the importance of habitat protection and restoration and then a tree planting activity within their local area.

Through a process of an Expression of Interest from local schools, it was obvious that they wanted to embrace native bush foods and wanted an opportunity to plant species that were hardy, but could also be used by the students in the everyday classroom. The Learning with Landcare project then pivoted to planting out 3 bush food gardens and one habitat garden and a regenerative bush project for future seed collections, all on the grounds of local schools and colleges, where students and teachers could engage with the plants and include them in other school activities.

For the bush food gardens, we partnered with local Native Bush Food practitioners, Julie Weatherhead and Anthony Hooper from Peppermint Ridge Farm. Julie and Anthony really know their stuff when it comes to propagating, growing, planting and using native bush foods in the garden. They helped to run workshops and activities with each school, encouraging students to touch, smell and taste the plants that they were soon planting into designated areas in their school grounds. Each school also received a copy of Peppermint Ridge Farms Bush Food Garden book which includes information on how to grow and care for the plants as well as delicious recipes that can be made using the plants.

To see how these gardens came to life … scroll down to see photos and more details about each project.

WILLOW GROVE PRIMARY SCHOOL - BUSH FOOD GARDEN

On a beautiful Autumn day in Gippsland 2024, our local Landcare network, the Latrobe Catchment Landcare Network held it’s first Learning with Landcare project with the Year 5/6 students at Willow Grove Primary School.

The project involves planting what was once your traditional style vegie patch with a new range of native bush food species. Specialists in native bush foods, Julie and Anthony Hooper from Peppermint Ridge Farm were there to teach the students about the plants and how the smell and taste delicious.

Starting with a lesson on how to plant the different varieties, the local Tanjil Valley Landcare volunteers were also there to lend a hand. Their involvement in the school program will be ongoing as we aim to connect students not only with nature, but to their community of nature loving folk as well. This connection is an important step in ensuring the school has support to continue to use and maintain the garden, ensuring the success of the planting.

‘A garden needs to be used and appreciated’ says Latrobe Catchment Landcare Network facilitator and project officer, Caroline Hammond. ‘And these plants will thrive when being harvested (pruned) regularly. I was so impressed to see the students at Willow Grove really enjoying tasting and smelling the variety of plants we have planted and also coming up with ideas of how they can use them in cooking’.

The most important part of any Landcare project is the morning tea! Students and local Landcare legends are seen here enjoying the lemon myrtle anzac biscuits after they’ve washed their hands from planting.

WARRAGUL PRIMARY SCHOOL - BUSH FOOD GARDEN

On a crisp wintery day, we held our second Learning with Landcare project planting day with the Student Council Representatives from Warragul Primary School.

The schools Student Council are made up of students from each grade level across the school. These students will help to engage their year level peers with the garden and essentially ‘teach’ them about the project.

This project saw a large, unused and heavily compacted raised garden bed within the school grounds reinvigorated with a new range of native bush food species.

Again, we enlisted the help of Julie and Anthony from Peppermint Ridge Farm to teach the students about the plant; how they smell and taste delicious …and of course, after planting, we all had some refreshments made by Julie using some of the bush foods we had just planted.

WARRAGUL REGIONAL COLLEGE - BUSH FOOD GARDEN

As part of the Warragul Regional College’s 2024 NAIDOC celebrations, the creative and hard work of the Indigenous students was launched.

Every Tuesday, Indigenous Youth Support teacher Hollie Johnson gathers a group of Indigenous students who engage in activities and projects that are designed by them to benefit their school environment, promoting a sense of participation and inclusion for everyone.

Hollie’s group of students came up with the idea of doing an Indigenous Garden, with the original design drawn by a senior student in the shape of a hand print including a yarning circle in the palm of the hand. With some additions by their peers, they soon had an incredible plan. The Indigenous students and their friends started work on the garden with the support of Hollie.

LCLN then facilitated a planting session with specialists in native bush foods, Julie Weatherhead and Anthony Hooper from Peppermint Ridge Farm, students and Landcare volunteers planting almost 100 native bush food plants into the incredible space the students designed.

Julie and Anthony taught the students about the bush food plants, how to care for them, how they smell and taste delicious and how they can be used in cooking and also as indigenous medicines. Local Landcare and Rotary volunteers were also there to lend a hand. Their involvement in the school program will hopefully be ongoing as we aim to connect students not only with nature, but to their community of nature loving folk as well. This connection is an important step in ensuring the school has support to continue to use and maintain the garden, ensuring the success of the planting.

The unveiling of the Indigenous Garden occurred as part of Warragul Regional's NAIDOC celebrations in 2024. The unveiling saw Warragul Rotary Club, Peppermint Ridge Nursery, the Latrobe Catchment Landcare Network, the school and community organisations and members come together to celebrate the hard work the students and community have done.

‘The amazing work that has already been done shows that the gardens success will then be carried on for many years as a space for gathering, for learning and for nourishment, and with a sense of pride from both the Indigenous students, their peers and the school’ says Hollie Johnson.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the Project; the Latrobe Catchment Landcare Network for funding and people power, the Warragul Rotary Club for funding and support to install and plant out raised garden beds, Peppermint Ridge Farm for their healthy bush plants, knowledge sharing and delicious foods. Thank you to Baw Baw Shire Council for their kind donation of mulch.

COMMUNITY COLLEGE GIPPSLAND - REGENERATIVE BUSH AREA

Community College Gippsland's (CCG) Certificate II in Horticulture students recently participated in an enriching and interactive workshop focused on sustainable horticulture practices. The workshop, led by Caroline Hammond, Latrobe Catchment Landcare Network Facilitator and Project Officer, and the West Gippsland Seedbank group, provided students with hands-on experience in seed harvesting and propagation.

The workshop began with an informative session where students learned about the sustainable methods used by the West Gippsland Seedbank team to collect seeds from native areas. These seeds are then supplied to growers for propagation and the eventual production of new tubestock plants. The students were actively involved in identifying various plant types and applying seed removal techniques.

“It was a great interactive experience for the students as part of their studies, and the seed they harvested will be sown by the same students as part of our growing program, which will allow them to see the full production cycle,” said CCG Horticultural trainer Tony Bundock.

“It was such a fun project to do, but not only that, it was wonderful to see how the students embraced all aspects of the project. I certainly hope that the Learning with Landcare project can continue to connect the students with this aspect of Horticulture for years to come.” Said Caroline Hammond, Latrobe Catchment Landcare Network Facilitator and Project Officer.

Following the workshop, students took part in a tree-planting exercise on the CCG Warragul campus grounds. Under the guidance of Caroline Hammond and the Latrobe Catchment Network, the students planted 244 native plants, deepening their connection to the local environment and their understanding of horticultural practices.

The Certificate II in Horticulture course at CCG comprises students from several local schools, including Warragul Regional College, Drouin Secondary College, Chairo Christian School, Mirboo North Secondary College, Marist-Sion College, Kurnai College, and ECG Secondary College. This diverse group of students brings a broad range of perspectives and experiences to the program, enhancing their learning and collaboration.

CCG Business Development Manager, Den Lim expressed gratitude for the collaboration, stating, “We are very grateful for the donation and support provided by Latrobe Catchment Landcare and Baw Baw Shire’s rural tree grant. The planting session allowed our students to work collaboratively. They gained knowledge of horticulture and were able to name native plant species afterwards. It’s pleasing to partner with local organizations such as Landcare to provide hands-on experience for our students.”

The event not only provided valuable practical learning but also fostered a sense of stewardship for the environment among the students, equipping them with skills essential for a sustainable future in horticulture.

TANJIL SOUTH PRIMARY SCHOOL - HABITAT GARDEN

On a cool Spring day with rain showers threatening, the Latrobe Catchment Landcare Network held its last Learning with Landcare project with the entire Tanjil South Primary School.

The Tanjil South Primary School is a quaint little school located just up into the hills from Moe/Newborough. It consists of approx. 13 students varying in ages from Year 1 through to Year 6. Their school environment is already full of habitat planting including nesting boxes high up in the trees for birds and possums to call home.

On the day, we had 11 students, Principal Mr Horton, Teacher Miss Belinda and a few family and friends helping to plant a small area with 65 varieties of local indigenous native plants ranging from ground covers, grasses, small to medium shrubs and a few large canopy trees.

Tanjil South Primary School already has an active outdoors program aimed at embracing their rural surroundings and bush environment. With a number of nesting boxes around the school grounds, that are also regularly inhabited by galahs or owls, the decision to plant more native habitat was an easy one.

‘These students are an absolute delight to plant with, excitement peaked each time we uncovered worms in the soil, and so many great discussions were had about the importance of looking after our native wildlife’ said Latrobe Catchment Landcare facilitator Caroline Hammond, and also a member of the local Tanjil Valley Landcare group. ‘I just can’t wait to see this garden and the students grow together.’